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Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Long-term Blood Pressure Measurement in Freely Moving Mice Using Telemetry
Published on: May 17, 2016
24-hr blood pressure in HDT-bed rest and short-lasting space flight
John M Karemaker1, Janneke Gisolf, Wim J Stok
1Academic Medical Center, University ofAmsterdam, Department of Systems Physiology, P.O. Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.m.karemaker@amc.uva.nl
Abstract:
In 2 ESA-cosmonauts we compared the 24-hr profiles in blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) to those that we had observed in an earlier head-down tilted (HDT) bed rest study. In view of the lack of gravitational stress, an attenuated profile was expected, as in HDT. To obtain a full profile we measured automatic upper-arm cuff measurements in 2 cosmonauts, combined with PortapresTM recordings in one. Unlike HDT, actual microgravity did not result in attenuated circadian profiles. The levels of systolic and diastolic pressures tended to be slightly lower in flight. Only nighttime heart rate was significantly lower in Space.
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