Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of death among people in the industrialised world and will become the leading cause of death in the world in 2020, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Whilst remarkable medical advances have been made during the second half of the 20th Century to increase patient survival, new treatments for patients with cardiovascular disease from acute MI and ischaemic cardiomyopathies to bifurcation disease are needed.
Scientists believe that stem cells and their by-products could be the next major advance in the treatment of patients with cardiac
disease. It is hoped that cardiac stem cell research may also one day reduce the need for coronary angioplasty in CAD including Bifurcation Disease.
Currently, basic research scientists and clinicians worldwide are investigating human embryonic stem cells, skeletal stem cells (myoblasts), adult bone marrow stem cells, cardiology stem cells and human umbilical cord stem cells for the treatment of patients with MIs and ischaemic cardiomyopathies.
Whilst important progress is occurring in the use of stem cells for cardiac repair, the most optimal stem cell(s) for treatment of patients with infarcted myocardium is yet to be determined.
At present, there are no widely used stem cell therapies other than bone marrow transplant. Research is underway to develop various sources for cardiac stem cells and to apply them to heart disease and other conditions.
Cardiology stem cell therapy offers great hope and is the topic of much discussion. Anyone wanting to know more about this exciting area can attend the cardiology conference Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease. The cardiology conference is designed for a wide ranging audience from clinicians and clinical investigators, interventional cardiologists, noninvasive cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, research associates, basic science investigators (cell and molecular
biologists) to members of public.
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