The effects of posture on blood pressure and heart rate in the three-toed sloth, Bradypus tridactylus

Abstract

1. 1. In unanesthetized, minimally restrained three-toed sloths, Bradypus tridactylus, the mean arterial pressure was 125 85 mmHg and the heart rate was 83.6 beats/min. There was no significant difference between these parameters whether the animal was erect or supine in the experimental chair. 2. 2. Animals without any restraint had a mean blood pressure of 133 87 mmHg and a heart rate of 78.1 beats min. There was no significant difference between these parameters whether the animal was seated or suspended from a horizontal bar and there was no significant difference between the minimally restrained and the unrestrained animals. 3. 3. Tilting from the erect to the supine position produced large increases in blood pressure parameters, 37% in systolic and 21% in diastolic, reaching the maximum effect in a mean time of 38 sec. Tilting from the supine to the erect position caused even greater increases in pressure. 43% and 38% respectively, and reaching the maximum also in a mean time of 38 sec. 4. 4. Tilting initially increased the heart rate, in going from erect to supine by 21% in 16 sec and from supine to erect by 23% in 20 sec. 5. 5. In going from erect to supine there was a reflex bradycardia later, 15% below control level with a maximum at 40 sec, and to a lesser degree in going from supine to erect, 9% with maximum at 50 sec.