Effect of gabapentin on ambulatory, direct, systemic arterial blood pressure in apparently healthy cats in the at-home and in-clinic environments

Objectives Situational increases in blood pressure (BP) frequently confound the accurate diagnosis of pathological systemic hypertension in cats. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of gabapentin on direct, ambulatory systolic arterial BP (SBP) in cats in at-home and in-clinic environments. Methods Six adult purpose-bred cats with surgically implanted femoral artery telemetric BP-sensing catheters were administered 100 mg of gabapentin or a placebo orally in two randomized, masked, crossover study phases. In the first, direct BP was measured continuously in undisturbed cats for 24 h before (at-home baseline) and 4 h after administration of study drug. The mean SBP after administration of the drug was compared between treatments. In the second study period, cats were administered gabapentin or placebo 90 mins before transport to a clinic, where direct BP was measured continuously during a simulated veterinary visit that included an indirect BP measurement session. Changes in mean direct SBP relative to the 24-h at-home pre-treatment period were calculated for each of one waiting room and two examination-room periods, and compared between treatments. Concurrent in-clinic direct and indirect SBP measurements were compared within-cat. Data were compared using linear mixed models. Results Direct SBP data from one cat were excluded due to implant failure. There were no differences in at-home or in-clinic SBP between treatment groups, with large inter-individual variability. Cats in both treatment groups experienced in-clinic increases in direct SBP relative to at-home baseline (range 11–50 and 10–52 mmHg in placebo- and gabapentin-treated cats, respectively). Across all visits, direct SBP was 15.6 mmHg higher than indirect SBP ( P <0.001). No effects of treatment on difference between direct and indirect SBP were identified. Conclusions and relevance Significant effects of gabapentin on direct SBP were not identified, though a type II error is possible. Situational increases cannot be excluded in gabapentin-treated cats with high SBP.