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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Exercising arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in horses: R...
Equine veterinary journal2016; 48(4); 406-413; doi: 10.1111/evj.12580

Exercising arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in horses: Review of the literature and comparative aspects.

Abstract: Arrhythmias are common in equine athletes during and immediately after exercise. Many of these rhythm variations are not clinically relevant. In horses, a link between different exercising arrhythmias and poor performance or between exercising arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD) is strongly suspected but not fully understood or proven. SCD during races or competitions is rare, but has catastrophic consequences for the safety of the human partner and public perceptions of welfare during equestrian sports. This review summarises current knowledge of equine exercise arrhythmias and their implications in SCD and compares existing principles and recommendations for equine subjects with those for human athletes.
© 2016 EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2016-05-09 PubMed ID: 27156002DOI: 10.1111/evj.12580Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 article discusses the connection between arrhythmias during exercise, poor performance, and sudden cardiac death in horses, comparing the principles and recommendations for horses and human athletes.

Summary of Research Article

The main focus of this research is on the arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) that occur in horses during and immediately after exercise. These variations in rhythm are often insignificant from a clinical perspective, but researchers are investigating their potential direct relationship with poor performance and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in horses. Despite suspicions of such links, the connections are not yet fully understood or proven.

While SCD is rare during races or competitions, it poses serious safety risks for the human riders and influences public perception of animal welfare in equestrian sports. The researchers aim to deepen our understanding of this issue by reviewing and summarizing the existing literature.

Arrhythmias in Equine Athletes and Implications for Performance

This study explores:

  • The prevalence of arrhythmias in equine athletes,
  • The potential effect of these arrhythmias on a horse’s performance,
  • The suspected relationship between exercise-induced arrhythmias and poor performance, which is still not entirely understood and requires further research.

Relationship between Exercising Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death in Horses

The paper further delves into:

  • The role that exercising arrhythmias might play in sudden cardiac death in horses,
  • The consequences of this phenomenon, which can be catastrophic not only for the horse but also for its human partner,
  • The challenging task of proving the link between these exercising arrhythmias and sudden cardiac events.

Comparative Aspects: Equine Arrhythmias vs Human Athletes

This study aims to provide a comparative review of equine and human exercise arrhythmias. In this section, the paper discusses:

  • The similarities and differences in the occurrence of arrhythmias and their potential impacts on performance or health between horses and human athletes,
  • The fact that current principles and recommendations for managing and preventing exercising arrhythmias in horses might draw upon guidelines created for human athletes.

Cite This Article

APA
Navas de Solis C. (2016). Exercising arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in horses: Review of the literature and comparative aspects. Equine Vet J, 48(4), 406-413. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12580

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 48
Issue: 4
Pages: 406-413

Researcher Affiliations

Navas de Solis, C
  • Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science (Vetsuisse), University of Bern and Agroscope, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Texas Veterinary Medical Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / etiology
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / pathology
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / veterinary
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / etiology
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / pathology
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / etiology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horses
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / adverse effects

Citations

This article has been cited 15 times.
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