Key result
Echocardiographic evaluation of 22 captive orangutans found 18 with normal parameters, two with low fractional shortening, one with mild LV dysfunction, and one with an aortic aneurysm.
Why the study?
Cardiac diseases in great apes are frequently diagnosed late in life or postmortem, but echocardiography enables early detection and diagnosis.
Observational (n=22)
No
Routine echocardiographic screening in captive orangutans enables early detection of cardiac abnormalities such as LV dysfunction and aortic aneurysms, allowing for proactive management.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Provides echocardiographic reference values in captive orangutans; leaves open prevalence and clinical relevance of abnormalities.
Cardiac diseases in great apes are frequently diagnosed late in their life or at postmortem. Echocardiography allows early detection and diagnosis of heart diseases in great apes. Between January 2018 and October 2019, Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG) conducted health evaluations on 22 captive orangutans, including 10 Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), eight Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii), and four hybrid orangutans (Pongo spp.). Fourteen male and eight female orangutans were evaluated. Cardiac assessment was conducted in partnership with the Great Ape Heart Project (GAHP). Subjects were anesthetized with either tiletamine/zolazepam intramuscularly or a combination of tiletamine/zolazepam and medetomidine intramuscularly followed by ketamine intravenously. All patients were intubated and maintained on isoflurane gas anesthesia. Trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) was completed according to the standards established by the Great Ape Heart Project. Noninvasive systemic blood pressure (NIBP) and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) were conducted on all the orangutans. Of the 22 subjects evaluated, 18 had echocardiogram within an expected range. One adult male hybrid and one adult male Bornean orangutan have low fractional shortening (FS) because of the effect of medetomidine in the anesthetic protocol. One adult male Sumatran orangutan was diagnosed with mild left ventricle dysfunction and treated with enalapril 0.1 mg/kg PO SID. One adult female hybrid orangutan was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm of the ascending aorta. Regular cardiac assessment in orangutans allows early detection of heart disease and enables proactive prevention of heart failure. The study also provided preliminary data establishing heart parameters for the two orangutan species and their hybrids.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Ahmad et al. (2025) conducted an observational in Cardiac diseases (n=22). Echocardiographic evaluation was evaluated on Echocardiogram within an expected range. Echocardiographic evaluation of 22 captive orangutans found 18 with normal parameters, two with low fractional shortening, one with mild LV dysfunction, and one with an aortic aneurysm.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: