Ethical Research. Healthier Futures.
Discover how responsible, humane animal research drives medical progress—improving and saving lives while upholding the highest ethical standards.
Therapies & Treatments – Helping Patients Live Better Lives
HEART DISEASE
The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects the blood flow to the heart. Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack. Sometimes heart disease may be “silent” and not diagnosed until a person experiences signs or symptoms of a heart attack, heart failure or an arrhythmia. Common risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, low potassium levels and diabetes (which we explore in the next section).
| Patient Stories | Channel |
| Heart failure: coping with one of the world’s biggest killers | https://www.novartis.com/stories/patient-perspectives/heart-failure-coping-one-worlds-biggest-killers |
| Heart disease, family health history, and Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) | https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease-family-history/index.html |
| Cynthia – Living with heart failure | https://www.novartis.com/stories/patient-perspectives/living-with-hfpef-patient-story |
| Caring for someone with heart failure | https://www.novartis.com/stories/patient-perspectives/caring-someone-heart-failure |
| A personal story about Atrial Fibrillation detection | https://www.bms.com/life-and-science/news-and-perspectives/afib-signs-symptoms-and-stroke-risk.html |
Examples of Common Treatments Developed With Animal Models
| Drug | Usage | Animal Models |
| Losartan Potassium | High blood pressure | Mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, sheep |
| Apixaban | Blood clots, stroke in people with arrhythmia | Mice, monkeys, rats, rabbits |
| Rosuvastatin | High cholesterol and triglyceride levels | Mice, monkeys, rabbits, rats |
| Warfarin | Blood clots | Mice, hamsters, monkeys, rabbits, rats |
| Atenolol | High blood pressure, chest pain, uneven heartbeat | Hamsters, mice, monkeys, rabbits, rats |
| Clopidogrel Bisulfate | Prevent stroke, heart attack and other heart problems | Hamsters, mice, monkeys, rabbits, rats |
| Aspirin | Reduces risks of heart attack | Hamsters, cats, dogs, mice, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, rats, zebrafish |
| Simvastatin | High cholesterol and triglyceride levels | Dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, zebrafish |
| Hydrochlorothiazide | High blood pressure, fluid retention | Dogs, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys |
| Propranolol Hydrochloride | High blood pressure, fluid retention, high levels of the hormone aldosterone (which can cause high blood pressure and low potassium levels, both of which are heart disease risk factors) | Dogs, guinea pigs, mice, monkeys, rabbits, rats |
Support Ethical Research. Create a Healthier Future.
Help dispel myths, share the truth about animal research, and ensure everyone has access to life-changing treatments. Your support fuels responsible science, public education, and a future with less suffering and more healing.
