The effect of 7.2% hypertonic saline solution on echocardiographic parameters of healthy horses.
Authors: Tavanaeimanesh H, Dezfouli M R M, Vajhi A, Rostam A, Akbarinejad V, Sadeghian Chaleshtori S, Corley K T T
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Hypertonic saline is widely used in equine emergency medicine, yet its precise cardiovascular effects and duration remain incompletely characterised in horses. Tavanaeimanesh and colleagues administered 5 ml/kg of 7.2% hypertonic saline intravenously over 60 minutes to five healthy euvolaemic horses, then performed serial echocardiographic assessments at baseline and 0, 20, 40, 60 and 90 minutes post-infusion, measuring left ventricular dimensions, volumes (via Teicholz method), fractional shortening and ejection fraction. Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, end-diastolic volume and stroke volume all increased significantly within 20 minutes and remained elevated through 60 minutes post-infusion, whilst fractional shortening and ejection fraction peaked at 40 minutes; all parameters had returned towards baseline by 90 minutes. These findings provide clinicians with objective evidence that hypertonic saline's haemodynamic effects—specifically enhanced preload and contractility—persist for approximately one hour after completion of infusion in the healthy horse, which has direct implications for fluid management protocols in acute colic, shock and critical care scenarios where timing of additional interventions may depend on sustained cardiovascular support.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Hypertonic saline (5 ml/kg) produces measurable increases in cardiac output and ventricular volumes lasting about 1 hour in healthy horses, providing clinicians with specific timing data for therapeutic decisions
- •Peak cardiac effects occur around 40 minutes after infusion completion, which should inform monitoring protocols and timing of clinical interventions in field or clinical settings
- •These findings in healthy horses provide baseline data for understanding hypertonic saline's cardiovascular actions, though clinical efficacy in compromised horses requires separate investigation
Key Findings
- •Fractional shortening and ejection fraction increased significantly at 40 minutes post-infusion of 7.2% hypertonic saline
- •Left ventricular internal diameter at end diastole, end diastolic volume, and stroke volume increased at 20, 40, and 60 minutes compared to pre-infusion baseline
- •Hypertonic saline effects on cardiac volume parameters persisted for approximately 60 minutes after completion of a 60-minute infusion
- •Significant differences in measurements were observed between 0 and 40 minutes, 40 and 90 minutes, and 60 and 90 minutes post-infusion