Ocular Consequences of Systemic Hypertension with Dr. Brown
Michael H. Brown, DVM, MS, DACVO, Veterinary Ophthalmology Services, Oradell Animal Hospital, Paramus, New Jersey
In this episode, host Alyssa Watson, DVM, talks with Michael H. Brown, DVM, MS, DACVO, about his recent Clinician’s Brief article, “Top 5 Ocular Consequences of Systemic Hypertension.” Ocular lesions are often the first clinical sign of hypertension. Dr. Brown shares what you should look for—and how to look for it—in these cases. He highlights some of the biggest differences between cats and dogs and why antihypertensive treatment should be initiated gradually. And, don’t miss Dr. Brown’s tips for using your smartphone to capture ocular images.
Key Takeaways
The eyes are often the first organ to show symptoms from hypertension.
Retinal hemorrhage and associated detachment is the primary ocular manifestation of hypertension.
A blood pressure over 160 mmHg should be considered abnormal.
Measure blood pressure several times using different legs, and allow the pet to settle down as much as possible before performing.
Treatment includes amlodipine as the primary drug for cats and ACE-inhibitors or amlodipine for dogs.
The blood pressure should be gradually reduced so as to avoid abrupt tissue hypoxia in organs that have started to adapt to the hypertension.
About the Guest
Michael H. Brown, DVM, MS, DACVO, is president and owner of Veterinary Ophthalmology Services and a consultant staff veterinary ophthalmologist at Oradell Animal Hospital, both in Paramus, New Jersey. Dr. Brown earned his DVM from Kansas State University, where he also completed a comparative ophthalmology residency and earned his MS. He completed a small animal internship at The Animal Medical Center in New York, New York. Dr. Brown has written numerous scientific papers and lectures nationwide. His interests include diseases of the cornea, corneal surgery, intraocular surgery, diseases of the retina, laboratory animal ophthalmology, ophthalmic photography, and the role of oxidative stress and nutrition on diseases of the eye.
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Podcast@briefmedia.com
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Twitter: @cliniciansbrief
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The Team:
Alyssa Watson, DVM - Host
Alexis Ussery - Producer & Digital Content Coordinator
Randall Stupka - Podcast Production & Sound Editing