Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How heart rate affects survival in dogs with atrial fibrillation
By Pedro, B et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2018·Institute of Veterinary Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Retrospective Evaluation of the Effect of Heart Rate on Survival in Dogs with Atrial Fibrillation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 46 dogs with atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart condition that can cause an irregular heartbeat, were studied to see how heart rate affected their survival. The dogs had various heart issues, and those with a lower average heart rate (below 125 beats per minute) lived significantly longer than those with a higher rate. Specifically, dogs with a mean heart rate below 125 bpm had a median survival time of over 1,000 days, while those at or above that rate had a median survival of just 105 days. This suggests that managing heart rate in dogs with AF could be crucial for improving their lifespan.
People also search for: dog atrial fibrillation treatment · dog heart rate and survival · managing heart rate in dogs with heart disease
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) usually is associated with a rapid ventricular rate. The optimal heart rate (HR) during AF is unknown. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Heart rate affects survival in dogs with chronic AF. ANIMALS: Forty-six dogs with AF and 24-hour ambulatory recordings were evaluated. METHODS: Retrospective study. Holter-derived HR variables were analyzed as follows: mean HR (meanHR, 24-hour average), minimum HR (minHR, 1-minute average), maximum HR (maxHR, 1-minute average). Survival times were recorded from the time of presumed adequate rate control. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazards analysis identified variables independently associated with survival; Kaplan-Meier survival analysis estimated the median survival time of dogs with meanHR <125 bpm versus ≥125 bpm. RESULTS: All 46 dogs had structural heart disease; 31 of 46 had congestive heart failure (CHF), 44 of 46 received antiarrhythmic drugs. Of 15 dogs with cardiac death, 14 had CHF. Median time to all-cause death was 524 days (Interquartile range (IQR), 76-1,037 days). MeanHR was 125 bpm (range, 62-203 bpm), minHR was 82 bpm (range, 37-163 bpm), maxHR was 217 bpm (range, 126-307 bpm). These were significantly correlated with all-cause and cardiac-related mortality. For every 10 bpm increase in meanHR, the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 35% (hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.17-1.55; P < 0.001). Median survival time of dogs with meanHR<125 bpm (n = 23) was significantly longer (1,037 days; range, 524-open) than meanHR ≥125 bpm (n = 23; 105 days; range, 67-267 days; P = 0.0012). Mean HR was independently associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (P < 0.003). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Holter-derived meanHR affects survival in dogs with AF. Dogs with meanHR <125 bpm lived longer than those with meanHR ≥ 125 bpm.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29205499/