PWA in small rodents – Micro Pressure System cited

Pulse Wave Analysis in small rodents

Researchers at the R&D lab of the pharma company NicOx in Italy recently presented results from their study of PWA and Augmentation Index (AIx) in rats. A presentation was made at the last European meeting on Hypertension.

“Beneficial Effect of Nitric Oxide on Large Arteries in Hypertensive Rats”. C Storini and J Padron. Journal of Hypertension, June 2010 – Volume 28 – Issue – p e414.
Link to abstract

The study aimed to demonstrate a possible beneficial role of Nitric oxide (NO) in large artery district. Pulse wave was recorded in the carotid artery of anesthetized SD rats and AIx was measured in the rat.

Arterial pulse wave recording in small rodents utilized the Micro Pressure Measurement System and transducers available from BIOPAC, and developed by Samba Sensors AB, Goteborg, Sweden.

Samba products are not available as of Nov. 2012 – contact a BIOPAC rep to discuss other solutions for micro pressure measurement.