Noninvasive Blood Pressure Measurement Techniques

1. Wireless Blood Pressure Cuff for Humans

1. Turn on the cuff and pair it with a mobile device onto which results will be outputted. Pairing can be done via Bluetooth.
2. Strap the cuff onto the upper arm so that the blood pressure monitor is placed against inner bicep. The Ssrap should be secured tightly on the arm.
3. Open the application for the cuff on the mobile device. Ensure that the cuff is paired with the mobile device.
4. Position yourself so that you are seated with your arm resting such that the cuff is at the same level as your heart. Make sure you are in a calm environment so that you remain relaxed while the data is being collected.
5. Once you are positioned correctly, begin the blood pressure measurement. Multiple trials can be run so that an average of these measurements is reflected in the results.
6. After all measurements have been collected, the results will be outputted onto mobile device screen. Take note of the results. Unstrap the cuff from arm and shut it off.

2. Noninvasive Blood Pressure Measurements for Rodents

1. Turn on the heated stage, blood pressure system, and desktop computer. Attach a VPR cuff and occlusion cuff to the blood pressure system. Use software to check that the cuffs are properly calibrated and are working as expected. Set-up the software with the desired parameters.
2. Prepare the animal (mouse or rat) for placement into an appropriately sized holder. Make sure the environment is calm with minimal unexpected noises. Try to calm animal before placing it in its holder to prevent the animal from experiencing unnecessary stress.
3. Gently coax animal into the holder. Make sure its paws do not get stuck in the attachments of the holder and that the tail is outside of the restrainer.
4. Once the animal is secured, place the holder on the heated stage. Slide the occlusion cuff onto the base of the tail and then slide the VPR cuff on just behind the occlusion cuff. Leave 1-2 mm of space in between the two cuffs. If using an occlusion cuff and VPR cuff sized for mice, you may secure them using a strip of plastic tubing.
5. After the cuffs are on, tape them to the stage to prevent the animal's tail from moving too much. Allow the tail to warm to about 32-34 °C to promote vasodilation and subsequent blood flow through the tail.
6. Once setup is complete and the tail is sufficiently warm, begin data acquisition. While the blood pressure is being measured, make note if the animal moves substantially within restrainer. Try to keep the cuff in the same position throughout the measurement. If the cuffs slide down the tail, or if the animal moves inside the restrainer, press the Pause button and readjust the cuffs/animal once the ongoing run has completed. Maintain a calm environment throughout this process.
7. Check to make sure blood pressure data are being acquired as expected. Repeat measurements if necessary. Multiple trials are recommended (typically 20-40 measurements).
8. Once data has been collected, save the measurements for further analysis. Remove the animal from the holder and place it back into its cage. Turn off the heated stage and blood pressure system and clean all surfaces that were in contact with the animal.