Experimental myocardial infarction in the rat as a quantitative model for the study of anti-ischemic interventions.

The identification of metabolic and drug interventions able to reduce myocardial injury after coronary artery occlusion requires experimental models. The rat model of ischemic injury is technically simple, unexpensive, informative and accessible to quantitative studies. In this present study, 41 rats underwent temporary myocardial ischemia of variable duration using left coronary artery ligation.