Fixing The Heart With Stem Cells

June 29, 2009

In a heart attack, the blood supply to part of the heart is shut off by a clot in a clogged artery – causing scarring of the heart muscle, which reduces the ability of the heart to pump. The best that doctors have been able to do is to promptly open up the clogged artery and limit the damage with drugs. But one day, there may be a way to get that damaged heart to grow its own brand-new muscle tissue. How? By using the patient’s own cardiac stem cells. (CBS News)