EPIC Trial

Breaking New Ground in Canine Heart Health

Canine heart disease knows no borders. Worldwide, one dog in 10 suffers from some type of heart disease. The statistics for valvular heart disease are even more sobering, ranging from 10 percent of young dogs to as high as 35 percent of dogs ages 13 years and older.

The QUEST study, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim., established the efficacy of pimobendan in treating dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) due to myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). This comprehensive study answered many questions but raised one important one:

Can pimobendan also delay the onset of clinical signs of congestive heart failure (CHF) due to MMVD?

The veterinary community is seeking the answer to this question through an unprecedented global research project called EPIC. Currently there is no treatment proven to delay the onset of CHF, resulting in a high level of interest among veterinarians in the treatment of preclinical MMVD. EPIC examines dogs with MMVD at increased risk of development of signs of heart failure, as demonstrated by the dog’s cardiomegaly.

This will be the most comprehensive study of its type ever undertaken, including investigators at 36 trial centers in 11 nations across 4 continents. Investigators will be held to rigorous scientific standards, and an objective team will compile and report the findings.

EPIC is the largest prospective cardiology study ever conducted in dogs.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more.