The Latest News on Feline Cardiac Health

The Latest News on Feline Cardiac Health

It's widely known that spending on research for feline health issues lags far behind that spent on canine health. But there are new discoveries being made in feline heart health that could make a difference for your cat. The latest involves a new treatment for kitty heart disease, the most common form of which medical professionals call hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM. One in every seven cats is affected by HCM, so this is an important development.

A New Drug For Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)

The December issue of PLOS ONE included a paper detailing a study of a new drug called MYK-461 that was effective in treating HCM in five cats. The drug may even help humans suffering from HCM. It works by stopping the thickening of the heart's ventricle walls.

The study included five cats who had inherited heart disease. MYK-461 had already been tested on mice and proven effective there.

Clinical trials of the drug are hoped to begin soon at the University of California-Davis.


Sources: "New drug for heart disease shows promise for cats and humans", Medical xpress; "New Drug for Heart Disease Shows Promise for Cats and Humans", Rob Warren, UC Davis;