CardioLab costs less than a single dog or cat, yet can be used repeatedly to simulate chart recorder outputs of experiments on anesthetised (normal or reserpinised) animals and pithed animals. The simulated heart rate and blood pressure traces appear on screen and can be printed out.

CardioLab allows 'administration' of the following drugs:
Agonists
Norepinephrine (noradrenaline) 
Angiotensin 
Vasopressin 
DMPP 
Epinephrine (adrenaline) 
Tyramine 
Phenylephrine 
B-HT 920 
Isoproterenol (isopren-aline) 
Acetylcholine 

Antagonists 
Hexamethonium 
Propranolol 
Prazosin 
Atropine 
Mepyramine 
Ranitidine 
Yohimbine 
Atenolol 
Nifedipine 
Phenoxybenzamine 
Cocaine 
Neostigmine 

CardioLab can also mimic stimulation of vagal and sympathetic cardiac nerves. Effects of blockers 'wear off' at a rate corresponding to their t1/2. 'Overdoses' with agonists or blockers will 'kill' the preparation. Responses are subject to 'biological variation' and are influenced by cardiac compensatory reflexes if appropriate. Tachyphylaxis is seen with relevant agonists. CardioLab even simulates the slow deterioration of a preparation which may 'die' unexpectedly after six hours of 'preparation time' (responses appear instantaneously but represent about 3 min of 'preparation time'). CardioLab can provide 'unknown' drugs for characterisation by students.