Prevalence and risk factors for cardiac diseases in a hospital-based population of 3,434 horses (1994-2011).
Authors: Leroux A A, Detilleux J, Sandersen C F, Borde L, Houben R M A C, Al Haidar A, Art T, Amory H
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
Between 1994 and 2011, researchers reviewed medical records from 3,434 horses admitted to an equine teaching hospital, identifying 284 animals with moderate-to-severe cardiac disease, to establish prevalence rates and statistical associations between various demographic factors and specific cardiac conditions. Mitral regurgitation proved most common (4.4% of the population), followed by atrial fibrillation (2.3%), aortic regurgitation (2.1%), and tricuspid regurgitation (1.7%), with distinct risk profiles emerging for each: aortic regurgitation showed strong associations with male sex and advancing age, tricuspid regurgitation with racing breeds and middle age (odds ratio 4.36), and atrial fibrillation with higher body weight (odds ratio 3.54). Notably, mitral regurgitation frequently occurred alongside atrial fibrillation, clinically significant ventricular arrhythmias, pulmonary regurgitation, and congestive heart failure, whereas aortic regurgitation was not associated with heart failure development—findings that refine our understanding of how individual valve lesions progress and interact. For practitioners managing performance horses or monitoring veterinary patients, these results suggest that breed type, age, sex, and body weight warrant consideration when assessing cardiac disease risk, and that the presence of mitral regurgitation demands particularly close surveillance for secondary complications including rhythm disturbances and congestive failure.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Monitor older male horses and heavy-bodied horses more closely for cardiac disease development, particularly atrial fibrillation in heavier individuals
- •Racehorses of middle age warrant targeted cardiac screening for tricuspid regurgitation; mitral regurgitation patients should be assessed for secondary complications including arrhythmias and heart failure
- •Establish breed and age-specific cardiac monitoring protocols in sport and performance horses to identify predisposing factors early
Key Findings
- •Mitral regurgitation (4.4%) was the most common cardiac abnormality, followed by atrial fibrillation (2.3%), aortic regurgitation (2.1%), and tricuspid regurgitation (1.7%) in 284 horses with moderate-to-severe disease out of 3,434 admissions
- •Male sex and increasing age were risk factors for aortic regurgitation (OR=2.03), while high body weight was a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (OR=3.54)
- •Racehorses of middle age had increased risk for tricuspid regurgitation (OR=4.36)
- •Mitral regurgitation was most commonly associated with atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmia, pulmonary regurgitation, and congestive heart failure