If demonstrated, this suggests the patient will probably benefit from treatment
with pimobendan before the onset of clinical signs,» said Dr. Adrian Boswood, professor of veterinary cardiology at the Royal College of London and a lead investigator of the study.
Dogs with severe mitral valve disease are now treated
with pimobendan (Vetmedin).
Patients in Dr. Tyrell's practice have gotten years of quality life because of treatment
with Pimobendan, and one study suggests its use in the IWH prior to the onset of congestive heart failure.
Pimobendan is proven to decrease preload and afterload, and this, in combination
with pimobendan's inotropic properties, may result in a reduction in cardiac size and filling pressures in dogs with significant cardiac remodelling secondary to MMVD.
BUT, we now know from the PROTECT2 study that in Dobermanns with early - stage DCM (i.e. heart enlargement on ultrasound but no symptoms of CHF), treatment
with pimobendan delays the onset of CHF by an average of 9 months.
This is because the recently published EPIC1 study showed that early treatment
with pimobendan in MVD Stage B2 dogs will delay the development of symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF) by an average of 15 months.
The pimobendan ‑ treated dogs showed significantly greater improvements at day 56 in demeanour, exercise tolerance, and respiratory effort compared with dogs that were not treated
with pimobendan.6
In a study of Doberman Pinschers, 80 % of the dogs treated
with pimobendan showed improvements in the quality ‑ of ‑ life measures (including exercise tolerance, coughing, dyspnea, and fatigue) compared with only 10 % in the group not treated
with pimobendan.7
In a study completed in the UK, Doberman Pinschers treated
with pimobendan lived 6 times longer than those treated with an ACE inhibitor (329 days vs 50 days).7
Dogs treated
with pimobendan lived almost twice as long as dogs treated with an ACE inhibitor (267 days vs 140 days).2
Not exact matches
In the QUEST Study,
pimobendan significantly increased the survival time of dogs
with congestive heart failure (CHF) caused by myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD).
The EPIC Study showed that administration of
pimobendan resulted in a 15 ‑ month delay in time to primary endpoint compared
with dogs receiving placebo.
Effect of
pimobendan or benazepril hydrochloride on survival times in dogs
with congestive heart failure caused by naturally occurring myxomatous mitral valve disease: the QUEST Study.
To determine whether chronic oral administration of
pimobendan in dogs
with evidence of increased heart size secondary to preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) can delay the onset of clinical signs of congestive heart failure (CHF).1
The QUEST Study established
pimobendan as the new standard of treatment for dogs
with congestive heart failure (CHF) caused by MMVD as it extended survival time.2 The veterinary community also sought to answer this question: Can
pimobendan also delay the onset of clinical signs of CHF?
In the VetSCOPE Study,
pimobendan rapidly improved the quality of life in dogs
with CHF caused by myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD).
Effect of
Pimobendan in Dogs
with Preclinical Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease and Cardiomegaly: The EPIC Study — A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Effect of
pimobendan in dogs
with preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease and cardiomegaly: the EPIC Study - a randomized clinical trial.
The EPIC Study showed that administration of
pimobendan resulted in a 15 ‑ month delay in onset of clinical signs of CHF, cardiac ‑ related death, or euthanasia compared
with dogs receiving placebo.
Survival was extended by 91 % in dogs receiving
pimobendan compared
with those receiving benazepril hydrochloride.2 *
Pimobendan also significantly improves the quality of life in dogs
with CHF caused by DCM.
The authors of the publication conclude: «This study offers the most compelling evidence to date demonstrating the beneficial effect of
pimobendan when compared
with benazepril for extending survival in dogs
with CHF caused by MMVD when used in conjunction
with other standard therapy.»
The EPIC Study showed a significant benefit in administering
pimobendan in dogs
with preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD)-- before the onset of congestive heart failure (CHF) cardiac - related death, or euthanasia (composite primary endpoint).
This groundbreaking study sought to answer a key question: Can
pimobendan —
with proven efficacy in treating dogs
with congestive heart failure (CHF) caused by myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD)-- also delay the onset of CHF caused by MMVD?
The EPIC (Evaluation of
Pimobendan In dogs
with Cardiomegaly) Study marks the largest veterinary cardiology study in history.
Pimobendan is an expensive drug but it can improve survivability in dogs
with DCM.
The EPIC (Evaluation of
Pimobendan In dogs with Cardiomegaly) Study1 analysed whether long - term administration of pimobendan to dogs with stage B2 myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and echocardiographic and radiographic evidence of cardiac enlargement will delay onset of clinical signs of congestive heart failure (CHF), cardiac - related death, or euthanasia (composite primary
Pimobendan In dogs
with Cardiomegaly) Study1 analysed whether long - term administration of
pimobendan to dogs with stage B2 myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and echocardiographic and radiographic evidence of cardiac enlargement will delay onset of clinical signs of congestive heart failure (CHF), cardiac - related death, or euthanasia (composite primary
pimobendan to dogs
with stage B2 myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and echocardiographic and radiographic evidence of cardiac enlargement will delay onset of clinical signs of congestive heart failure (CHF), cardiac - related death, or euthanasia (composite primary endpoint).
O'Grady MR, Minors SL, O'Sullivan ML, Horne R. Effect of
pimobendan on case fatality rate in Doberman pinschers
with congestive heart failure caused by dilated cardiomyopathy.
Groundbreaking results of the EPIC (Evaluation of
Pimobendan In dogs
with Cardiomegaly) Study, the largest veterinary cardiology study in history, are now published.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of
pimobendan with conventional therapies on survival and reocurrence of pulmonary edema in dogs
with congestive heart failure (CHF) caused by myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD).
Dogs were administered conventional treatments
with or without
pimobendan.
Dogs and cats
with this problem are put on diuretics (furosemide = Lasix) to remove excess fluid from the body, and drugs to decrease the work load on their heart (enalapril = Enacard = Vasotec or similar meds) and medications to give the heart added strength in its contractions (
pimobendan = Vetmedin).
The 360 canine patients enrolled in the trial randomly received
pimobendan or a placebo,
with 180 dogs in each group.
The trial, titled «Effect of
Pimobendan in Dogs
with Preclinical Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease (MMVD) and Cardiomegaly» (EPIC), is the largest clinical study ever to be conducted in veterinary cardiology.
Pimobendan also opens the blood vessels which return blood to the heart, reducing pressure on the heart Often used in conjunction
with other drugs Reasons for prescribing:
As
with all prescribed medicines,
pimobendan should only be given to the pet for which it was prescribed.
Effect of
pimobendan or benazepril hydrochloride on survival times in dogs
with congestive heart failure caused by naturally occurring myxomatous mitral valve disease: the QUEST study.
Although currently off - label, inodilators like
pimobendan have shown to be well tolerated and prolong survival in cats
with CHF
with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as well as restrictive and dilated cardiomyopathy.