New Hope for Heart Attack Patients

Canadian researchers have begun a trial using genetically modified stem cells to help repair damaged heart muscle in heart attack patients.

A VNA reporter in Ottawa quoted a statement on September 5 by Dr. Duncan Stewart, Director of Science at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, emphasizing that in this trial, researchers used stem cells extracted from patients' blood within a few days or weeks after a heart attack.

Illustration photo. (Source: nursing-care-plan)

Scientists will then seek to "upgrade" these progenitor cells with a genetic gene called endothelial nitric oxide synthase to stimulate blood vessel growth and improve healing of severely damaged heart tissue.

These genetically modified stem cells are then infused into the patient's heart through the coronary artery that has suffered a heart attack.

"Stem cells have the incredible ability to repair and regenerate damaged organs in the body, but the cells from heart attack patients do not have the same healing ability as those from healthy young adults because they have aged and been exposed to the factors that lead to heart attacks," said Dr. Stewart. "Our strategy is to 'rejuvenate' the stem cells by adding copies of the genetic genes needed for regeneration, so that they can better stimulate healing of the heart, reduce scarring and restore the heart's ability to pump blood, in other words, help the heart heal itself."

According to Dr. Stewart, the above trial will decide whether stem cells, especially genetically modified cells, can help treat patients with severe myocardial infarction.

The hearts of these patients are severely damaged, the scars make the heart weaker, enlarged and put the patients at risk of heart failure, sudden death, chronic diseases and early death.

The new therapy is expected to improve healing of heart damage, reduce scarring and promote heart muscle function. This is an ambitious and internationally-watched trial./.

According to (TTXVN) - VT