Acute myocardial infarction is myocardial necrosis caused by acute and persistent ischemia and hypoxia of the coronary artery. Clinically, most patients have severe and persistent retrosternal pain, which cannot be completely relieved by rest and nitrates, accompanied by increased serum myocardial enzyme activity and progressive electrocardiogram changes. These can be complicated by arrhythmia, shock, or heart failure, and are often life-threatening. This disease is the most common in Europe and the United States, with about 1.5 million people cases in the United States presenting with myocardial infarction every year. In recent years, China has shown an obvious upward trend, with at least 500,000 new cases per year and at least 2 million current cases. 

Although interventional therapy and drug therapy have made excellent progress in recent years, the mortality of acute myocardial infarction is still very high. Basic experiments can reveal the occurrence and development of disease, especially for acute myocardial infarction. It is necessary to construct a model closest to the pathophysiological mechanism of acute myocardial infarction. At present, the most commonly used in vivo model is ligation of the left anterior descending artery, and in vitro model is hypoxia and reoxygenation. 

The goal of this Methods Collection serves two functions: (1) to provide detailed cutting-edge protocols and procedures currently being utilised in clinical and other ‘field’ settings; and (2) to introduce innovative approaches, initially developed as research models, that may potentially be translated into field applications. We trust this approach will encourage a myriad of scientists and researchers to participate in this in-depth sharing of knowledge and techniques to better make renewed biomedical progress in the expansion of currently available technologies, and thus improve for acute myocardial infarction.