Vet Med Blood Pressure: Blood Flow Physics, How to

[@EmergencyService-rl7og]

wathcing at work while the ER is slow. Excellent content especially for beginners!

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

Thank you! I’m hoping to keeping building into more advanced content as well.

[@S1g15]

I have been measuring cats' bps forever with a size 2 cuff based on the 30-40% of the limb rule. Over the past year, I was introduced to the reference lines you mentioned inside the cuffs. When you use the reference lines, many cats will be right at the high end reference line on a size 2 or above it, making me wonder if a size 3 is more appropriate. I see the kitty that got a size 2 in this video looked to be close to the high end of the reference lines once placed. What are your thoughts on this? Do you rely more heavily on the 30-40% of the limb rule or the reference lines inside the cuffs to ensure appropriate sizing? Also I saw a ce that considered

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

I usually go based on the reference lines inside the cuff, and I agree that some big or chubby kitties end up being a size 3. I think a lot of us were taught different reference ranges, and even when you read different textbooks you will see variation in listed normals. I honestly don’t get super nit picky about which reference people use unless it seems blatantly incorrect. I would argue that a systolic of 100-120 is pretty normal in a cat, and I think treating hypotension with a systolic below 120 is a little too aggressive as there are negative side effects to aggressive hypotension treatments as well (fluid overload, risk of arrhythmias from pressers, etc.). But honestly I usually only treat the MAP in regards to hypotension. I worry about the kidneys once the MAP drops below 70. If I had a MAP of 75, and a systolic of 89, I would be more worried about how accurate that reading was due to how close together those two numbers were. I would probably try my reading again, and check a Doppler if I was still worried. But, in the end, I am going to be primarily focusing on the MAP, and treating hypotension once that falls below 70.

[@jassymojo]

Thank you!

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

Thanks for watching!

[@S1g15]

For oscillometric readings in hind limbs, do you place you cuff above or below the hock? For Doppler readings, you place your crystal below the hock, so I typically place the oscillometric cuff right over that artery below the hock as well. Would you agree with that placement? For the Doppler, is it more accurate to place your cuff above or below the hock? I have seen it done both ways.

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

There is going to be some natural variation in blood pressure readings taken at different places on the limbs, but the variations should be relatively negligible. So, it is appropriate to place the oscillometric cuff above or below the hock and I will usually choose based on patient conformation (I.e. really obese patients, patients with short/stubby legs, or patients with excessive fur above the hock I pay choose the place the cuff below). For Doppler the cuff is simply occluding the artery, while the crystal is taking the reading. So, placement of the cuff shouldn’t effect your readings if you are still getting good occlusion and release of the artery. I would place the cuff wherever it seems to fit best.

[@bethanycrissman5152]

I was taught that if you can palpate a femoral pulse then your pressure is at least 60 . Is that true? Also , conversely , aside from issues like obesity or too much pressure being placed on artery, does the lack of a palpable pulse mean the bp is below 60?

[@jetcitypets]

Does the bp reading from just the cuff give you a general idea of their bp? My cat,19 has ckd induced hypertension, has been medicated for a while. Recently, her ckd has gone away. My vet and i are flustered as to why, possibly hyperthyroidism. Anyway, her new readings are really low (vet is pondering taking her off the med) and I would like to track her pressure at home. Ive seen the contecvet monitors and wonder if it would give me a basic idea of her pressure. With the tech visits to confirm (instead of $70 visits for 5 minutes each time)

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

Dipper blood pressures give you the systolic pressure, the peak pressure during pumping. Digital blood pressure machines usually give the systolic, diastolic, and mean. Digital blood pressures are less accurate in cats, particularly if their blood pressures are high or low.

[@Brattybat]

In reference to the Doppler, how does alcohol not cause false raised blood pressure readings when it is a vasoconstrictor?

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

The vasoconstriction caused by a small amount of alcohol and cool Doppler gel is unlikely to significantly reduce blood pressure readings, although a Doppler reading will never be as accurate as invasive blood pressure monitoring due to many physical factors.

[@talpizanti9003]

❤❤❤

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

❤️

[@brendanfreeman2134]

Hey Jen. So a good pulse on palpitation means the systolic and diastolic values are close to each other?

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

Hey Brendan! Pulse pressure is the difference in systolic and diastolic pressure, so the further away those values are the better pulses will feel. This is why feeling for pulses is not a fool-proof method of determining "adequate" MAP.

[@marissaelizabeth5703]

I came across your channel and I love your videos!! you explain things so well ❤️❤️❤️ your cats are so beautiful 🥺 if you don’t mind me asking what app or site do you use to create your thumbnails?

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

Thank you so much! They are the stars of every video 🤩 I build it in Premiere, but do all the final edits on Canva.com. I love it! Super easy to use and lots of great stock material.

[@electricguidetips]

i guess ur cats are good listener ...

[@jenniferlyonsvts]

The best.