Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pulmonary hypertension linked to mitral valve disease in dogs
By Chiavegato, David et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2009·Clinica Veterinaria Padova, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pulmonary hypertension in dogs with mitral regurgitation attributable to myxomatous valve disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with chronic heart disease caused by mitral valve problems were studied to see how their heart function related to pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs). The researchers found that as the heart condition worsened, the pressure gradient between the right side of the heart and the lungs increased, indicating worsening pulmonary hypertension. In follow-up evaluations, some dogs showed increased pressure despite treatment aimed at relieving heart strain, suggesting that once the pressure reaches a certain level, it may not improve with standard therapies. This highlights the importance of monitoring heart health in dogs with mitral valve disease.
People also search for: dog heart disease treatment · pulmonary hypertension in dogs · mitral valve disease symptoms in dogs
Abstract
Pulmonary hypertension has been associated with mitral insufficiency caused by chronic degenerative valve disease in dogs. Our aim was to search for associations between left atrial to aortic root ratio, end-systolic and end-diastolic volume indices, and changes in the right ventricular to right atrial pressure gradient as estimated by the peak velocity of tricuspid regurgitation in dogs with chronic degenerative valve disease and different classes of heart failure. Dogs, for which follow-up was available were evaluated for changes in the right ventricular to right atrial systolic pressure gradient over time. Three hundred and forty-four dogs were studied; 51 in the International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council class la, 75 in class 1b, 113 in class 2, 97 in class 3a, and 8 in class 3b. The mean values for right ventricular to right atrial systolic pressure gradient, end-systolic volume index, end-diastolic volume index, and left atrial to aortic ratio were 49.2 +/- 17.1 mmHg, 149.12 +/- 60.8 and 37.7 +/- 21.6 ml/m2, and 1.9 +/- 0.5, respectively. A weak positive correlation was found between the right ventricular to right atrial systolic pressure gradient and the left atrial to aorta ratio (r = 0.242, P < 0.0001), end-diastolic volume index (r = 0.242, P < 0.0001), and end-systolic volume index (r = 0.129, P < 0.001). Follow up was available for 49 dogs. Of these, 18 had an increased, 12 a decreased, and 19 a stable right ventricular to right atrial systolic pressure gradient despite therapy. The equivalence point between the sensitivity and specificity curves of about 80% in the coincident point corresponded to a right ventricular to right atrial systolic pressure gradient of 48 mmHg. Our results suggest an association between the progressive nature of chronic degenerative mitral valve disease and pulmonary hypertension. It is of clinical interest that, with a right ventricular to right atrial systolic pressure gradient pressure gradient at or above 48 mmHg, pulmonary hypertension does not appear to improve despite therapy targeted at lowering the left atrial load.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19507386/