swiss medicaHeart diseases are the leading causes of death worldwide. The unfavorable changes in the diet and lifestyle of people are implicated in the alarming rise in the incidence of these conditions. Although there are medications and other treatments available for the management of cardiac failure, these diseases progress gradually, eventually causing severe complications. Cardiac stem cells have shown potential in the management of heart failure.
This article explores the benefits of stem cells for heart diseases and provides an explanation of how these treatments can help to slow down the progression of heart diseases.
What Cardiac Diseases Can Stem Cell Therapy Treat?
Stem cells can be used for the treatment of:
- Hypertension
- Ischemic heart disease
- Coronary artery disease
- Congestive cardiac failure
- Myocardial infarction
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How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work for Heart Failure?
Treating heart failure with stem cells in clinical trials has revealed that this therapy can improve the symptoms of heart failure, primarily by supporting the own cardiac cells’ regeneration.
Heart failure is a condition caused by the loss of efficient functioning of cardiac muscles, so they cannot pump enough blood during each beat. This results in the accumulation of excess blood in the chambers of the heart, including the ventricles and atrium, and eventually in the venous system.
This pathogenesis involved in the progression of heart failure results in the development of symptoms such as swelling in the lower limbs, followed by swelling in the lower abdomen, the abdominal organs, and the liver, and difficulty breathing.
If not treated properly, the left ventricular ejection fraction, which is an important parameter used to assess cardiac function, may reduce further. This can hamper the blood supply to the vital organs of the body, putting the patient at risk of life-threatening complications.
Clinical trials suggest that the treatment with stem cells in cardiovascular diseases can improve the left ventricular ejection fraction. Stem cell therapy may also reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events associated with cardiac failure.
Overall, clinical evidence suggests that intravenous stem cell treatment offers promising approaches for adults with cardiovascular diseases. It could potentially improve their heart function and reduce the risk of serious complications.
Types of Stem Cells Used for Cardiac Regeneration
Usually, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are used for cardiac regeneration. MSCs derived from Wharton’s jelly have particularly shown promising results in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Stem cells for heart regeneration are present in the tissue surrounding the umbilical cord. They exhibit a higher proliferative capacity and have an ability to differentiate into various cell types, including cardiomyocytes.
Cardiac stem cells can be obtained from the patient’s own body or from a donor. The cells used from the patient’s own body are called autologous stem cells, while those received from a donor are called allogeneic stem cells.
Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of MSCs for treating cardiovascular diseases. They offer advantages for supporting cardiac regeneration and can be easily obtained.
Indications and Contraindications for Cell Therapy for Heart Regeneration
Stem cells in cardiovascular diseases may be indicated for conditions such as:
- High blood pressure
- Congestive cardiac failure
- Coronary artery disease
- Ischemic heart disease
- A history of myocardial infarction
- Valvular heart disease
- Cardiomegaly
Once mesenchymal cardiac stem cells are administered to cardiovascular tissues, they contribute to cell growth, tissue repair, and regeneration. These properties of cardiac stem cells can help sustain normal heart functions and slow down the progression of cardiac failure.
Stem cell therapy may be contraindicated or unsuitable in some cases, including when the cardiac failure has progressed significantly and caused widespread damage to the myocardial layer of the heart.
Advantages of Using Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Diseases
There are potential advantages for using mesenchymal stem cells for heart regeneration.
Improvement in cardiac function
Recent research on stem cells and the heart has established that stem cell therapy can improve heart function and reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease. The treatment may help deal with the consequences of myocardial infarction. Moreover, patients treated with cardiac stem cells are less likely to develop serious complications of congestive cardiac failure. These benefits are associated with the ability of the MSCs to support the regeneration in cardiac tissues and improve the left ventricular ejection fraction.
Reduced risk of adverse events
Stem cells for cardiac regeneration might reduce the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with heart diseases. It may also help lower the risk of mortality by slowing down the progression of these conditions.
Regeneration and tissue repair
One potential benefit of this therapy is the potential of stem cells for heart repair and regeneration of tissues. This may restore the efficiency of the heart in pumping blood.
Using stem cells for cardiac regeneration is also associated with an increase in the formation of new blood vessels, leading to an improvement in the blood supply to the cardiac tissues. This can support the healing of tissues damaged as a result of ischemic or inflammatory changes.
Improves blood flow
Heart stem cell therapy might improve the blood flow to the cardiac tissues, including the myocardium, pericardium, and endocardium. This can increase the functional efficiency of the heart and lower the risk of adverse events associated with cardiac failure.
Safety of Stem Cell Therapy and Possible Side Effects
Heart stem cell therapy offers a safe and effective treatment option for the management of cardiac disorders.
Anti-inflammatory, regenerative, and immunomodulatory properties of stem cells can mimic the body’s natural physiological mechanisms. This way, there is a considerable potential of stem cells for heart repair and healing of damaged tissues. These properties of stem cells for the heart make them a safer option with minimal risk of side effects.
Some patients may develop mild side effects, such as redness, swelling, and rashes, at the site of stem cell injections. However, these side effects are temporary and usually resolve spontaneously.
Applications of Stem Cells in Cardiac Health
Stem cells have a wide application in the management of cardiac diseases. Some indications of stem cell for the heart are discussed below.
Myocardial Infarction Recovery
Using stem cells for the heart can be included in the treatment plan of patients recovering from myocardial infarction.
Myocardial infarction occurs as a result of a sudden loss of blood supply to a part of the heart muscles. As a result, the affected tissues become dead. Stem cell therapy can help mitigate the process. This can support the recovery of patients by restoring the structural and functional integrity of the heart muscles.
Heart Failure Treatment
Stem cells for the heart offer a potential approach for the management of heart failure. It can help reduce the symptoms of cardiac failure by improving left ventricular ejection fraction. This means the administration of mesenchymal stem cells can increase the amount of blood ejected from the ventricles of the heart during each beat.
Thus, stem cells for cardiomyopathy and heart failure can enhance the blood supply to the vital organs of the body while also preventing the backflow of blood into the atrium and the veins carrying blood to the heart.
The benefits of stem cells for heart regeneration can be attributed to the regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells. The improvement in ejection fraction can significantly lower the risk of complications and reduce the incidences of mortality.
Cardiac Tissue Engineering
Stem cells for heart regeneration can support cardiac tissue by facilitating the regeneration of cardiocells. This property of stem cells can be particularly beneficial in the management of various conditions of the heart.
What Is the Process of Adult Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Disease?
The process of adult stem cell therapy begins with the assessment of the patient’s health. Our stem cell experts at the Swiss Medica Clinic begin with asking questions to assess your symptoms and medical history before the treatment. Then our doctors may recommend certain tests, including ECG, treadmill test, and 2-D echocardiography, to evaluate cardiac functions. Based on the results of these tests, our doctors recommend the best stem cell therapy for you.
Using stem cells for heart repair involves obtaining stem cells from a donor’s or a patient’s own body and injecting them back into the patient. Your doctor will choose a suitable donor.
Our stem cell experts at Swiss Medica Clinic will recommend the most suitable mode of administration of stem cells for you depending on your specific medical condition and your general health.
What Type of Improvements Can I Expect from Stem Cell Therapy?
Patients undergoing therapy with stem cells for heart failure can expect improvement in their cardiac functions. The improvement can be assessed based on the following parameters:
- Decrease in blood pressure
- Relief from symptoms of congestive cardiac failure, such as high blood pressure and swelling
- Improvement in breathing
- Increase in ejection fraction noted in 2-D echocardiography
- Overall improvement in energy level
Conclusion
Stem cells for the heart hold remarkable potential for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, cardiac failure, ischemic heart disease, and coronary artery disease. Stem cells for heart failure may also help reverse the pathogenesis of this condition and lower the risk of life-threatening consequences.
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List of References
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