Feline Cardiomyopathies Flashcards
When we think of feline heart disease, what age of cat are we usually concerned with?
3 months - 19 years (acquired heart disease)
What is the difference between cardiomyopathies and secondary cardiac disease?
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Know incidence, signalment, and morphology for each cardiomyopathy, as well as what characteristics make them all similar
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Kow the stages of feline cardiomyopathies
History and CS
Dx
Tx
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Name five primary cardiomyopathies in the feline
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) Unclassified cardiomyopathy (UCM) Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
What are the four main secondary heart diseases?
Hyperthyroidism
Hypertension
Heartworm disease
Acromegaly (too much growth hormone)
What are the morphologic characterisctics of HCM? (3)
Symmetric or asymmetric LV wall thickening (concentric hypertrophy)
Normal LV systolic function
LA enlargement
What are the consequences of HCM?
Dynamic LV outflow tract obstruction (systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve)
Myocardial infarction
Arrhythmias
Feline arterial thromboembolism
What are four non-cardiac causes for LV hypertrophy?
Hypertension
Hyperthyroidism
Acromegaly
Dehydration - pseudohypertrophy
T/F: The main issue in HCM is the heart’s inability to contract
False; relax
What is systolic anterior mitral valve motion (SAM)?
The mitral valve is closed during systole, causing anterior motion of the valve (normally anterior in diastole)
What is the clinical significance of systolic anterior mitral valve motion?
Can cause murmurs and mitral regurgitation
What are the morphologic characteristics of DCM? (2)
Dilation of 2 or 4 chambers ( L> R, V>A)
Systolic dysfunction of one or both ventricles (fractional shortening)
What is the history of cats with DCM? (3)
Taurine deficiency
Arrhythmias
Feline arterial thromboembolism
T/F: Systolic dysfunction is common in primary DCM
False; common when secondary to chronic volume overload, ischemic heart disease, and myocarditis
What biomarker should be checked when LV systolic is present?
Serum cardiac Troponin I
What are the morphologic characteristics of restrictive cardiomyopathy? (4)
Asymmetric LV wall thinning with or without dilation
Mildly decreased LV systolic function (FS)
Biatrial enlargement/dilation (LAE)
Severe LV diastolic dysfunction - restrictive filling
What is often in the history of cats with RCM? (3)
Arrhythmias
Myocardial infarction
Feline arterial thromboembolism
What occurs in restrictive cardiomyopathy? (2)
Diffuse LV endocardial fibrosis
Myocardial fibrosis causing progressive LV diastolic dysfunction
What are two secondary causes of RCM?
Amyloidosis
Storage disease
In restrictive cardiomyopathy, the heart can ___ (constrict/relax) but not ___ (constrict/relax)
Constrict
Relax
What are morphologic characteristics of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)?
RA and RV dilation (severe loss of muscle)
RV systolic dysfunction
What is in the history of cats with ARVC?
Mildly reduced LV systolic dysfunction
Arrhythmias (ventricular rather than supraventricular)
+/- Thromboembolism
What are morphologic characterisctics of unclassified cardiomyopathy? (2)
LA and/or RA enlargement/dilation
LV diastolic dysfunction
What are three major signs of L CHF in cats?
Pulmonary edema
Pleural effusion
+/- Pericardial effusion
What is the best way to Dx CHF?
Echo (thoracic rads are good too)
If this structure is visible on rads, consider something other than heart failure
Caudal vena cava
Other than rads, what are two useful diagnostic tools in CHF?
Therapeutic challenge (treat and see) NT-pro BNP
If NT-pro BNP is greater than ___, significant heart disease is possible, though CHF is not likely at the time
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