7 Dec 2023
Scheme across 105 of its first opinion small animal practices led to number of blood pressure checks conducted in patients more than doubling.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Image © herraez / Adobe Stock
CVS has hailed a clinical improvement project to boost hypertension screening in older cats a success after it more than doubled blood pressure checks.
Across 12 months, more than 105 of the group’s first opinion small animal practices participated in the project, which aimed to identify hypertension as early as possible.
International Society of Feline Medicine guidelines recommend cats benefit from an annual blood pressure check from the age of seven, with undiagnosed hypertension leading to disorders of the eyes, brain, heart and kidneys.
The CVS clinical improvement project initially looked at how effective its first opinion practices were in screening for hypertension and found fewer than 2% of cats above seven were receiving the annual blood pressure check.
Early research found barriers to blood pressure checks being conducted by vets and VNs included equipment availability, time constraints and remembering to discuss them with clients.
Two people at each of the 105 sites were chosen to lead a focus on hypertension screening, and a suite of resources were produced to aid everyone in the team to improve annual blood pressure check rates.
Training, including three in-person CPD days hosted with Ceva and featuring feline specialists Sarah Caney and Samantha Taylor, were also held.
A year after its nationwide launch, the number of blood pressure checks has more than doubled (110%) within participating CVS practices.
According to its statistics, an additional 5,984 blood pressure tests were performed year on year, while a number of practices were able to implement systems that allowed them to perform more than 40 blood pressures checks each month.
The number of cats on amlodipine – a first-choice medication to treat hypertension in cats – increased by 303 patients year on year, which CVS said suggested many more cats had been diagnosed with hypertension.
Kate Allgood, hub clinical lead at CVS – who was responsible for the hypertension clinical improvement project – said: “There is a huge benefit in treating hypertension. No one wants to see a cat suddenly become blind due to hypertension that wasn’t recognised in time. So many associated longer-term feline complications and conditions can be avoided if annual blood pressure checks in cats over the age of seven are routinely performed.
“Increasing blood pressure screening is not a simple task, though, and this focus has allowed space and time for practices to give this topic the recognition it deserves; to identify and implement systems that make it easier to identify patients at risk, discuss with clients and perform these checks with ease.”
And she added: “We have created a robust clinical structure, produced some easily accessible materials, and supported our practices to make small and simple changes that add up. Our practices have done an outstanding job at delivering this project to date and I look forward to seeing what can be achieved in the future.”
