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Sudden cardiac death: A comparative review of humans, dogs and cats
Celine Brugada-Terradellas1, Arnaut Hellemans1, Pedro Brugada2
1Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Insights
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is common in humans and animals, often due to heart disease. Studying pets may reveal insights into human SCD causes and prevention.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Veterinary Medicine
- Genetics
Background:
- Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a leading cause of mortality in Western countries, predominantly of cardiac origin.
- While common in humans, SCD in dogs and cats is less understood, with limited pathophysiological and prevalence data.
- Cardiac diseases, including structural, electrical, and ischemic conditions, underlie SCD in both humans and companion animals, often sharing arrhythmogenic mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the shared pathophysiological and genetic underpinnings of sudden cardiac death (SCD) between humans and companion animals.
- To highlight the potential of companion animals as spontaneous models for studying human SCD.
- To identify areas for future research to improve understanding and prevention of SCD.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on SCD in human and veterinary medicine.
- Comparative analysis of known causes and genetic factors contributing to SCD.
- Identification of shared arrhythmogenic mechanisms and genetic mutations.
Main Results:
- Numerous genetic mutations are linked to human SCD, while only a few, such as in phospholamban and titin genes for dilated cardiomyopathy, are identified in dogs.
- Structural, electrical, and ischemic heart diseases are common causes of SCD in both species.
- Significant overlap exists in the underlying arrhythmogenic mechanisms causing SCD.
Conclusions:
- Companion animals, particularly dogs and cats, can serve as valuable spontaneous models for human SCD research.
- Further interdisciplinary research is crucial for advancing the understanding of SCD pathophysiology, genetics, and prevention strategies.
- Translating findings from human medicine to veterinary studies and vice versa can accelerate progress in combating SCD.
Abstract:
Sudden death is one of the most common causes of death in humans in Western countries. Approximately 85% of these cases are of cardiac origin. In dogs and cats, sudden cardiac death (SCD) also commonly occurs, but fewer pathophysiological and prevalence data are available. Both structural, primarily 'electrical' and ischemic heart diseases are known to cause SCD, many of which share similar underlying arrhythmogenic mechanisms between humans and companion animals. As for underlying genetics, numerous mutations on multiple loci have been related to SCD in humans, but only a few mutations associated with dilated cardiomyopathy and SCD have been identified in dogs, e.g. in the phospholamban and titin genes. Information published from human medicine can therefore inform future veterinary studies, but also dogs and cats could act as spontaneous models of SCD in humans. Further research in both fields is therefore warranted to better understand the pathophysiology, genetics, and prevention of SCD.
