Heart failure is a devastating blow to the body’s system, and despite the best efforts of clinicians and researchers it often results in permanent organ damage and eventual death. Researchers believe that stem cells may be the best way to go when trying to fight the high mortality rate of congestive heart failure.
Scientists are currently focusing on the embryonic and adult varieties of stem cells but there are several other forms. Embryonic stem cells come from a blastocyst, a four to five day old human embryo. These cells form the body and internal organs of the embryo, these are produced during gestation when they divide and multiply. Embryonic stem cells are able to provide large numbers of replenishing cells and have no limitation on what type off cells they can become, this is why these types of stem cells are highly valued. The use of embryonic stem cells is highly controversial, due to the fact that collection often requires the destruction of the embryo.
There are several methods that have been published in research journals regarding the application of stem cells in the treatment of congestive heart failure. The heart is unable to properly pump blood throughout the body when it suffers coronary heart failure. This failure results when cells in the heart are destroyed. While it is not always the case, some patients are able to be treated using mechanical aids or heart transplants. A study on using stem cells for congestive heart failure was conducted several years ago on a group of patients with no other available options. Autologous stem cells were removed from the marrow and injected into the failing heart tissue through the chest wall. Patients who received this treatment showed marked improvement, presumably as a result of stem cell action. There is great speculation as to whether stem cells are either growing new vessels or acting as a catalyst to bring other cells in to repair the damaged tissues, the precise means by which this occurs is still unknown.
Another possibility regarding stem cells is the growth of tissue for transplant. The waiting list for available heart’s for transplants can be a long time as many people still don’t carry donor cards. Stem cells grow readily in a laboratory environment, and if unstimulated will reproduce pluripotent daughter cells. The advantages of using stem cells which are grown in a laboratory is they adapt to whatever environment they are placed in. Research scientists speculate that with the proper environment the can grow heart tissue and transplant it to the patient who has suffered heart failure, replacing the dead and damaged tissues with live tissue. This procedure would allow the heart to function more easily and hopefully give the patient a better chance for survival.
