Prilactone®, the world’s first aldosterone antagonist licensed for the treatment of canine heart disease, has been introduced by CEVA Animal Health.

Clinical trials have demonstrated that the product, which contains spironolactone, can improve quality of life and help to reduce the mortality risk in canine heart disease patients.

Cardiovascular therapy for dogs is continually evolving, as discussed by a recent key opinion leader focus group. The group stated that “there have been huge changes over the past 15 years or so. Initially we started off with furosemide and digoxin, followed by the arrival of ACE inhibitors, which revolutionised heart failure treatment. Then, in dogs, one of the big changes was the introduction of pimobendan. Extrapolating from human heart failure therapy, there has been the issue of how much we should be trying to modulate neurohormonal changes and whether neurohormonal antagonists such as spironolactone should be used more.”

Fraser Broadfoot BVetMed GPCert(SAP) MRCVS explains “Spironolactone is considered as part of standard disease therapy in humans, where studies have demonstrated a 30% reduction in the risk of mortality when it is used in addition to ACE inhibitors and furosemide. The results of clinical trials performed by CEVA Santé Animale have demonstrated even more dramatic benefits in the dog. In short, the trials show that dogs with heart failure receiving Prilactone®, in combination with an ACE inhbitor and furosemide, demonstrated a 65% reduction in the risk of mortality compared with dogs receiving a placebo. Their quality of life was also improved.”

The reason for these startling benefits is that, as an aldosterone antagonist, spironolactone not only causes diuresis and improves blood vessel function but it also reduces heart muscle thickening and fibrosis.

Prilactone® has been shown to have excellent tolerance and safety, and is very easy to use. The beef-flavoured tablets are scored for easy breaking and come in three sizes for the precise dosing of all sizes of dog. In addition, the medication only needs to be given once daily with food and is designed to be given alongside your standard first-line therapy for heart disease.

Cardiologist Simon Swift ME VetMB CertSAC MRCVS from Liverpool University will be speaking about the Prilactone® clinical trials at the Autumn Veterinary Cardiovascular Society meeting at Loughborough on 16th and 17th November 2007.

For further information about Prilactone®, please contact CEVA Animal Health on (01494) 781510.

Note 1 CEVA registration dossier. The trials were carried out on 221 dogs diagnosed with heart disease. The animals treated with Prilactone®, in conjunction with ACE inhibitors and /or furosemide over a period of 14-15 months, demonstrated a three times reduction in the risk of death compared with the placebo group.


Note 2 Wood Mackenzie, Cardiovascular Insight, July 2007