Steroids and Heart Disease: Practical Guidance for Real Patients
1.0 CE Credit Hour / Kelly Cairns, DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM)
Kelly Cairns, DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM)
Dr. Kelly Cairns graduated CSU veterinary school in 2004, completed a small animal internship at Cornell in 2005 and a small animal internal medicine residency at the Ohio State University in 2008, at which time she obtained Diplomate status. She enjoyed clinical practice as an internist and medical director of a multi-specialty/ER hospital until joining Thrive Pet Healthcare in January 2018. Dr. Cairns is Vice President of Medical Excellence and Education for 350+ hospitals. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine, President Elect of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, a Wedgewood advisory board member and a dvm360 editorial board member. She lectures internationally on profession-related wellness and leadership coaching topics, veterinary education models and internal medicine.
Overview:
This presentation reviews the effects of steroids on the heart and examines the relative risk for steroid therapy in the setting of pre existing cardiac diseases of all types through an evidence based review of the literature. Different effects of different types of steroids will be examined. The learner will be able to make rational decisions for steroid therapy in the setting of concurrent cardiac diseases in the dog and cat with understanding of the monitoring and risks involved.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the different effects of steroid therapy at different dose ranges such that rational dosing for physiologic replacement therapy, anti-inflammatory therapy or immunosuppressive therapy can be selected, as well as the relative mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid strengths of the commonly prescribed steroids.
- Understand the physiologic mechanism by which steroids may modulate the cardiovascular system
- Initiate rational clinical decisions for steroid therapy in the setting of concurrent cardiac diseases in the dog and cat with understanding of the monitoring and risks involved.
This course is RACE-approved for 1.0 continuing education credits hours in jurisdictions that accept RACE-approval.
