Surgical animal models of heart failure related to coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease is caused by atherosclerotic narrowing of coronary arteries. It accounts for about two-thirds of heart failure cases, which are frequently secondary to myocardial infarction. Despite considerable progress in the understanding and management of heart failure, its incidence, prevalence and economic burden are steadily increasing. Therefore, efficient preventive and therapeutic measures are urgently needed. In order to investigate the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease-related heart failure and to develop therapies, appropriate animal models are indispensable. According to the aetiology of this disorder, surgical models are based on various methods allowing for the narrowing or occlusion of coronary arteries. Depending on the duration and extent of the impairment of coronary blood flow and its consequences for cardiac tissue, these are classified as models of myocardial infarction, cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury, or chronic cardiac ischemia. In addition, factors such as species, strain, and gender of the laboratory animals also significantly contribute to the pathophysiology of the induced disorder and, therefore, have to be taken into consideration thoroughly when an animal model is to be established. (c) 2006 European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.