Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Telmisartan added to treatment for dogs with hard-to-control epilepsy
By Hanael, Erez et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2022·Veterinary Teaching Hospital·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Telmisartan as an add-on treatment for dogs with refractory idiopathic epilepsy: a nonrandomized, uncontrolled, open-label clinical trial.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old Beagle with idiopathic epilepsy was experiencing frequent seizures despite being on multiple medications. The veterinarian added telmisartan, a medication typically used for high blood pressure, to see if it could help reduce the number of seizures. After four months of treatment, seven out of ten dogs showed a noticeable decrease in seizure frequency, with some continuing to improve over the next year. No significant side effects were reported, suggesting that telmisartan could be a helpful option for dogs struggling with epilepsy.
People also search for: dog seizures treatment · telmisartan for dogs epilepsy · Beagle seizure frequency reduction
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect on seizure frequency of add-on telmisartan treatment in dogs with refractory idiopathic epilepsy. ANIMALS: 11 client-owned dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and ≥ 2 generalized seizures/mon that were currently being treated with ≥ 2 antiepileptic drugs. PROCEDURES: Telmisartan was administered at a dosage of 0.25 to 1 mg/kg, PO, every 12 hours for 4 to 16 months. Seizure frequencies before and during telmisartan treatment were recorded. RESULTS: 10 dogs completed the 4-month treatment protocol. One dog was excluded owing to a transient increase in serum creatinine concentration; no adverse effects of telmisartan were observed in the remaining 10 dogs. A reduction in seizure frequency greater than an estimated expected placebo effect of 30% was evident in 7 of the 10 dogs. Long-term (12 to 16 months) follow-up information was available for 6 dogs, of which 4 had a further reduction in seizure frequency. Differences in seizure frequency were not statistically significant. No significant difference was found in serum phenobarbital concentration throughout the treatment period in the 7 dogs that were tested. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Telmisartan has the potential to reduce seizure frequency when administered as an add-on antiepileptic drug in dogs with refractory idiopathic epilepsy. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is needed to determine the true efficacy of telmisartan. On the basis of our results, a sample size of 54 dogs with refractory idiopathic epilepsy would be needed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35201995/