Extended cardiac tachyarrhythmias in guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are frequently used as models for ventricular tachyarrhythmias, including polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. However, applications of the model for the development of new cardioversion and defibrillation technology are limited because the arrhythmias typically last less than five seconds. This study demonstrates that a brief period of rapid pacing facilitates the initiation of consistent, sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias in large guinea pigs, eliminating spontaneous termination as a confounding factor in the study of acute therapies.