Experimental models of spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias and of sudden cardiac death

Sudden cardiac death defined as natural death from cardiaccauses occurring within one hour of the onset of acute symptomsis one of the most significant non-injury causes of death in theadult population of industrialised countries. The understanding ofthe mechanisms leading to sudden cardiac death is so far limited.Recently, a number of experimental animal models with highincidence of sudden cardiac death were developed and areintensively studied to get new insights into the sudden cardiacdeath mechanisms. In this review the animal models of suddencardiac death are summarized and their principal propertiesshortly described.