Clinicopathologic evidence of myocardial injury in horses with acute abdominal disease

Abstract

Evidence of myocardial injury was observed in horses with acute abdominal disease, and this injury was associated with severity of illness. Recognition of myocardial injury could improve treatment of acute abdominal disease in horses.

ECG of the Month

“…Arrhythmias associated with endocarditis are common in veterinary species and may include atrial and ventricular premature complexes, paroxysmal and sustained tachycardia, bundle branch block, and first-, second-, and third-degree AV block. 10 The underlying cause for the peritoneal effusion in this horse was never determined. 8 In horses, ventricular premature complexes and atrial fibrillation are the most common arrhythmias associated with endocarditis, but endocarditis-related ventricular tachycardia has been reported.…”

The clinical value of whole blood point‐of‐care biomarkers in large animal emergency and critical care medicine

“…Cardiac injury and increasing cTnI concentrations is a common sequel to a wide variety of diseases affecting both the heart and other body systems . The indications for measuring cTnI in veterinary patients are for quantifying the extent of myocardial injury and estimating prognosis in 2 key areas: (1) primary cardiac disorders, and (2) critical illnesses, such as sepsis, shock, and colic , …”

“…Increased concentrations of cTnI are common in human and veterinary emergency medicine . Many diseases in critically ill people and animals have been associated with increased cTnI concentrations, including systemic inflammatory conditions, sepsis, shock, acute abdominal problems, arrhythmias, stroke, traumatic brain injury, myocarditis, congestive heart failure, pulmonary embolism, and renal disease . The reported mechanisms for the release of cTnI in such diseases include demand ischemia, myocardial ischemia secondary to an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system, direct myocardial damage via trauma or inflammation, and myocardial strain .…”

“…The reported mechanisms for the release of cTnI in such diseases include demand ischemia, myocardial ischemia secondary to an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system, direct myocardial damage via trauma or inflammation, and myocardial strain . In horses increased cTnI has been associated with acute abdominal disease, and may provide both diagnostic and prognostic value . Nath et al reported that a greater number of horses with strangulating or inflammatory lesions had evidence of myocardial injury at initial evaluation compared with a group of healthy animals .…”

“…In horses increased cTnI has been associated with acute abdominal disease, and may provide both diagnostic and prognostic value . Nath et al reported that a greater number of horses with strangulating or inflammatory lesions had evidence of myocardial injury at initial evaluation compared with a group of healthy animals . Further, such injury was associated with mounting severity of illness and nonsurvival, correlating with increases in hematocrit, heart rate, and plasma lactate concentration.…”