Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of human death worldwide, but its pathogenesis and prevention still need further research. Isoproterenol (ISO) is a β-adrenergic receptor agonist that acts directly or indirectly on the myocardium through inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy, and apoptosis, which can cause mild myocardial injury, myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy, and even heart failure. This review mainly focuses on the research on animal models of myocardial injury caused by ISO and attempts to describe its morphological and functional characteristics, as well as its pathogenesis.