Mice homozygous for the lack of inward-rectifying potassium channel Kir6.1
gene are disclosed. The mice causes a high incidence of sudden death
associated with arrhythmia (atrioventricular block) caused by spontaneous
cardiac ischemia, a condition similar to Prinzmetal angina (variant
angina) in human, representing an animal model of Prinzmetal angina. Mice
heterozygous for the lack of inward-rectifying potassium channel Kir6.1
gene are also disclosed, which are used as parent mice for reproduction
of the homozygous mice.