Telmisartan for Cats: Overview, Dosage & Facet Results

Telmisartan is a drugs that helps decrease blood stress when it’s abnormally excessive, which is known as hypertension. Hypertension generally is a very harmful well being situation and treating it successfully is essential. Learn additional to study extra about telmisartan and the way it’s used for hypertensive cats.

Telmisartan for Cats Overview

Treatment Kind:

Angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), anti-hypertensive

Type:

Liquid (FDA accepted model Semintra) and tablets

Prescription Required?:

Sure

FDA Authorized?:

Sure, however solely the liquid model Semintra

Life Stage:

Grownup and senior cats

Model Names:

Semintra, Micardis

Widespread Names:

Telmisartan

Out there Dosages:

10mg/ml oral resolution (Semintra), 4mg/ml oral resolution (accessible outdoors the US); oral tablets in 20mg, 40mg, and 80mg measurement (Micardis and generic tablets)

About Telmisartan for Cats

Telmisartan is known as an angiotensin receptor blocker, or ARB. The upkeep and steadiness of blood stress is a really sophisticated collection of occasions and all the time being adjusted by a number of processes within the physique.

Telmisartan works by blocking a receptor known as angiotensin 1 (AT1), which ends up in dilation of blood vessels and adjustment in potassium and sodium ranges that result in decrease blood stress.

Telmisartan is taken into account more practical at decreasing blood stress in cats in comparison with ACE inhibitors (ACEi) like benazepril. On common, it reduces blood stress by about 25 mmHg.

Hypertension, or systemic hypertension, is taken into account medically important at ranges at or exceeding 160 mmHg. A long-term research evaluating hypertensive cats for six months discovered that telmisartan was very efficient at controlling blood stress persistently when beginning between 160 mmHg and 200 mmHg.

The research didn’t embody cats with blood pressures exceeding 200 mmHg given security issues for the placebo group of cats who weren’t receiving remedy. Nevertheless, the research authors surmised that had these cats been included, telmisartan would have been as equally efficient.

Amlodipine is one other anti-hypertensive remedy that’s generally used for cats with hypertension. Amlodipine should still be a primary alternative by many veterinarians, particularly for very hypertensive cats, as it could be more practical general at decreasing blood stress by about 30-50 mmHg.

There are some instances the place telmisartan could also be used rather than amlodipine or they could be used collectively. If amlodipine results in undesirable uncomfortable side effects, telmisartan stands out as the subsequent best option. In instances the place additional growing an amlodipine dose is just not desired, telmisartan could also be added.

Whereas hypertension secondary to kidney illness is extra frequent in canine, this can be seen in cats. Any blood stress remedy has the potential to worsen kidney illness however the potential for anti-hypertensives to scale back protein loss via the urine (proteinuria) can be crucial. In these instances, it could be higher to steadiness decrease doses with two separate drugs (like pairing benazepril and telmisartan) than to make use of a really excessive dose of a single remedy.

Dosing Data for Cats

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Telmisartan is FDA accepted for treating feline hypertension beneath the model identify Semintra. It’s the solely remedy FDA accepted for cats for treating hypertension.

Semintra comes as a ten mg/ml oral resolution with its personal dosing syringe. A 4mg/ml telmisartan oral resolution (requiring the next quantity) is offered outdoors of the US.

Telmisartan does additionally are available an oral pill kind. The commonest model identify is Micardis, with generics additionally accessible. This type is just not FDA accepted to be used in cats however could also be chosen as an extra-label choice by your vet relying on value and dosing strategies that work greatest to your kitty. Off-label use of medicines is quite common in veterinary medication.

For Semintra, the FDA labeled dose is 1.5 mg/kg (0.68 mg/lb) by mouth each 12 hours for the primary 14 days, then elevated to 2mg/kg (0.91 mg/lb) as soon as each day.

Blood stress remedy doses ought to solely be adjusted based mostly on recheck blood stress measurements along with your veterinarian. If blood stress is discovered to be too low throughout a recheck, the dose could also be diminished by 0.5 mg/kg (0.23 mg/lb) at a time.

The next desk supplies approximate quantity doses for the ten mg/ml focus Semintra based mostly on 2.5 lb weight increments. The syringe Semintra comes with has quantity measurements in 0.1 ml quantities.

These quantity doses are designed to offer steerage solely and shouldn’t be thought-about a substitute to your personal veterinarian’s dosing and directions. These weights might not match your personal cat’s weight precisely and actual dosing is essential. Dosing changes for blood stress remedy ought to solely be adjusted based mostly on recheck blood stress measurements. Doses ought to by no means be adjusted with out your veterinarian’s steerage.

Easy methods to Administer Telmisartan to Cats

Semintra, the FDA accepted type of telmisartan for cats, is a liquid remedy that may be given by syringe. Chris Vanderhoof / Cats.com

Semintra is an oral liquid. The FDA label signifies it could be given both instantly by mouth or added on prime of a small quantity of meals (not blended in with meals). This methodology of oral administration could also be simpler for a lot of cat homeowners, particularly if solely small volumes are wanted.

Generic telmisartan solely is available in a pill kind. For added assist in administering a tablet to your cat, see the next hyperlinks for learn how to disguise drugs in meals or administering a tablet instantly by mouth.

Facet Results of Telmisartan for Cats

Telmisartan is mostly well-tolerated. In FDA area research, probably the most generally reported hostile occasions had been gastrointestinal-related, together with:

Weight reduction was additionally a standard discovering throughout research. It was extra frequent over the 6 month area research vs. the 30 day area research and should have been associated extra to different concurrent illness situations the predominantly aged cats had (comparable to power kidney illness).

Dehydration, diminished urge for food, and lethargy had been additionally present in each area research in decrease percentages.

Hypotension (low blood stress) occurred in as much as 1 / 4 of sufferers, requiring a dosage adjustment.

Non-regenerative anemia (the place pink blood cells usually are not regenerating) was seen in 5-15% of cats within the research. Non-regenerative anemias are normally extra delicate, don’t progress shortly, are very non-specific and customary to see in cats secondary to many underlying illness situations.

Telmisartan shouldn’t be utilized in pregnant queens. Use in cats with important liver illness ought to be approached very cautiously with extra shut bloodwork monitoring.

Overdose and Emergencies

Little is thought about acute overdoses of telmisartan in cats, however hypotension (low blood stress) can be anticipated. A cat with an acute overdose might have the next look:

• torpid
• not excited about meals
• trembling
• vomiting

Over the long-term, in cats receiving 5 instances the beneficial dose (5mg/kg/day) the most typical results seen included:

• hypotension
• decreased pink blood cell rely
• diminished meals consumption

In the event you suspect your cat acquired an overdose of telmisartan be sure that to right away contact a number of of the next for recommendation:

• Your veterinarian
• ASPCA Animal Poison Management Heart (1-888-426-4435)
• Pet Poison Helpline (1-855-764-7661)

Potential Drug Interactions With Telmisartan

There are a number of drugs which will work together with telmisartan. Except indicated, interactions don’t all the time imply these drugs can’t be used collectively, however might require dose adjustment or shut monitoring. That is very true when two blood stress drugs are used collectively to regulate hypertension.

• Ace Inhibitors (ACEi) (benazepril, enalapril): elevated danger for hypotension, kidney perform modifications, shut monitoring is warranted
• Aspirin: might cut back antihypertensive results and improve danger for kidney impairment
• Benzodiazepines (diazepam, alprazolam): might improve danger of hypotension
• Buspirone: might improve danger for hypotension
• Cabergoline: might improve danger for hypotension
• Corticosteroids: (prednisolone): might lower the antihypertensive results of angiotensin receptor blockers like telmisartan
• Dexmedetomidine: might end in additive results on blood stress (will increase) and coronary heart charge (decreases)
• Diazoxide: might improve danger for hypotension
• Dichlorphenamide: might improve danger for hypotension
• Digoxin: might improve digoxin ranges, requires shut monitoring
• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl): might improve danger for hypotension
• Doxepin: might improve danger for hypotension
• Insulin: might improve danger for hypoglycemia
• Heparin (dalteparin, enoxaparin): might improve danger for elevated potassium ranges
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine (NSAIDs) (meloxicam, Onsior): attainable diminished antihypertensive results and elevated danger for kidney impairment. Elevated monitoring is warranted.
• Opioids (buprenorphine, tramadol): might improve danger for hypotension
• Potassium salts (potassium bromide): elevated danger for elevated potassium ranges, elevated monitoring is warranted.
• Potassium-sparing diuretics (spironolactone): elevated danger for greater potassium ranges, elevated monitoring is warranted.

Easy methods to Retailer Telmisartan

Telmisartan resolution for cats (Semintra) ought to be saved at room temperature (at or under 77 levels F (25 levels C). Brief excursions as much as 107 levels F (40 levels C) are permitted.

The shelf life for Semintra is 6 months after the bottle is opened.

Generic telmisartan tablets could also be saved at room temperature as much as 86 levels F (30 levels C). If packaged in blister packs, they shouldn’t be eliminated till proper earlier than they’re given.