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Lassie, Come Home! Man's Best Friend Saves Lives Post-MI

Although dogs were domesticated millions of years ago, the potential health benefits of dog ownership have only recently been appreciated by medical science. This study looked at the impact of pet ownership on survival in a well-defined cohort of patients surviving acute MI.

The CAST (Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial) investigators followed 369 patients who underwent detailed physiological and psychosocial evaluation and were followed for one year. There were 20 deaths (5.4%) during follow-up; 19 of 263 patients who did not own dogs died, compared to only 1 of 86 patients who did own dogs. In detailed multivariable analyses of survival considering both psychosocial and physiologic factors, independent predictors of an adverse outcome were a lower ejection fraction, runs of ventricular tachycardia, diabetes mellitus, less (human) social support, and not owning a dog. There were no major differences in physiologic profiles between dog owners and nonowners. Unfortunately for cat owners, cat ownership was not associated with a survival benefit, but detailed analyses were hampered by a relatively small number of cat owners (n=44).

Comment: This study is consistent with other data indicating that psychosocial support, whether human or canine, is an important component of an improved prognosis after acute myocardial infarction. Clinicians should encourage their patients who already own dogs to maintain the relationship.

— MS Lauer, MD, Associate Editor, Journal Watch for Cardiology, Staff Cardiologist, Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Published in Journal Watch Cardiology February 1, 1996

Citation(s):

Friedmann E, Thomas SA. Pet ownership, social support, and one-year survival after acute myocardial infarction in the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST). Am J Cardiol 1995 Dec 15 76 1213-1217.

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