Heart Attacks by age Group

[Sheikh]

I wonder does anyone know of any studies that have examined the degeneration of the cardiovascular system of the thoroughbred specifically by age i.e is there a trend towards more hearts attacks as a horse grows older as one might expect ?

[summerhorse]

I don't know of any study. Horses don't have heart attacks like people do. They don't get aerthrosclerosis (sp?) they tend to have ruptures of large vessels, aneurysms and (probably more often) arrhythmias.

[Laurierace]

I believe many of the modern day "heart attacks" that we hear of where a race horse just drops dead either in a race or while training is really EPO turning their blood to sludge.

[KBEquine]

A cardiologist at New Bolton told me it is common for TBs to develop heart problems as they age, often due to illnesses. She didn't refer to any specific study, nor specify the heart problem [probably because she was smart enough to know I couldn't carry an intelligent conversation on the topic.]

[Sheikh]

Summer would you disagree with Laurie than or do you think EPO can cause aneurysms.
Would I be correct in saying that it would be noticeable if a horse had clogged arteries as they would appear to be unwell but aneurysms are different as they could be in great form one minute and dead the next ?

[soundfast]

EPO is illegal to use in most places and has caused deaths in people. Ruptured aorta is frequent in deaths labeled heart attacks but EPO is probably not the cause because it is not legal. Steroids can weaken the heart sometimes. There may be a hereditary tendency for weak hearts or vessels in some horses. There are also some horses who develop atrial fibrillation and defibrillators have been used to cure the problem. Atrial fibrillation can lead to collapse or death but usually causes exercise intolerance. If ruptured aorta is the cause of death mucous membranes become pale from internal bleeding. Age also can weaken the contractions of the heart muscles. Some horses obviously have good strong hearts just like some people. Lyphard is probably the most famous horse to live past 33. I have a mare who is 33 and her heart seems to be doing fine and so do her legs. Congestive heart failure which causes enlarged hearts is usually fatal. Signs include enlargement and rapid pulsing of the jugular veins,coughing,rapid breathing,swelling of legs,exercise intolerance and increased heart rate.

[Laurierace]

Since when has legality or lack thereof had anything to do with drugs being adminstered to race horses? Eventually testing catches up to them and they have to move on to the next drug that the labs haven't heard of yet.

[summerhorse]

I'm sure some horses DO die from EPO but from what I've read these would be mostly horses in training or at the track. I think if it kills it kills relatively quickly (i.e. not years later in retirement).

As pointed out horses can get heart problems not related to aerthrosclerosis (weak valves, heart failure, infections, etc etc.) but you just don't see many vegetarians with coronary disease from fats ya know?

[Tucumcari]

I believe many of the modern day "heart attacks" that we hear of where a race horse just drops dead either in a race or while training is really EPO turning their blood to sludge.

As I just experienced one, and he had never gotten EPO in his life although there may be something to what you say, but this horse was always trained clean. He dropped dead on the gallop out.

[MINNOW]

The saddest thing I saw at the track was a horse that won his race,did not even have time to get his picture taken.He died of heart attack.It was horrible little kids screaming folks crying.

[Gallop58]

It happened to an acquaintance of mine too (won the race and dropped on the gallop out). A new owner had dropped a claim ticket
The two never spoke to each other again.

Not sure of the frequency, but you sure hear about it quite a bit, though I'd speculate many things get lumped into "heart attack" if the full post mortems aren't done.

The new injury db will likely get you some data about race horses if you're willing to wait a few years, but again, what they call a heart attack would be an interesting investigation.

[mary]

I was at a simulcast when Blazing Saddles (sic) ran and suddenly dropped of a heart attack in a Breeder's Cup race. A woman with her two children was in front of me, presumably to watch the BC races. She quickly ushered the children out of there. Horrible thing.

[louis finochio]

heart problems run in families people & tb, if one researches the genetic connection, one may find that those tb that have had heart attacks were inbred to the same breeding patterns that caused those attacks as its an inherited weakness from those inbreeding patterns.

when you breed away from those inbreeding patterns of heart problems, with a family that has no history of heart problems, their offspring will be less prone to heart problems.

[Tucumcari]

Did't Mr Nickerson have a heart attack in BC as well?