A model of chronic heart failure in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR)

Common models of chronic heart failure ( CHF) do not always result in parameters and symptoms that can be extrapolated to the clinical situation of patients with end-stage heart failure. The aim of this study was to establish and validate a new model of CHFin the rat. CHFwas induced in Wistar Kyoto (WKY/NHsd) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR/NHsd) rats by creating a permanent (8-week) occlusion of the left coronary artery2 mm distal to the origin from the aorta by a modified technique. This resulted in a large infarction of the free left ventricular wall. The focus of attention was the validation of the geometric properties of the left ventricle and its contractility. The validation of the geometric properties of the left ventricle was done by a non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique and by planimetry ( stereology). Cardiodynamics (e.g. contractility) were evaluated in the isolated 'working heart' model. We were able to establish a new and predictive model of heart failure in the spon...