Table 14.

Methods for monitoring blood pressure

Modality	Reliability in cats	Comments
Manual palpation	−	Presence of a pulse does not confer any objective information about blood pressure. Pulse pressure is the difference between SAP and DAP; pulse pressure will be the same if SAP = 120, DAP = 80 (normotensive) and SAP = 70, DAP = 30 (hypotensive)
Doppler ultrasonography	+++	Doppler measures systolic blood pressure and provides an audible signal of pulse rate and rhythm; reliable in patients of all sizes
Oscillometry	++	Oscillometric monitors less reliable and less accurate in small patients
Direct arterial pressure	++++	Technically challenging but achievable with practice; rarely performed in routine cases but is used in critical care practice and more often with the increasing availability of multiparameter monitors for veterinary use

− = Not reliable; + = poor reliability; ++++ = very reliable; SAP = systolic arterial pressure; DAP = diastolic arterial pressure