Stem cell and cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Despite the developments in cardiovascular medicine over the last century, atherosclerotic heart disease is still the leading cause of mortality. However, genetic treatments and stem cell research offer hope for the future. Particularly, the potential of the stem cells to differenciate to the cardiac myocytes is promising for the diseases with irreversible myocyte loss such as myocardial infarction, heart failure and cardiomyopathy. Impaired mobilization of the stem cells to the peripheral blood stream contribute to the cardiovascular diseases. The number of the stem cells are decreased and their function are impaired in cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Patients with lower stem cells in the peripheral blood are also at increased risk for coronary artery disease.