Influence of heart rate on right ventricular function assessed by right heart catheterization and echocardiography in healthy anesthetized dogs.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) functional assessment has received considerable attention in veterinary medicine since various diseases, such as cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, and neoplastic disease, may affect RV function. Heart rate (HR) is an important factor that can influence RV function through changes in loading condition and contractility. However, no study has yet evaluated the association between HR and RV function in the same individuals.

Detection of Congestive Heart Failure and Myocardial Dysfunction in Cats With Cardiomyopathy by Using Two-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a life-threatening condition in cats with cardiomyopathy. We hypothesized that myocardial dysfunction may induce progression to CHF pathophysiology in cats with cardiomyopathy. However, no previous studies have evaluated the involvement of myocardial dysfunction in cats with CHF.

Pulmonary Vascular Resistance Estimated by Echocardiography in Dogs With Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension Probability.

Post-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-threatening complication in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). An increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is associated with post-capillary PH progression. In humans, PVR estimated by echocardiography (PVRecho) enables the non-invasive assessment of PVR in patients with PH.

Right Ventricular Myocardial Adaptation Assessed by Two-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in Canine Models of Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-threatening disease in dogs characterized by an increase in pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and/or pulmonary vascular resistance. Right ventricle adapts to its pressure overload through various right ventricular (RV) compensative mechanisms: adaptive and maladaptive remodeling. The former is characterized by concentric hypertrophy and increased compensatory myocardial contractility, whereas the latter is distinguished by eccentric hypertrophy associated with impaired myocardial function.

Left and Right Myocardial Functionality Assessed by Two-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography in Cats with Restrictive Cardiomyopathy.

The endomyocardial form of restrictive cardiomyopathy (EMF-RCM), a primary disorder of the myocardium, is one of the diseases with poor prognosis in cats. We hypothesized that both the left and right myocardial functional abnormalities may occur in cats with EMF-RCM, causing this disease pathophysiology and clinical status. Out of the 25 animals included in this study, 10 were client-owned cats with EMF-RCM, and 15 were healthy cats.