Hypertension in Cats With Chronic Renal Failure or Hyperthyroidism

The Doppler ultrasonic recording technique was used to measure systolic and diastolic blood pressures indirectly in 28 cats with naturally occurring renal failure, 39 cats with hyperthyroidism, and 33 clinically normal cats. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the normal cats were 118.4 ± 10.6 mm Hg and 83.8 ± 12.2 mm Hg, respectively. In the cats with chronic renal failure, both the systolic (146.6 ± 25.4 mm Hg) and diastolic (96.6 ± 15.2 mm Hg) blood pressures were significantly higher (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.01, respectively) than in the normal cats. Elevations in systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure were recorded in 17 (61%) of the 28 cats with chronic renal failure. In the 39 untreated hyperthyroid cats, both the mean systolic (167.9 ± 28.9 mm Hg) and diastolic (111.6 ± 21.5 mm Hg) pressures also were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than normal. Increased systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure was recorded in 34 (87%) of the 39 hyperthyroid cats. In seven cats with hyperthyroidism that were reevaluated two to four months after successful treatment of the hyperthyroid state, there was a significant fall in mean systolic pressure (P < 0.05) from a pretreatment value of 159.5 ± 15.4 mm Hg to a posttreatment value of 132.0 ± 1.62 mm Hg. Overall, the results of this study indicate that mild to moderate hypertension is common in cats with chronic renal failure and in cats with untreated hyperthyroidism. In addition, the hypertension appears to be reversible following successful treatment of the hyperthyroid state.