, animals underwent ameroid constrictor placement on the proximal left circumflex coronary artery (LCx; Research Instruments SW, Escondido, CA). For all surgical procedures, anesthesia was induced with intramuscular telazol (4.4 mg/kg) and maintained with a gas mixture of oxygen at 1.5 to 2 L/minute and 3.0% isoflurane. The animals were intubated and mechanically ventilated at 12 to 20 breaths per minute. During the first procedure, the pericardium was opened through a left minithoracotomy, and a titanium ameroid constrictor (1.75–2.25 mm internal diameter) was placed around the proximal LCx. All animals were then started on oral naproxen (440 mg once daily).