Myocardial infarct size and ventricular function in rats.

Chronic experimental myocardial infarction produces antinatriuresis by a renal nerve-dependent mechanism

“…Left coronary artery ligation in the rat provides an animal model of myocardial infarction in which a wide range of infarct sizes and left ventricular dysfunction can be produced (15,22). Our data show that the size of the infarcted area in both the INF3W and INF16W groups, whose values did not differ from one another agree with those reported in literature.…”

“…Coronary artery ligation was performed under ether anesthesia as previously described (15). Briefly, through a thoracotomy performed at the fourth left intercostal space, the heart was rapidly exposed and the descending anterior branches of the left coronary artery were ligated between the tip of the left atrial appendage and the pulmonary artery outflow tract with 6-0 mononylon thread.…”

Rodent models of heart failure: an updated review

“…In rats, a significant decrease up to 25% in cardiac output is observed 8 weeks after LAD ligation [115]. The infarct size varies significantly (between 10 and 45%) and is directly related to the degree of LV function impairment [228], influencing the time course of CHF development [10]. Generally, the infarct extension needs to affect at least 30% of the LV mass in order to present the typical characteristics of CHF and to induce considerable increases in the molecular markers of hypertrophy [10].…”

“…In addition, even though rodent models have been extremely useful in developing concepts concerning the pathogenesis of heart failure, apart from the Pfeffer's model [228], which predicted the utility of ACE inhibitors in post-infarction [227], they have not predicted outcomes in phase III clinical trials. Although translation of findings to clinical trials requires preclinical studies where the appropriate animal model is used for either acute or chronic HF, therapeutic results obtained in small animal models are not necessarily predictive of outcomes in human patients but can provide a potential future approach in the human context.…”

Structural and functional characteristics of rat hearts with and without myocardial infarct. Initial experience with doppler echocardiography

“…Clinical recognition of the myocardial infarct extension and of the degree of hemodynamic repercussion may be obtained through Doppler echocardiography 5 . Rat hearts with surgically induced myocardial infarcts have been analyzed with anatomicopathological studies, as well as with hemodynamic studies and, more recently, with Doppler echocardiography [6][7][8][9][10] . This latter diagnostic technique has been particularly interesting, mainly in serial studies and those with pharmacological interventions 10, 11 .…”