Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pimobendan effects on dogs with early mitral valve disease and heart
By Boswood, A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2018·department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Longitudinal Analysis of Quality of Life, Clinical, Radiographic, Echocardiographic, and Laboratory Variables in Dogs with Preclinical Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease Receiving Pimobendan or Placebo: The EPIC Study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study involving 354 dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and enlarged hearts found that those treated with the medication pimobendan had a reduction in heart size after 35 days. This decrease in heart size was linked to a longer time before the dogs developed congestive heart failure (CHF) or died from heart-related issues. However, when the dogs did reach the point of CHF, there was no noticeable difference between those on pimobendan and those on a placebo. Overall, pimobendan appears to help manage heart size and potentially improve outcomes for dogs with this condition.
People also search for: dog heart disease treatment · pimobendan for dogs · myxomatous mitral valve disease symptoms
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Changes in clinical variables associated with the administration of pimobendan to dogs with preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and cardiomegaly have not been described. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of pimobendan on clinical variables and the relationship between a change in heart size and the time to congestive heart failure (CHF) or cardiac-related death (CRD) in dogs with MMVD and cardiomegaly. To determine whether pimobendan-treated dogs differ from dogs receiving placebo at onset of CHF. ANIMALS: Three hundred and fifty-four dogs with MMVD and cardiomegaly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective, blinded study with dogs randomized (ratio 1:1) to pimobendan (0.4-0.6 mg/kg/d) or placebo. Clinical, laboratory, and heart-size variables in both groups were measured and compared at different time points (day 35 and onset of CHF) and over the study duration. Relationships between short-term changes in echocardiographic variables and time to CHF or CRD were explored. RESULTS: At day 35, heart size had reduced in the pimobendan group: median change in (Δ) LVIDDN -0.06 (IQR: -0.15 to +0.02), P < 0.0001, and LA:Ao -0.08 (IQR: -0.23 to +0.03), P < 0.0001. Reduction in heart size was associated with increased time to CHF or CRD. Hazard ratio for a 0.1 increase in ΔLVIDDN was 1.26, P = 0.0003. Hazard ratio for a 0.1 increase in ΔLA:Ao was 1.14, P = 0.0002. At onset of CHF, groups were similar. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Pimobendan treatment reduces heart size. Reduced heart size is associated with improved outcome. At the onset of CHF, dogs treated with pimobendan were indistinguishable from those receiving placebo.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29214723/