Stem cell therapy for chronic heart failure: an updated appraisal.

Introduction: Significant advances have been made to understand the mechanisms involved in cardiac cell-based therapies. The early translational application of basic science knowledge has led to several animal and human clinical trials. The initial promising beneficial effect of stem cells on cardiac function restoration has been eclipsed by the inability of animal studies to translate into sustained clinical improvements in human clinical trials.

Effects of the number and interval of balloon inflations during primary PCI on the extent of myocardial injury in patients with STEMI: does postconditioning exist in real-world practice?

Unlabelled: Postconditioning reduces infarct size in animal models and clinical studies. The present retrospective study aimed to evaluate the effects of the number and interval delay of balloon inflations during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on enzymatic infarct size, myocardial perfusion and cardiac function in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in routine clinical practice.

Methods: Of the 433 STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI at Vanderbilt University Medical Center from October 2003 to August 2007, 85 (19.

Stem cell therapy for cardiac repair: benefits and barriers.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Acute ischaemic injury and chronic cardiomyopathies lead to permanent loss of cardiac tissue and ultimately heart failure. Current therapies aim largely to attenuate the pathological remodelling that occurs after injury and to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease.