Chronic hypertension with subsequent congestive heart failure in a western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

• Published in: Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine Vol. 30; no. 2; p. 262
• Main Authors: Miller, C L, Schwartz, A M, Barnhart, Jr, J S, Bell, M D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.06.1999
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Zoo; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Ape Diseases - diagnosis; Ape Diseases - drug therapy; Ape Diseases - etiology; Blood Pressure Determination - veterinary; Chronic Disease; Drug Therapy, Combination; Echocardiography - veterinary; Electrocardiography - veterinary; Enalapril - therapeutic use; Euthanasia - veterinary; Fatal Outcome; Gorilla gorilla; Heart Failure - diagnosis; Heart Failure - etiology; Heart Failure - veterinary; Hypertension - complications; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - veterinary; Male; Myocardium - pathology; Nifedipine - therapeutic use; Radiography, Thoracic - veterinary; Vasodilator Agents - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1042-7260

Chronic severe subclinical systemic hypertension was diagnosed in a 28-yr-old male western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Thoracic radiography, electrocardiography, and echocardiography revealed an enlarged heart with a hypertrophied left ventricle, mitral regurgitation, and a persistent left bundle branch block. Enalapril, later combined with nifedipine, was of some value in reducing the hypertension, with partial reversal of cardiac enlargement and resolution of the bundle branch block. Two years after initiation of treatment, the gorilla developed lethargy and dyspnea. The diagnosis of heart failure was confirmed under anesthesia; the gorilla did not recover and was euthanized. Postmortem examination confirmed congestive heart failure with chronic, fibrosing cardiomyopathy similar to that in other gorillas.