Cardiovascular Disease is the leading health concern in the US, accounting for around 2,200 deaths per day. Also, the treatment of and the lost productivity of the people with cardiovascular problems cost the US $444 billion in 2010 alone. People with cardiovascular problems also experience lower quality of life due to the inability to do many normal activities. This inability is caused by the scarring and loss of heart tissue that under normal conditions never heals completely. However, this may not be the case in the near future.

On Monday, February 13, research showing the use of heart attack patients’ own stem cells to heal scars and muscle damage of the heart was published. Normally, when a person has a heart attack, damaged parts of the heart are unable to pump blood; other parts of the heart have to work harder to keep blood pumping throughout the body. This stress can cause more complications. Many heart attack patients go on to develop heart failure as a result.

Until now, there was very little treatment for these damaged heart muscle, for there was the commonly held belief that heart scarring was permanent and that heart muscle cannot be replaced once lost. Post-heart attack treatment has mainly consisted of some medication, diet, and moderate exercise.

Researchers at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles) and John Hopkins University (Baltimore) began a study using 25 heart attack patients (average age of 53 years old) with damaged heart muscle. Eight of these patients (the control group) were given normal post-heart attack treatment while the other 17 received the stem cell treatment.

Each of the 17 patients had small pieces of healthy heart tissue removed using a catheter. Stem cells from the extracted heart tissue were then isolated and placed in a Petri dish where millions of new cells would be grown. About 12 million to 25 million of these patient-derived cells were injected into the patient’s heart. Within 6 months of the experiment, all of the 17 patients in the experiment group had around a 50% reduction in scar tissue that was replaced by a significant amount of new heart tissue. Of the eight patients in the control group, there was no new heart tissue or scar reduction.

Thanks to this treatment, people who experience heart attacks may be able to avert future heart complications and regain full heart function, but many more tests and more research must be done before the treatment can be in full use. However, this early research has shown that it is possible for certain tissues to regenerate. This research might be used in the future to treat patients with severely damaged livers, pancreases, and other vital organs without having to wait for an organ donation, a lengthy process.