Heart Rate and Electrocardiography Monitoring in Mice

Abstract The majority of current cardiovascular research involves studies in genetically engineered mouse models. The measurement of heart rate is central to understanding cardiovascular control under normal conditions, with altered autonomic tone and with superimposed stress, or in disease states, both in wild‐type mice and in those with altered genes. Electrocardiography (ECG) is the “gold standard,” using either hard‐wired or telemetry transmission. In addition, heart rate is measured or monitored from the frequency of the arterial pressure pulse or cardiac contraction, or by pulse oximetry. For each of these techniques, discussions of materials and methods, as well as advantages and limitations, are covered. However, direct ECG monitoring alone will determine not only the precise heart rates but also whether the cardiac rhythm is normal or not. Curr. Protoc. Mouse Biol . 1:123‐139. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.