Historic perspectives and recent advances in major animal models of hypertension

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Research
• Hypertension Pathogenesis
• Animal Models in Medicine

Background:

• Hypertension and cardiovascular diseases are leading global causes of mortality.
• The exact causes of essential hypertension in humans remain largely unknown.
• Hypertension is considered a complex, multifactorial disease influenced by genetic and environmental interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a concise review of widely utilized rodent models of experimental hypertension.
• To cover the history and recent advancements in these animal models.
• To discuss the clinical implications of experimental hypertension models.

Main Methods:

• Classification of hypertension models into genetically-induced, environmentally-induced, pharmacologically-induced, and renal-induced categories.
• Review of typical representatives: spontaneous, cold-induced, DOCA-salt-induced, and renal-induced hypertension.
• Analysis of induction processes, pathogenesis, characteristics, advantages, and limitations of each model.

Main Results:

• Detailed examination of established rodent models for hypertension research.
• Comparison of different induction methods and their specific outcomes.
• Assessment of the utility and drawbacks of each model for studying disease mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Rodent models are invaluable tools for investigating hypertension pathogenesis.
• These models facilitate the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies for hypertension.
• Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each model is crucial for effective research translation.