Europace Advance Access published online on October 29, 2009
Europace, doi:10.1093/europace/eup328
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REVIEW
Animal models for atrial fibrillation: clinical insights and scientific opportunities
1 Department of Medicine, Montréal Heart Institute, Université de Montréal, Montréal, 5000 Belanger Street East, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H1T 1C8; 2 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice. A variety of animal models have been used to study the pathophysiology of AF, including molecular basis, ion-current determinants, anatomical features, and macroscopic mechanisms. In addition, animal models play a key role in the development of new therapeutic approaches, whether drug-based, molecular therapeutics, or device-related. This article discusses the various types of animal models that have been used for AF research, reviews the principle mechanisms governing atrial arrhythmias in each model, and provides some guidelines for model selection for various purposes.
Key Words: Arrhythmias, Anti-arrhythmia therapy, Anti-arrhythmic drugs, Ablation, Re-entry, Triggered activity, Transgenic, Knockout
* Corresponding author. Tel: +1 514 376 3330, Fax: +1 514 376 1355, Email: stanley.nattel{at}icm-mhi.org
Manuscript submitted 24 September 2009. Accepted after revision 27 September 2009.
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