Assessment of the Cardiovascular System in Horses During Prepurchase and Insurance Examinations.

The research is about how to assess the cardiovascular health of horses during prepurchase and insurance examinations. The focus is on identifying arrhythmias and heart murmurs and their impact on the horse’s performance, life expectancy, and insurance coverage.

Method of Detection

• Arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats, detected during the prepurchase examination are confirmed with an electrocardiogram (ECG), a test that measures the electrical activity of the heart.
• An ECG is used during exercise to determine whether the detected arrhythmia is exacerbated during physical activity or if it poses a significant risk to the horse’s safety.
• An echocardiogram, an ultrasound scan of the heart, is recommended for all horses presenting a certain severity of heart murmurs – graded 3/6 or higher and especially if the murmur occurs during specific phases of the heart cycle (mid to late systolic, holosystolic, or pansystolic). This test is also needed if a certain type of murmur (holodiastolic decrescendo) is detected. The purpose of the echocardiogram is to identify the exact cardiac abnormality causing these murmurs and to assess its impact on the horse’s blood flow.

Interpretation of Findings

• The majority of horses with arrhythmias and heart murmurs do not experience a significant impact on their performance or life expectancy. Despite these findings during a cardiac assessment, these horses are generally considered insurable.
• However, there are certain risks associated with specific types of murmurs and arrhythmias. If a horse displays these indications during examination, it becomes critical to understand they may constitute significant health threats, such as sudden death or congestive heart failure.
• Recognizing these risks during clinical assessment is vitally important as horses displaying these specific murmurs and arrhythmias cannot be insured, due to the high-risk nature of these conditions.