NON-INVASIVE BLOOD PRESSURE AND OTHER PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA IN CHEMICALLY IMMOBILIZED BROWN BEARS (URSUS ARCTOS)

• Published in: Data in Brief
• Main Authors: Jacopo Morelli, Angela Briganti, Boris Fuchs, Ðuro Huber, Alina L. Evans, Natarsha Babic, Slaven Reljić, Lana Pađen, Jon M. Arnemo
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020
• Subjects: Brown bear; Blood pressure; Korotkoff; Hypertension; Heart rate; Respiratory rate; Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics; R858-859.7; Science (General); Q1-390; Ursus arctos
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2020.105646; https://doaj.org/article/33c61bdb193d4c6a8717f065735def56

Free-ranging brown bears (Ursus arctos) were snared and subsequently darted with a combination of xylazine-ketamine in Croatia (n = 5) or darted from a helicopter with a combination of medetomidine-tiletamine-zolazepam in Scandinavia (n = 20). Three adults and one yearling (1 year old) bear were captured in Croatia, with one adult being captured twice. The Scandinavian bears were divided into Group A (yearlings, n = 7) and Group B (subadults, n = 2 and adults, n = 11). The exertion time (time from activation of the trap or from the start of the helicopter chase to recumbency) and the induction time (time from darting to recumbency) were recorded. The rectal temperature (Tr) was measured as soon as possible after induction and then monitored at frequent intervals (varied between individuals) in immobilized bears. Blood pressure (BP) was measured with a non-invasive method (Korotkoff's technique) every 5 minutes. The heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and arterial haemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO2) were recorded every 5 minutes. Reliability of the BP monitoring technique, trends of variation of the physiological variables, and the factors related to the capture were assessed. Both exertion and induction times were longer in Croatian bears than in Scandinavian bears. In Croatian bears, the Tr was either constant or slightly decreasing, with hyperthermia recorded in two individuals (Tr > 39.0° C). In Scandinavian bears, 17 of 20 individuals developed an initial hyperthermia. Four of five bears in Croatia and 17 of 20 bears in Scandinavia showed a decreasing trend in systolic and mean BP over time. According to the Korotkoff method, all bears were hypertensive (mean BP > 130 mmHg) with varying severity, and the systolic pressure was significantly lower in yearlings when compared to subadults and adults. Yearlings had significantly (p < 0.05) higher HR than subadults and adults, however there was no significant differences in RR, SpO2, and Tr between the age groups. All Croatian bears and 13 of 20 ...