Comparison of systolic cardiac function before and after treatment of atrial fibrillation in horses with and without additional cardiac valve insufficiencies.
Abstract: Clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examinations were conducted before therapy and 4 days after conversion to normal sinus rhythm in 15 horses with a history of atrial fibrillation of 2-6 months duration. Seven horses showed no other signs of cardiac disease. Four horses suffered additionally from mitral valve insufficiency, while six horses had aortic valve insufficiency, including two of the four horses with mitral valve insufficiency, but none had signs of congestive heart failure. Doppler echocardiographic estimates of various variables were made for assessment of systolic heart function. These included heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output and cardiac output per kg of body weight (heart index). After conversion to normal sinus rhythm, the horses without heart valve insufficiency showed a statistically significantly decreased heart rate (-24%) and cardiac output (-3%), but an increase in stroke volume (+8.4%) and heart index (+9%). The horses with heart valve insufficiency experienced a statistically significant decrease in heart rate (-21%) after conversion to normal sinus rhythm, but showed an increase in all other variables. Cardiac output increased statistically significantly by 20%, stroke volume by 54% and heart index by 58%.
Publication Date: 2004-06-30 PubMed ID: 15222736DOI: 10.1023/b:verc.0000026672.25856.0aGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Atrial Function
- Cardiovascular Health
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Echocardiography
- Electrocardiography
- Equine Health
- Heart
- Heart Rate
- Horses
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research investigated the changes in heart function in horses with atrial fibrillation, both with and without additional heart valve problems, before and after treatment. The outcomes measured included heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output and heart index.
Study Participants
- The study involved 15 horses, all of which had a history of atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats irregularly and often rapidly, reducing its ability to pump blood effectively.
- The duration of atrial fibrillation in these horses ranged from 2 to 6 months.
- Seven of these horses did not have any other heart conditions.
- Four horses had mitral valve insufficiency, a condition where the mitral valve of the heart doesn’t close tightly, allowing blood to flow back into the heart.
- Another six horses had aortic valve insufficiency, a condition where the aortic valve doesn’t close completely, allowing some blood to leak back into the left ventricle. This includes two of the horses with mitral valve insufficiency.
Methodology and Measurements
- The horses underwent clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examinations both prior to treatment and four days post-treatment, when they had converted back to normal sinus rhythm (regular heart beat).
- Doppler echocardiography was used to estimate systolic heart function by measuring heart rate, stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped out of the heart at each beat), cardiac output (the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute), and heart index (cardiac output per kg of body weight).
Results
- The horses without heart valve insufficiencies demonstrated a significant decrease in heart rate (-24%) and cardiac output (-3%) after treatment. However, an increase in stroke volume (+8.4%) and heart index (+9%) was noted.
- The horses with heart valve insufficiencies showed a statistically significant decrease in heart rate (-21%) post treatment. In contrast to horses without valve problems, these horses exhibited an increase in all other variables. Their cardiac output increased significantly by 20%, stroke volume by 54%, and heart index by 58%.
Conclusion
- The results suggest that, in horses, treatment of atrial fibrillation results in changes to systolic cardiac function. These changes are different in horses with additional heart valve insufficiencies compared to those without.
Cite This Article
APA
Gehlen H, Stadler P.
(2004).
Comparison of systolic cardiac function before and after treatment of atrial fibrillation in horses with and without additional cardiac valve insufficiencies.
Vet Res Commun, 28(4), 317-329.
https://doi.org/10.1023/b:verc.0000026672.25856.0a Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Clinic for Horses, School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 12, D-30173 Hannover, Germany. heidrun.gehlen@tiho-hannover.de
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / therapeutic use
- Aortic Valve Insufficiency / complications
- Aortic Valve Insufficiency / physiopathology
- Aortic Valve Insufficiency / veterinary
- Atrial Fibrillation / complications
- Atrial Fibrillation / drug therapy
- Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology
- Atrial Fibrillation / veterinary
- Cardiac Output / physiology
- Echocardiography, Doppler / veterinary
- Electrocardiography / veterinary
- Female
- Heart Rate / physiology
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / physiopathology
- Horses
- Male
- Mitral Valve Insufficiency / complications
- Mitral Valve Insufficiency / physiopathology
- Mitral Valve Insufficiency / veterinary
- Quinidine / therapeutic use
References
This article includes 23 references
- Equine Vet J. 1976 Jan;8(1):26-9
- Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. 2000 Jul;93(7):841-8
- J Vet Intern Med. 1988 Jan-Mar;2(1):1-6
- Equine Vet J. 1998 Mar;30(2):117-22
- Equine Vet J. 1997 Jan;29(1):18-25
- J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1990 Dec 15;197(12):1607-10
- J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1982 Feb 1;180(3):261-5
- J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1984 Apr 15;184(8):965-70
- J Vet Intern Med. 1995 Mar-Apr;9(2):57-67
- Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. 2000 Apr;93(3 Spec No):39-45
- Equine Vet J Suppl. 1995 Sep;(19):63-70
- Equine Vet J Suppl. 1995 Sep;(19):38-46
- Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 1996 Dec;12(3):473-94
- Equine Vet J. 1998 Jan;30(1):18-27
- Cardiovasc Res. 2002 May;54(2):427-37
- Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 1994 May;101(5):190-4
- Zentralbl Veterinarmed A. 1981;28(6):475-80
- J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1984 May 15;184(10):1230-1
- Tierarztl Prax Suppl. 1993;:30
- Am J Vet Res. 1976 Jun;37(6):697-700
- J Vet Intern Med. 1995 Sep-Oct;9(5):336-40
- Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 1996 Jul-Aug;39(1):33-46
- Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 1994 Aug;101(8):312-5
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Buhl R, Carstensen H, Hesselkilde EZ, Klein BZ, Hougaard KM, Ravn KB, Loft-Andersen AV, Fenner MF, Pipper C, Jespersen T. Effect of induced chronic atrial fibrillation on exercise performance in Standardbred trotters. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Jul;32(4):1410-1419.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
