Cannulation of the common carotid artery for chronic, continuous radiotelemetric recording of aortic hemodynamic properties in mice is a highly invasive recovery surgery. Radiotelemetric recording, by its continuous nature, gives the most accurate measurements of hemodynamic variables in experimental animals, and is widely used in the study of
cardiovascular diseases including
hypertension. The American Heart Association has recommended data acquisition by radiotelemetric recording but did not provide guidelines regarding postoperative
analgesic support. We assessed hemodynamic parameters, locomotor activity, food intake, and
weight loss in radiotransmitter-implanted CD1 female mice receiving
analgesic support during the first 48 h after surgery. The efficacy of
analgesic support from the
NSAID meloxicam was compared with that of the widely used
opioid agonist
buprenorphine and the related compound,
tramadol.
Meloxicam-treated mice recovered lost
body weight more rapidly than did
tramadol-or
buprenorphine-treated mice. Furthermore,
meloxicam-treated mice maintained circadian rhythm after surgery and had tighter regulation of mean arterial pressure than did
tramadol- or
buprenorphine-treated mice.
Meloxicam was also superior with regard to food intake, locomotor activity, and limiting variance in hemodynamic parameters. This study indicates that when compared with
buprenorphine and
tramadol,
meloxicam should be the postoperative
analgesic of choice for radiotelemeter implantation in mice.