C24 - Multi-Center Prospective Evaluation of Owner Medication Adherence for Feline Cardiovascular Disease in the Referral Setting

Abstract: Background: A previous study evaluating medication adherence in dogs with cardiovascular disease reported medication adherence was high. Medication adherence for cats with cardiovascular disease remains unexamined.



Hypothesis/Objectives: To examine chronic medication adherence for the management of feline cardiovascular disease in the referral setting.



Methods: Over a three-month period, a questionnaire was distributed to owners at each investigator’s hospital which employed a board certified veterinary cardiologist or a cardiology resident supervised by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist. For inclusion into the study, owners had to have been medicating their cat with at least one cardiac medication requiring daily administration for at least one month. The cat did not need to have been diagnosed with congestive heart failure to participate in the study.



Results: Fifty-four questionnaires were available for review. The most common diagnosis was Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) (31/54, 57.4%). Clopidogrel was reported as the medication most difficult to consistently administer (13/54, 24.0%) although 20 owners (20/54, 37.0%) reported no difficulties chronically administering cardiac medications. Thirty-six (66.7%) owners reported the highest frequency of medications they could administer was twice-a-day dosing. Medication adherence in this study population was high with 50 owners (92.6%) meeting the criteria for medication adherence.



Conclusions and clinical importance: Medication adherence was reportedly high in this study. Veterinary cardiologists should be aware of owner concerns when determining treatment protocols for management of feline cardiovascular disease.