Table 2.

Recommendations for MI studies

Model	Recommendations
All models	• Follow ARRIVE guidelines
Reperfused MI (MI/R)	• Measure both infarct size and area-at-risk • Measure blood pressure and heart rate during ischemia (note that especially the heart rate during ischemia significantly influences the infarct size; if necessary, include appropriate control groups) • Body temperature must be tightly regulated • Use to study impacts on infarct size (cardioprotection) • Use to study interventions that require reperfusion and relationship to clinical scenario of reperfusion • Use to study regeneration, repair, or remodeling • Use MI/R test interventions in a model clinically relevant to the reperfused patient
Nonreperfused MI	• Measure infarct size within 3 days of MI to determine whether the intervention/mutation impacts acute infarct size; differences are highly improbable in mice because of lack of functional collaterals • Use to study regeneration, repair, or remodeling • Use nonreperfused MI to test interventions in a robust remodeling model and to test interventions in a model clinically relevant to the nonreperfused/very late reperfused patient
Cryoinjury	• Use to control size, shape, or location of infarct, but experimental protocol (e.g., contact duration, probe temperature) must be standardized to enhance consistency • Use to achieve uniform cell death in target region, but extent of transmural damage should be determined (early and late)Use for relevance to ablation used in humans • Not ideal for studying pathophysiology of MI

ARRIVE, animals in research: Reporting in vivo experiments; MI/R, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion; MI, myocardial infarction.