A large-scale clinical trial in the United States and Canada is now enrolling thousands of cats with kidney disease to see if they also have hypertension.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which is sponsored by a major animal health company and regulated by the FDA, is meant to find a treatment for hypertension in cats.

Researchers hope the clinical trial will eventually lead to the first FDA-approved treatment for hypertension associated with kidney disease in cats. The treatment used in this clinical trial involves a liquid medication that researchers say is easy to administer.

Eventually, the study could lead to earlier diagnosis of and more effective intervention for hypertension, which would prevent irreversible organ damage and possibly death, said Dr. Scott Brown, veterinarian and researcher at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

"This is an important study because feline hypertension is increasingly being recognized in veterinary medicine as a disease process that causes significant morbidity and mortality. And unfortunately, we don't yet have any FDA-approved medications to treat it," Brown said.

The trial is expected to last around two to three years, and features study sites in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Canada.

How veterinarians can help

Veterinarians can contribute by referring clients who have cats with kidney disease to the clinical trial. Clients with cats that qualify for the study may be eligible for free study-specific care including study medication or placebo and free monthly exams, as well as monetary rewards. They might also receive funds credited to their accounts at referring family veterinarians, the clinical trial organizers said in a press release.

The study has specific enrollment criteria, which includes that patients must:

• Be at least a year old
• Have been diagnosed with kidney disease
• Have hypertension (no prior diagnosis necessary before being screened for the study)
• Not have severe signs of hypertension (blindness, retinal detachment, nervous system signs)
• Be well enough to participate for up to six months
• Not have other severe uncontrolled diseases
• Meet all other study requirements to be explained by the investigator during evaluation

More information about the trial

Find more information about the clinical trial, visit MyCatCanHelp.com or call 855-254-3971.