Models of Coronary Artery Occlusion and Reperfusion for the Discovery of Novel Antiischemic and Anti

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the Western world. The American Heart Association estimates that the treatment of CVD in 1999 cost the U.S. more than $286 billion, and when unsuccessful, claimed the lives of more than 1 million U.S. citizens. Thus, in the U.S. every 29 s someone will suffer a coronary event, and every 60 s, someone will die from the consequences of acute myocardial infarction. Thus, there is still a great need to develop novel drugs for the therapy of CVD and particularly, acute myocardial infarction.