Patients with weak heart function who receive stem cell therapy shortly after a heart attack are less likely to suffer heart failure, according to a study.Heart failure can occur after a heart attack when the heart muscle is extensively damaged, weakening its ability to pump blood effectively.
This can be a sudden complication (acute heart failure) or a long-term one. Symptoms include trouble breathing, fatigue, swelling in the legs, and an irregular heartbeat.
The clinical trial, published by the BMJ, suggests stem cell therapy may be a valuable add-on procedure for this particular group of patients after a heart attack to prevent subsequent heart failure and reduce the risk of future adverse events.
An international team of researchers, including those from Queen Mary University of London in the UK, set out to assess the impact of delivering stem cells directly into coronary arteries (known as intracoronary infusion) after a heart attack on the development of heart failure over three years.
“The results suggest that this technique may serve as a valuable adjunctive procedure after myocardial infarction to prevent the development of heart failure and reduce the risk of future adverse events,” the team said.