Indirekt blodtrycksmätning på katt
påverkan av metod, miljö och ålder
The purpose of the present study was to study if the systemic blood pressure in cats
significant increases due to stress associated with a visit to a veterinarian clinic. We
also wanted to investigate the clinical utility of two different methods for indirect
blood pressure measurements in cats by assessing how easy they were to use and how
reliable measurements they provided. The methods that were used were oscillometric
(Memo Diagnostic) and ultrasound-doppler technique (Minidop). The blood pressure
was measured in both clinical environment and home environment. Fifty cats were
used in the study, from which measurements were impossible to obtain in one cat.
Twelve cats were uncooperative and it was not possible to obtain five measurements
with each device in these cats. However, These cats were included in the statistic
analyses, because only three readings were stipulated in the study protocol.
The blood pressure in cats was systematically higher at the clinic compared to values
obtained at home. The difference was most prominent for the systolic blood pressure
obtained with the oscillometric device (P=0,02). This difference was, presumably, not
great enough to be of clinical importance (MV osc clinic 137/75 mmHg, doppler
clinic 119; MV osc home 131/71, doppler home 114). A significant difference
between systolic blood-pressure measurements was found between the two different
methods. The doppler-technique showed significantly lower values.
A statistic significant association between age and raised systolic blood pressure was
found (P