Atrial fibrillation management in a breeding stallion.
Abstract: A 20-year-old warmblood breeding stallion presented to a University practice for semen collection and evaluation was incidentally diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF). Electrocardiogram recordings during breeding revealed inappropriately rapid tachycardia and occasional ventricular premature depolarizations/aberrant ventricular conduction. Transvenous electrical cardioversion was performed. After successful cardioversion the horse displayed supraventricular ectopy and atrial contractile dysfunction and was administered sotalol hydrochloride in an attempt to decrease the risk of AF recurrence. Supraventricular ectopy and echocardiographic evidence of atrial dysfunction gradually improved and normalized over 6 months. No direct adverse effects of the chronic anti-arrhythmic treatment were observed and libido and semen quality were unaffected. AF recurred 6 months after cardioversion and sotalol therapy was continued to control the ventricular ectopy/aberrant ventricular conduction during semen collection. Considerations regarding pathologic arrhythmias and inappropriately high heart rates in breeding stallions with AF may be similar to those in riding horses. Sotalol hydrochloride was a safe anti-arrhythmic drug in the management of this case.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2017-03-21 PubMed ID: 28336184DOI: 10.1016/j.jvc.2017.02.001Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article is about a 20-year-old breeding stallion that presented with atrial fibrillation, a heart condition, and how it was managed with the use of an anti-arrhythmic drug called sotalol hydrochloride.
Incidental Diagnosis of Atrial fibrillation
- A 20-year-old stallion was presented to the University veterinary practice for semen collection and evaluation. During this, the stallion was incidentally found to have atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is an irregular and often rapid heart rate that can increase the risk of strokes, heart failure, and other heart-related complications.
- An Electrocardiogram recording, a test that measures the electrical activity of the heart, was done during breeding. It revealed an unusually rapid tachycardia, an abnormal heart rhythm where the heart beats faster than normal, and occasional ventricular premature depolarizations/aberrant ventricular conduction, abnormal heart rhythm conditions.
Transvenous Electrical Cardioversion and Medication
- The stallion was given a treatment known as transvenous electrical cardioversion. This is a procedure designed to provide a controlled electric shock to the heart, with the intention of restoring a normal heart rhythm from an abnormal or irregular rhythm.
- Post successful cardioversion, the horse presented supraventricular ectopy, which is another type of heart rhythm disorder, and atrial contractile dysfunction, where the atria of the heart do not contract properly. Due to these conditions, it was given sotalol hydrochloride to reduce the risk of AF recurrence. Sotalol hydrochloride is a medication that is used to control heart rhythm problems.
Road to Recovery
- Over the course of 6 months post-treatment, the supraventricular ectopy and atrial dysfunction gradually improved and eventually normalized. This suggests that the sotalol hydrochloride was effective in treating the heart conditions.
- Throughout the course of the treatment, no direct adverse effects were observed. Importantly for a breeding stallion, the libido and semen quality were unaffected by the treatment.
- Unfortunately, AF recurred 6 months after the original cardioversion. Treatment with sotalol hydrochloride was continued to manage ventricular ectopy and aberrant ventricular conduction during semen collection, showcasing its potential for long term management of this condition.
Management of AF in Breeding Stallions
- The article concludes that considerations for managing arrhythmias and abnormally high heart rates in breeding stallions with AF could potentially be similar to those for riding horses, implying a broader application of these treatments for horses in different functions.
- Sotalol hydrochloride was found to be a safe and effective anti-arrhythmic drug in the management of this case, reinforcing its possible use in maintaining or restoring heart health in horses diagnosed with AF.
Cite This Article
APA
Heliczer N, Mitchell K, Lorello O, Dauvillier J, Burger D, Schwarzwald CC, Navas de Solis C.
(2017).
Atrial fibrillation management in a breeding stallion.
J Vet Cardiol, 19(3), 299-307.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc.2017.02.001 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern and Agroscope, Länggassstrasse 124, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: natalie.heliczer@gmx.net.
- Clinic for Equine Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern and Agroscope, Länggassstrasse 124, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Equine Sport Medicine Practice, Avenue Beau Séjour 83, 1410 Waterloo, Belgium.
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern and Agroscope, Länggassstrasse 124, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Clinic for Equine Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern and Agroscope, Länggassstrasse 124, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / therapeutic use
- Atrial Fibrillation / diagnosis
- Atrial Fibrillation / drug therapy
- Atrial Fibrillation / veterinary
- Breeding
- Electric Countershock / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses
- Male
- Semen Analysis
- Sotalol / therapeutic use
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Nath LC, Elliott AD, Weir J, Curl P, Rosanowski SM, Franklin S. Incidence, recurrence, and outcome of postrace atrial fibrillation in Thoroughbred horses. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Mar;35(2):1111-1120.
- Decloedt A, Broux B, De Clercq D, Deprez P, Van Steenkiste G, Vera L, Ven S, van Loon G. Effect of sotalol on heart rate, QT interval, and atrial fibrillation cycle length in horses with atrial fibrillation. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Mar;32(2):815-821.
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