EXPERIMENTAL-MODELS ASSESSING THE PHYSIOLOGY OF MYOCARDIAL-ISCHEMIA

Over the past two decades there has been a concerted effort to identif y interventions that can reduce the injury to the heart that occurs wi th an ischemic insult. Investigations in this field have relied heavil y on animal models. Because these studies have been performed in a var iety of animal models and have often produced conflicting conclusions, the reader must appreciate the strengths and limitations of each mode l in order to decide where the truth actually lies. This paper reviews the various animal models currently in use. We evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each, explore the choice of endpoints, point out co mplications associated with each, and indicate how the results from ea ch model can be interpreted.