Feline systemic arterial hypertension: clinical study of 24 cases

This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of systemic arterial hypertension in a feline population. The cats selected from a private practice were those presented with clinical signs indicative of arterial hypertension (heart murmur, retinopathy, neurological symptoms), chronic renal failure, or hyperthyroidism. Arterial pressure was measured in those cats, and additional clinical tests were performed. Twenty-four cats had hypertension. Three stages of hypertension were identified. Most of the cats had heart murmur (92 %) and retinopathy (79 %). In 20 of these cats (92 %), chronic renal failure was associated with hypertension. Hyperthyroidism was diagnosed in 5 cats (21 %). In the population of cats aged 10 years or more, the prevalence of systemic arterial hypertension was at least 9 %, indicating that this is a frequent occurrence in feline geriatry.