A NEW METHOD FOR CONTINUOUS CHRONIC MEASUREMENT AND RECORDING OF BLOOD-PRESSURE, HEART-RATE AND ACTIVITY IN THE RAT VIA RADIOTELEMETRY

Accurate continuous chronic measurements of blood pressure from conscious laboratory rats are critical to many experimental protocols but have been difficult or impossible to acquire. A system consisting of an implantable radio-telemetry device, receiver, and computer-based data acquisition system that allows such measurements to be easily obtained has been developed. This system is capable of monitoring and recording arterial pressure (waveform, systolic, diastolic, and mean), heart rate, and activity from rats weighing > 175 gm for periods in excess of 6 months. Chronic patency has been achieved through a patented design which includes an antithrombogenic film and a gel membrane located at the catheter tip. Validation of telemetered measurements via carotid catheter has demonstrated the accuracy to be better than +/- 5 mmHg in 85% (N = 20) tested at 3 weeks post implantation, 86% (N = 15) tested at 8 weeks, and 78% (N = 9) at 12 weeks. Incidence of loss of patency was 2.3% (N = 44). This system has a demonstrated ability to obtain accurate continuous chronic measurements of arterial pressure free of the stressors associated with conventional systems.