Echocardiographic reference values in healthy cats sedated with ketamine hydrochloride.

An M-mode echocardiographic examination was performed in a consistent manner in 30 clinically healthy cats under light ketamine hydrochloride sedation. There was a significant linear relationship between increasing body size and increasing cardiac dimensions for several echocardiographic values. Positive correlation existed between body weight and body surface area with aortic root, left ventricular caudal wall thickness (LVCW), interventricular septal thickness (IVS), IVS/LVCW, and mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (Vcf); there was a negative correlation between body weight and body surface area with left ventricular ejection time (LVET). Body surface area also correlated positively with percentage of ventricular minor axis dimensional change (% delta D). Positive correlations were recorded between left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) and left ventricular endsystolic dimension (LVESD), LVESD and LVET, LVCW and IVS, LVET (calculated by LVCW motion) and LVET (calculated by aortic valve motion), % delta D and Vcf, heart rate and Vcf, and Vcf (calculated using aortic valve motion to compute LVET) and Vcf (using LVCW motion to compute LVET). There were negative correlations between LVEDD and % delta D, LVEDD and Vcf, LVESD and Vcf, LVET and Vcf, LVET and heart rate, LVET and % delta D. Significant differences were recorded between means of echocardiographic reference values generated in this and other studies, except for LVESD.