The Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) is giving equine vets free access to the latest science on equine cardiac arrhythmias with the publication of a virtual issue of 20 papers relating to irregular hearts and performance horses to support the interpretation of clinical observations.

The virtual collection provides a source of evidence to determine what is or is not of clinical significance in cardiac arrhythmia and what might represent the best course of action, if action is needed, within the requisite parameters of safety and welfare.

With an editorial written jointly by Peter Physick-Sheard and Joann Slack the virtual collection includes:

• The significance of cardiac auscultatory findings in horses: Insight into the age‐old dilemma
• Abnormalities detected at pre‐purchase examination of National Hunt racehorses presented at sale
• The role of catastrophic injury or sudden death of the horse in race-day jockey falls and injuries in California, 2007-2012
• Occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias in Standardbred racehorses
• Evaluation of heart rate and rhythm during exercise
• Exercising arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in horses: Review of the literature and comparative aspects

... and more. 

Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ said: “In terms of day-to-day veterinary work, rhythm disturbances are a frequent frustration during prepurchase examinations or perceived poor performance assessments. This outstanding collection brings to hand the most recent evidence to help clinicians support their observations, facilitating diagnosis and a treatment plan in this challenging area.”

The Virtual issue can be downloaded here: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1111/(ISSN)2042-3306.irregular-hearts-performance.vi

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