Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026
Hemodynamic Characterization of Rodent Models of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Published on: April 11, 2016
Sexual dimorphism in rodent models of hypertension and atherosclerosis
Kristen J Bubb1, Rayomand S Khambata, Amrita Ahluwalia
1William Harvey Research Institute, Clinical Pharmacology, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, UK.
Insights
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a global health crisis. This review explores how rodent models help understand why premenopausal women are protected from CVD, focusing on hypertension and atherosclerosis research.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular research
- Animal models in disease research
- Sex differences in cardiovascular disease
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of global mortality.
- Despite available therapies, CVD morbidity continues to rise, highlighting an unmet medical need.
- Premenopausal females exhibit a lower incidence of CVD, suggesting protective biological mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the utility of rodent animal models in studying cardiovascular disease.
- To investigate the mechanisms behind the cardioprotective effects observed in premenopausal females.
- To focus on hypertension and atherosclerosis models within this context.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research on rodent models for CVD.
- Analysis of studies investigating sex-based differences in cardiovascular health.
- Examination of hypertension and atherosclerosis models in rodents.
Main Results:
- Rodent models are crucial for dissecting complex biological pathways.
- These models facilitate the study of hormonal influences on cardiovascular health.
- Specific models allow for targeted investigation of hypertension and atherosclerosis.
Conclusions:
- Rodent models are indispensable tools for advancing cardiovascular disease research.
- Understanding female-specific protection can lead to novel therapeutic strategies.
- Further research using these models is essential to combat the growing CVD burden.
Abstract:
Approximately one third of all deaths are attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD), making it the biggest killer worldwide. Despite a number of therapeutic options available, the burden of CVD morbidity continues to grow indicating the need for continued research to address this unmet need. In this respect, investigation of the mechanisms underlying the protection that premenopausal females enjoy from cardiovascular-related disease and mortality is of interest. In this review, we discuss the essential role that rodent animal models play in enabling this field of research. In particular, we focus our discussion on models of hypertension and atherosclerosis.