Does dexmedetomidine affect cardiac function based on echocardiography in dogs? | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts

Summary: In today's VETgirl veterinary continuing education podcast, we review the use of certain sedatives such as dexmedetomidine on cardiac function (based on echocardiography) in dogs. We know that alpha-2 agonist sedatives provide dose-dependent sedation by reducing the central nervous system's sympathetic outflow. The alpha agonist properties of these drugs also have significant cardiovascular effects - specifically vasoconstriction - which results in an increase in vascular resistance and potential for reflex bradycardia. Dexmedetomidine, a readily available alpha-2 agonist in veterinary medicine, has been documented to cause bradycardia, systemic hypertension, hypothermia, and reduced cardiac output with administration. Given these cardiovascular effects, it is possible that these drugs may significantly alter echocardiographic parameters of cardiac function if used for sedation for echocardiography (thus resulting in artifactual results). So, Kellihan et al out of University of Wisconsin wanted to evaluate this by assessing dexmedetomidine's effect - in other words, how well it results in level of sedation and whether it effects echocardiographic parameters of cardiac function. They looked at two doses - the labeled dose at 10 ug/kg and a lower dose of 5 ug/kg.