RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS OF THE 28th ECVIM-CA CONGRESS

Client‐owned domestic cats between 3 and 8 years of age were recruited. Cats were considered healthy on the basis of physical examination, complete blood count, blood chemistry profile, urinalysis, total thyroid level, non‐invasive blood pressure measurement by Doppler method, and a screening transthoracic echocardiogram with simultaneous electrocardiogram. Cats were discharged from the hospital after screening evaluation and returned for a separate visit within one week. A physical examination, baseline echocardiogram, and blood pressure measurement were performed prior to trazodone administration. Echocardiographic variables assessed included left ventricular internal diameter in systole and diastole, interventricular and left ventricular free wall thickness in systole and diastole, left atrial size, left auricular function, and left ventricular diastolic function assessed by spectral Doppler transmitral and pulmonary venous flow velocities and tissue Doppler profiles. Subsequently, 50 mg of trazodone was administered orally to each cat. After 90 to 120 minutes, physical examination, echocardiography, and blood pressure measurements were repeated. Mean echocardiographic and hemodynamic variables were calculated for pre‐trazodone and post‐trazodone exams for each cat. Pre‐trazodone and post‐trazodone variables were coded as separate groups and data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA with significance set at P < 0.05.