Tail-Cuff Versus Radiotelemetry to Measure Blood Pressure in Mice and Rats

blood pressure measurement; telemetry; tail-cuff; rodents; experimental hypertension Rats and mice are commonly used as experimental models in hypertension research.Critical to the field is information on blood pressure in these models at baseline, over time and following interventions.While there have been advancements in the approaches to measure blood pressure in mice and rats, the two methods that are commonly used include invasive radiotelemetry and the non-invasive tail-cuff technique.Both methods have advantages and disadvantages as highlighted in the 2005 American Heart Association statement paper on recommendations for blood pressure measurement in experimental animals. 1 Because assessment by implantable radiotelemetry allows for continuous and direct measurement of blood pressure, this has been considered as the "standard".However, with this notion is the perception by some authors and reviewers that tail-cuff measurements are not acceptable in the reporting of mouse and rat blood pressures.Here we clarify that this is not the case and that the selection of methods to be used should be informed primarily by the objectives of the study.The Editors feel it is appropriate to briefly review the methods of blood pressure