An animal model is provided which can be used for testing efficacy of a
drug on left ventricular myocardial diastolic dysfunction, for example
heart failure due to left ventricular diastolic failure. The present
invention resides in a method for preparing an animal model with left
ventricular diastolic dysfunction for testing a therapeutic agent for
heart failure, the method comprising: intravenously injecting an aqueous
solution of a water-soluble calcium salt into an anesthetized
experimental small animal; and intravenously injecting an aqueous
catecholamine solution into the animal, while continuing the intravenous
injection of the aqueous solution of the water-soluble calcium salt, to
raise left ventricular end-diastolic pressure of the heart of the animal
to a level higher than normal left ventricular end-diastolic pressure,
and it also resides in a method for preparing an animal model with left
ventricular diastolic dysfunction for testing a therapeutic agent for
heart failure due to left ventricular diastolic failure, the method
comprising: intravenously injecting an aqueous norepinepfrine solution
into the animal model prepared by the former method; measuring left
ventricular end-diastolic pressure; and comparing the measured left
ventricular end-diastolic pressure with normal left ventricular
end-diastolic pressure of before the injection of the aqueous
norepinephrine solution.