Cardiology NAVLE Guide
Systemic Hypertension and Target Organ Damage in Dogs and Cats
Systemic hypertension is frequently underdiagnosed until target organ injury is evident. This guide focuses on risk stratification, diagnosis confirmation, and practical follow-up planning.
Use this guide to move from first-pass pattern recognition to structured diagnostic and treatment logic. The flow is designed for NAVLE-style decision sequencing and practical ward preparation.
Rapid Algorithm
- Confirm blood pressure elevation with repeat, low-stress measurement strategy.
- Stratify risk by pressure tier and evidence of target organ involvement.
- Investigate likely secondary causes while beginning risk-appropriate control.
- Define monitoring intervals for pressure response and organ-protection goals.
- Adjust treatment intensity when pressure control or organ markers remain poor.
Diagnostic Flow
- Serial blood pressure quality is central to avoiding white-coat overdiagnosis.
- Fundic exam, renal parameters, and neurologic status support target organ assessment.
- Cardiac and vascular imaging can clarify concurrent cardiovascular burden.
- Urinalysis and proteinuria trends provide renal damage context.
- Track pressure trends over time rather than isolated point values.
Treatment Flow
- Set practical pressure targets based on severity and organ risk profile.
- Begin antihypertensive strategy with planned reassessment windows.
- Address secondary disease drivers in parallel with pressure control.
- Escalate medication thoughtfully when trend response is inadequate.
- Maintain long-term monitoring because recurrence is common in chronic disease contexts.
Exam Traps
- Treating single elevated readings as definitive diagnosis without repeat quality checks.
- Ignoring ocular or renal indicators can underestimate target organ damage.
- Under-monitoring after therapy initiation misses inadequate control trajectories.
- Focusing on pressure numbers without secondary-cause workup weakens outcomes.
- Stopping follow-up after early improvement can allow silent relapse.
Practice Prompts
- How should blood pressure be confirmed before labeling hypertension?
- Which target organs are highest priority in early assessment?
- When should treatment be escalated for persistent pressure elevation?
- How do renal trends alter antihypertensive planning?
- What follow-up cadence supports safer long-term control?
Related Content
- Return to NAVLE Topics (Cardiology and CHF are under Topics)
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy Basics in Dogs and Cats
- Pleural Effusion vs Pulmonary Edema: Veterinary Triage Differences
- Use the CHF Staging Planner for follow-up structure
- Try 5 free practice questions on this topic
- Unlock unlimited practice (Premium)
Sources and Review Notes
- Drug label search (DailyMed)
- IRIS stages
- Normal lab values
- Heartworm treatment protocol
- Lab test protocols
- Microchip lookup
- Vertebral Heart Score
- BCS charts
- ACVIM cardiology consensus guideline references
- Dental charts
- AAHA vaccination guidelines
- Flea/tick product info
- Dog/cat breed search
- RECOVER CPR guidelines
Last reviewed: February 13, 2026
Educational only. This page is designed for study and does not replace case-specific diagnosis, local protocols, or direct supervision.