KETODOXAPRAM AS A TREATMENT FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION - Annelies Decloedt, Ghent University

KETODOXAPRAM AS A TREATMENT FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION - Annelies Decloedt, Ghent University

One Sentence Summary: This study is to determine if Ketodoxapram is a promising novel treatment method for horses with atrial fibrillation.

Importance to the Equine Industry: A novel treatment option for atrial fibrillation is important for the equine industry, especially the sports horse industry of all disciplines (racing, jumping, eventing, dressage,...). Atrial fibrillation often results in decreased sports performance and potentially collapse or even sudden cardiac death. Cardiac disease is the third most common cause for poor performance, and atrial fibrillation is seen as the most common pathological arrhythmia causing performance loss in sport horses. Horses with atrial fibrillation that need to perform at high levels, have abnormally elevated heart rates during exercise or show additional arrhythmias should undergo cardioversion. In addition, prompt treatment after the initiation of atrial fibrillation is important to prevent atrial remodeling. Atrial remodeling stabilizes the arrhythmia and makes it even more difficult to treat. At the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Ghent, horses are routinely treated with transvenous electrical cardioversion, with a success rate of about 95%. However, this treatment can only be performed in highly specialized centers and is not available in every country. The other option is medical treatment. Traditionally, quinidine sulphate is used in horses with atrial fibrillation. However, the success rate is lower (60-80% depending on the type of horse treated) and this medication is increasingly difficult to obtain in many countries: indeed, the product is disappearing from the market because of frequent side effects in humans and animals. Other available products give conversion in 50% of cases at most. Moreover, serious side effects are described for each of these products. Therefore, a novel safe and effective treatment for atrial fibrillation is urgently needed. The aim of this study is to evaluate a new drug, ketodoxapram, for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. In the future, ketodoxapram may become the treatment of choice for horses with acute or chronic atrial fibrillation.