Evaluation of Doppler Ultrasonic and Oscillometric Methods of Indirect Blood Pressure Measurement in Cats

Reliability of 804 indirect measurements of systemic arterial blood pressure (BP) was assessed in 13 cats by comparing results obtained indirectly by oscillometry (BPo) and Doppler ultrasonography (BPud) with those obtained simultaneously by a reference method, direct radiotelemetry (BPrt). The reliability varied considerably among sites of cuff placement and method of indirect measurement in conscious cats. The highest correlations in conscious cats occurred when indirect estimates were obtained as the average of five consecutive values. Indirect and reference measurements were better correlated in anesthetized cats. The indirect devices underestimated all BP parameters, and the magnitude of difference varied among cuff placement sites and device type. Results obtained by these indirect techniques in cats should be interpreted with caution. Either device provided a reliable estimate of BP in anesthetized cats; however, the Doppler device applied over