Acute Effects of Ivabradine on Dynamic Obstruction of the Left Ventricular Outflow Tract in Cats with Preclinical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Ivabradine is a negative chronotropic drug with minimal effects on central hemodynamics. Its effect on dynamic obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains unknown. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Ivabradine reduces dynamic obstruction of the LVOT in cats with HCM. ANIMALS: Twenty‐eight client‐owned cats with preclinical HCM and dynamic LVOT obstruction. METHODS: Randomized, double‐blind, active‐control single dose study. Cats received a single dose of either ivabradine (0.3 mg/kg PO) or atenolol (2 mg/kg PO). Heart rate, echocardiographic variables, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were recorded before and 3 hours after drug administration. Statistical comparisons were made using ANCOVA. RESULTS: Peak velocity in the LVOT was significantly decreased compared to baseline for both drugs; however, the effect was more prominent with atenolol (mean reduction 2.53 m/s; 95% CI 2.07–3.13 m/s) compared to ivabradine (mean reduction 0.32 m/s; 95% CI −0.04 to 0.71 m/s; P < .0001). Echocardiographic indices of systolic function were largely unchanged by ivabradine, but significantly reduced by atenolol. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: A single dose of ivabradine decreases dynamic LVOT obstruction in cats with HCM, but the clinical effect is negligible and inferior compared to that achieved by atenolol.