title: Preferences of veterinarians for drugs to treat heart disease in dogs and cats.
abstract: Responses (473) were collated from a questionnaire sent to 5054 veterinarians in Australia enquiring about drug preferences for treating cardiac disease in dogs and cats. When treating a small breed dog with endocardiosis and mild left congestive heart failure, 74% of 472 respondents used a diuretic, 67% a theophylline derivative, 27% a vasodilator and 20% a positive inotrope. Frusemide was the preferred diuretic and digoxin the preferred inotrope, but vasodilator use varied. Low sodium diets were "often recommended" by 71% of respondents. Propranolol was preferred to diltiazem for treating feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Digoxin was clearly preferred for treating supraventricular dysrhythmias, while lignocaine and digoxin were preferred equally for ventricular dysrhythmias. Respondents appeared more willing than US veterinarians to use theophylline derivatives and prasozin, and less inclined to employ nitrates, hydralazine, inotropes other than digoxin, and low sodium diets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Church
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D001315:Australia; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005665:Furosemide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D004077:Digoxin; D005665:Furosemide; D008012:Lidocaine; D011433:Propranolol