Comment & Debate
“Why do scientists use animals in research?”. The American Physiological Society. Retrieved May 3rd, 2008 – “Heart Disease
Heart disease and related conditions affect 52 million Americans and cost our nation $274 billion a year. These conditions are the number one killers of men, women, and children. Death rates are declining because of advances in diagnosis, treatment and prevention made through animal research.
The basic mechanisms of heart disease have been studied in dogs, rats, rabbits, cats, sheep, and pigs. Studies with dogs contributed to our most basic understanding of how to manage heart disease. Techniques to diagnose the workings of the heart—electrocardiography, cardiac catheters, angiograms, and coronary blood flow measurement—were developed through research using dogs, as were surgical techniques such as cardiac bypass, angioplasty, and heart transplants.”