title: Hypertensive cardiomyopathy in horses: 5 cases (1995-2011).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prognosis and clinical, echocardiographic, and pathological features of hypertensive cardiomyopathy in horses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  5 horses with cardiac hypertrophy and systemic hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographics, history, physical and cardiological examination findings, diagnosis, clinical progression, prognosis, and pathological findings were obtained from medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary diagnosis was chronic laminitis in 3 horses and chronic renal failure in 2. Persistent tachycardia, hypertension, chronic laminitis, or a combination of these prompted the cardiac evaluations. Blood pressure values (median [range]), measured noninvasively, were determined as 190 mm Hg (183 to 261 mm Hg) for systolic pressure, 126 mm Hg (100 to 190 mm Hg) for diastolic pressure, and 155 mm Hg (126 to 222 mm Hg) for mean pressure. No arrhythmias were reported. For the left ventricle, all horses had increased relative wall thickness, mean wall thickness, and ventricular mass. The interventricular septum was thickened at end diastole (n = 5) and in peak systole (4). The left ventricular internal diameter was small at end diastole (n = 4) and in peak systole (3). The left ventricular free wall was thickened at end diastole (n = 3) and in peak systole (4). No associations between blood pressure and variables consistent with hypertrophy were detected. All horses were euthanized because of the grave prognosis of the primary diseases. All 3 horses that underwent postmortem evaluation had cardiovascular abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertensive cardiomyopathy should be considered as a comorbid diagnosis in horses with laminitis or chronic renal failure. Information about the development, progression, reversibility, importance of early detection, and long-term sequelae of this condition is needed.
authors.affiliation: New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA. crisnavasdes@gmail.com
authors.forename: Cristobal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Navas de Solis
authors.forename: JoAnn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slack
authors.forename: Raymond C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Boston
authors.forename: Virginia B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Reef
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006736:Horses; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies