WHAT IS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE?
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, THE #1 CAUSE OF DEATH
1 in 4 Americans have died from Cardiovascular Disease each year. Infections, genetic defects, and blood vessel diseases are all conditions which affect the heart and are under the category of heart disease. Coronary artery disease is the most common heart disease, where the arteries become blocked, ceasing to allow blood to flow to the heart. (Citation 14)
METHODS OF STEM CELL DELIVERY
​A major goal for cardiac stem cell therapy is to transplant enough stem cells into the myocardium, which is the muscular tissue of the heart, at the injury site or dead tissue in order to restore functioning in that area.
There are a wide variety approaches used to deliver stem cells:
Transvascular Route:
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This approach is better suited to treat patients with acutely infarcted and reperfused myocardium.(Infarction is when tissue dies due to lack of blood supply and reperfusion is when blood is restored to tissue or an organ)
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​Stem cells may be infused directly into the coronary arteries, and may have a greater chance of staying in the injured myocardium, due to the activation of adhesion molecules and chemokines.
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The stem cells are directed into a particular location with intracoronary infusion, which is an advantage.
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Also, stem cells can be injected intravenously (Citation 53)
(Photo 53)
(Photo 54)
