Advances in Heart Muscle Repair Post Heart Attack

[wkmac]

During the last few years medical research has made leaps and bounds towards finding a solution to repairing scarred heart tissue. Most notably, stem cells taken from a patient’s own heart have proven a promising way to repair the damage.
An even more recent and promising breakthrough is today’s Human Achievement. Hydrogel is an injectable solution made out of cardiac connective tissue that has been cleansed of its heart muscle cells. The solution is freeze-dried and made into a powder that can be injected through a catheter directly into a person’s heart.
The hydrogel is made of cardiac connective tissue. The connective tissue is eliminated of its heart muscle cells through a cleansing process, and then it is freeze-dried and milled into a powder-like material. The powder is then made into a fluid that can be injected directly into the heart tissue.
The researchers from the University of California-San Diego who developed this treatment noted that when it was injected into the hearts of pigs with heart damage, it turned into a semi-solid gel that provided a “scaffold” for new tissue growth and improved the pigs’ condition. And perhaps the best part about Hydrogel is that it can be inserted through a catheter into the heart without surgery.

Human Achievement of the Day: Heart Gel Repairs Damage

 

[toonertoo]

Wow. My husband lost 40%. he has an appt, this month. I think Ill print out the article, and do a little more research in the meantime. Thanks for this post!!

 

[wkmac]

Wow. My husband lost 40%. he has an appt, this month. I think Ill print out the article, and do a little more research in the meantime. Thanks for this post!!

You're welcome Tooner and hope it does prove helpful. Here's the link to the scientific protocol published by the University of California San Diego who developed Hydrogel so you might read this and then present to the doctor although for any of us, it's very technical. Here is the info release from UCSD on hydrogel and here is a piece from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on the pre-clinical research.

Looking forward to hearing you share good news from your hubby no matter what.

 

[Catatonic]

Wow. My husband lost 40%. he has an appt, this month. I think Ill print out the article, and do a little more research in the meantime. Thanks for this post!!

You're welcome Tooner and hope it does prove helpful. Here's the link to the scientific protocol published by the University of California San Diego who developed Hydrogel so you might read this and then present to the doctor although for any of us, it's very technical. Here is the info release from UCSD on hydrogel and here is a piece from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on the pre-clinical research.

Looking forward to hearing you share good news from your hubby no matter what.

I was wondering why you posted this wkmac when I first saw it.

Now I see why ... so congrats and tooner, I hope this can help out hubby.

 

[toonertoo]

I never knew we had a community center.
It is a great thought that someone could regrow heart muscle. I knew if he lived long enough, more research and techniques would be found.
he does real well. But he is used to doing more wiothout getting tired out. His bp with meds is 112/74, his cholestrol is 124, but Im not sure about the whole cholestrol fiasco, and dont really care for him being on the statins to start with.
I dont think he would ever be inclined to go for such an elective surgery, but coming up on his 5 yr check up, it is something to ask about.
And he doesnt realize that he does more than most able bodied people do, that we know. He remodels, he works on bikes and cars, he hikes miles with the dogs. He cuts wood, and hauls it, he lost 20 pds in the last yr. And this winter has been a life saver, with the mild temps, so he was able to get out and move around. That is the worst when its cold, the heat too but not as much.
He feels like crap coz he cant work, and keeps going into the mindset he needs to get a job. I keep telling him, we are ok, though not flooded with cash, we pay our bills, he does what he can when he can, and who is going to hire a 54 yr old man who has a bad heart and a bad back. So I try to keep him busy on projects. Its mean to say to him, but he is a hard head and the facts are the facts.
He does not get disabilty as we waited to apply too long. He kept thinking he could go back to work, I told him we dont need it we are fine, without it. I prefer to fight with my medical coverage, over medicare, or medicaid whatever he would be on, on disability.
So as soon as I get the cash together he has another wall to knock out and another room to add on. That should keep him a while, LOL.

 

[toonertoo]

Injectable Gel Could Repair Tissue Damaged by Heart Attack
This one I can understand. 1 and 3 yes I will need to print out for his cardio doc, it just boggles my mind.

 

[wkmac]

Two Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers — a stem cell biologist and a practicing cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital — have identified a protein in the blood of mice and humans that may prove to be the first effective treatment for the form of age-related heart failure that affects millions of Americans.
When the protein, called GDF-11, was injected into old mice, which develop thickened heart walls in a manner similar to aging humans, the hearts were reduced in size and thickness, resembling the healthy hearts of younger mice.

Making Old Hearts Younger