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New trial aims to stem the effects of heart attacks15 November 2006 Heart-attack patients could soon have access to a new treatment - using their own stem cells to repair their damaged heart muscle - according to researchers in London. A new study, funded by the UK Stem Cell Foundation, aims to use patients' own stem cells to treat their heart after a heart attack. The patients' stem cells will be injected into their own hearts within five hours of a heart attack. The aim of the study is to see if the treatment improves their quality of life and delays the onset of heart failure, a common after-effect of heart attacks. What is a heart attack?A heart attack is the result of a blockage in one of the coronary arteries that carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. This blockage cuts off the blood supply to the heart, causing a part of the heart muscle to die. Are heart attacks common?Heart disease is the most common cause of death in the UK. Each year there are about 231,000 heart attacks. Around half of all people who have a heart attack die within 28 days. But prompt treatment helps many people recover from a heart attack. What causes heart attacks?The main cause of a heart attack is the formation of fatty deposits, or 'plaques', in the coronary arteries. This is called atherosclerosis. This causes a narrowing of the arteries and can lead to a blockage if a blood clot forms. Heart attacks are more likely if you smoke, are overweight or obese, or if you have diabetes or a family history of heart disease. Other risk factors include having high cholesterol and high blood pressure. What happens after a heart attack?As a result of the damage to the heart muscle, the heart may not be able to pump blood around the body as well as it could before the attack. This is called heart failure. The larger the area of the heart muscle that was affected by the heart attack, the more likely heart failure is to occur. What are stem cells?Stem cells are the most basic type of cell, from which all types of cells in the body develop. How can they help?Previous studies have shown that injecting stem cells into the heart can help repair the heart muscle. This new study aims to find out if stem cells taken from heart-attack patients' own bone marrow can improve their quality of life after a heart attack if they are injected into their damaged heart muscle within five hours of the attack. What does this new study involve?Heart-attack patients treated at the Chest Hospital (Barts and the London NHS Trust) and the Heart Hospital (University College London Hospital NHS Trust) will be recruited into the study. They will first receive treatment to open their blocked arteries (through a technique called coronary angioplasty) and will then be asked if they want to take part in the stem cell study. If they agree, a sample of stem cells will be taken from their bone marrow and fed into their heart. The whole procedure will be completed within five hours. When will the results of the trial be published?The trial will start early next year, and the results will be published in the next three years. If it is shown to be effective, it is hoped that the stem cell treatment will be available for all heart-attack patients. Related Bupa health factsheetsSources
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