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* Blood Pressure (BP) = Cardiac Output (CO) x Total Peripheral Resistance (TPR)
 
* Blood Pressure (BP) = Cardiac Output (CO) x Total Peripheral Resistance (TPR)
 
* Cardiac Output (CO) = Venous Return (VR)
 
* Cardiac Output (CO) = Venous Return (VR)
 +
 +
The primary determinants of cardiac performance are:
 +
* '''Preload''': The volume of blood or hydrostatic pressure within the ventricles at the end of diastole.
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* '''Afterload''': The force that opposes ejection of blood into the peripheral arterial system, of which arterial blood pressure is the primary factor
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* '''Contractility''': The ability of the myocardium to function as a pump and eject blood
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 +
The '''Frank-Starling''' mechanism states that stroke volume increases in response to increased end-diastolic volume (preload) when all other factors remain constant. Therefore, if a larger volume of blood flows to the ventricle, there is greater wall stretch, causing greater expansion during diastole, which in turn increases the force of contraction and therefore stroke volume (quantity of blood that is pumped into the aorta during systole).
    
== Mechanisms of failure  ==
 
== Mechanisms of failure  ==
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== Classification  ==
 
== Classification  ==
   −
=== New York Heart Association Classification  ===
+
=== Modified New York Heart Association Classification  ===
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 +
Classification of congestive heart failure modified from human medicine. This is problematic, as cardiac debilitation is not the only factor governing exercise tolerance. This is particularly difficult to apply to cats, which tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Furthermore, a normal level of activity is clearly defined for humans (e.g. ability to walk a certain distance), but in veterinary medicine this may be influenced by the breed and lifestyle of the dog. 
 +
 
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*Class I: Heart disease with no clinical signs
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*Class II: Exercise intolerance
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*Class III: Marked exercise intolerance and dyspnoea
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*Class IV: Cannot exercise, dyspnoea at rest
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===American Heart Association (AHA and American College of Cardiology (ACC)===
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* Stage A: Predisposition for developing cardiac disease e.g. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Doberman
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* Stage B: Structural heart disease, no clinical signs
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* Stage C: Structural heart disease, current or prior clinical signs
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* Stage D: Refractory heart failure
   −
Classification of congestive heart failure used in human medicine.  
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===International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council (ISACHC)===
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The only veterinary-specific clinical classification.  
   −
*Class 1: No clinical signs but evidence of heart disease
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* Class Ia: Structural heart disease, no radiographic or echocardiographic evidence of cardiac enlargement
*Class 2: Exercise intolerance or dyspnoea
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* Class Ib: Structural heart disease,radiographic or echocardiographic evidence of cardiac enlargement
*Class 3: Marked exercise intolerance
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* Class II: Mild clinical signs
*Class 4: Cannot exercise, dyspnoea at rest
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* Class IIIa: Overt clinical signs, death or severe debilitation likely without immediate therapy but homecare possible
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* Class IIIb: Overt clinical signs, death or severe debilitation likely and hospitalisation required
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== References ==
 
== References ==
   −
Ettinger, S.J. and Feldman, E. C. (2000) '''Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine Diseases of the Dog and Cat '''Volume 2 (Fifth Edition) ''W.B. Saunders Company''
+
* Luis Fuentes, V, Johnson, L.R, Dennis, S. (2010) '''BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Cardiorespiratory Medicine (Second Edition)'''
 
  −
Ettinger, S.J, Feldman, E.C. (2005) '''Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine''' (6th edition, volume 2) ''W.B. Saunders Company''
  −
 
  −
Fossum, T. W. et. al. (2007) '''Small Animal Surgery '''(Third Edition)'' Mosby Elsevier''
  −
 
  −
Merck & Co (2008) '''The Merck Veterinary Manual''' (Eighth Edition) ''Merial''
  −
 
  −
Nelson, R.W. and Couto, C.G. (2009) '''Small Animal Internal Medicine '''(Fourth Edition) ''Mosby Elsevier''
       
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