Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition in which the heart muscle does not receive enough blood and oxygen due to narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries.
Who is more likely to get CAD:
• Gender: Men are more likely to get CAD than women. However, after menopause, the risk for women increases significantly and becomes comparable to that of men.
• Age: The risk of developing CAD increases with age. In men, the peak incidence occurs between the ages of 35 and 50, and in women – after 50 years.
The main symptoms of CAD:
• Chest pain (angina): A pressing or burning pain behind the breastbone, which can radiate to the left shoulder, neck, back, or lower jaw.
• Shortness of breath: A feeling of shortness of breath that occurs during physical exertion or at rest.
• Chest heaviness: A feeling of tightness or discomfort in the heart area.
• Heart rhythm disturbances: Feeling of irregular heartbeat, palpitations.
• Weakness and dizziness: General fatigue, sometimes accompanied by dizziness or fainting.
• Nausea and increased sweating: May accompany attacks of angina.
Stem Cells Treatment for Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy NEW TREATMENT PROTOCOL 2026
Using stem cells in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases
The method is one of the most promising areas in regenerative medicine. This approach is aimed at restoring damaged areas of the heart, improving blood supply and reducing tissue scarring. The main aspects of this area are listed below:
Mechanisms of action
• Cell differentiation and replacement:
Stem cells (for example, mesenchymal stem cells or cardiac progenitors) can differentiate into cardiomyocytes and vascular cells, which allows replacing lost or damaged heart muscle cells. • Paracrine action:
Stem cells secrete biologically active molecules – growth factors, cytokines and microRNAs, which not only stimulate angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels), but also reduce inflammation, reduce fibrosis and improve the survival of the remaining cells.
• Modulation of the immune response:
Due to their immunomodulatory properties, some types of stem cells can reduce the inflammatory response that aggravates damage to heart tissue.
Types of cells used for cardiovascular diseases
• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs):
Obtained from bone marrow, adipose tissue or umbilical cord blood, MSCs are actively studied in clinical trials for the treatment of myocardial infarction and chronic cardiac ischemia.
• Cardiac stem cells (progenitors):
These cells are located directly in the heart and are capable of renewing cardiomyocytes. Their use is aimed at restoring heart tissue after a heart attack.
• Endothelial progenitors:
Used to stimulate angiogenesis, which helps improve blood supply to ischemic areas of the heart.
OUR APPROACH IN DETAILS: Cardiomyocyte-Based Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Failure: A New Frontier in Regenerative Cardiology
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in treatment of heart diseases
Play an important role in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases due to their unique biological properties. Their use in cardiology is based on several key mechanisms:
1. Paracrine action
MSCs secrete a wide range of biologically active molecules, such as growth factors, cytokines and microRNAs, which contribute to:
• Angiogenesis: Stimulation of the formation of new blood vessels helps improve blood supply to ischemic areas of the heart.
• Antifibrotic effect: Reduction of scarring and fibrosis of damaged tissues.
• Anti-inflammatory effect: Reduction of inflammatory processes in the heart muscle, which has a beneficial effect on tissue restoration.
2. Tissue regeneration
MSCs are able to differentiate into cell types associated with cardiac tissue, which contributes to:
• Replacement of damaged cardiomyocytes: Although complete transformation of MSCs into fully functional cardiomyocytes occurs infrequently, even partial replacement helps improve cardiac function.
• Support of surviving cells: Through the release of parocrine factors, MSCs create a favorable micro-tool for the restoration of damaged tissue.
3. Immunomodulation
MSCs have the ability to regulate the immune response, which allows:
• Reduction of inflammatory processes: This is especially important in the treatment of ischemic injuries, where inflammation can aggravate tissue damage.
• Create optimal conditions for regeneration: By reducing the severity of inflammation, the likelihood of successful integration of transplanted cells and tissue healing increases.
Cardiac Stem Cells in therapy of cardiovascular diseases
So-called cardiac progenitors have a number of unique properties that make them particularly attractive for the treatment of heart disease:
1. Natural specialization:
These cells are located directly in the heart, which provides them with a natural predisposition to differentiate into cardiomyocytes, vascular tissue cells, and other components of the heart muscle. This specialization improves the integration of transplanted cells into existing heart tissue.
2. Local regeneration:
Cardiac stem cells are able to directly restore damaged areas of the heart after a heart attack or ischemia. They not only help replace lost cells, but also stimulate angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) and reduce scarring, which is important for maintaining cardiac functionality.
3. Paracrine action:
In addition to direct cell replacement, cardiac stem cells secrete biologically active factors that improve the microenvironment of damaged tissue. These factors help reduce inflammation, protect the remaining cells, and stimulate the heart’s own mechanisms for restoring tissue.
4. Lower risk of immune rejection:
Since cardiac stem cells are endogenous (originating from the heart itself), they have a higher chance of successful integration without a pronounced immune reaction compared to exogenous stem cell sources.
Endothelial cells in treatment of heart diseases
Play a key role in maintaining vascular integrity and regeneration, which is an important aspect of cardiovascular therapy. Below are the main mechanisms and the benefits of their use:
1. Stimulation of angiogenesis
Endothelial cells, especially endothelial progenitors, are able to activate the processes of formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). This is critically important for restoration of blood supply to ischemic areas of the heart after a heart attack or in conditions of chronic ischemia.
2. Remodeling of vascular tissue
When cardiac tissue is damaged, endothelial cells participate in the process of vascular remodeling. They help in the creation of new vascular structures, which improves microcirculation and oxygen delivery to damaged cells.
3. Secretion of paracrine factors
Endothelial cells secrete many biologically active molecules – such as growth factors (e.g. VEGF), cytokines and microRNA. These molecules:
• Promote cell growth and survival,
• Modulate inflammatory processes,
• Improve conditions for cardiac tissue regeneration.
4. Maintenance of vascular homeostasis
Endothelial cells play an important role in regulating vascular tone and preventing thrombus formation. This ensures stability and normal functioning of the vascular system, which is critical for patients with cardiovascular diseases.
WHY OUR CLINIC IS THE BEST IN REGENERATION: Stem Cell Treatment Abroad: An International Clinic with Advanced Regenerative Medicine Solutions
Major clinical outcomes of stem cell use
• Improvement of left ventricular function:
A number of protocols have shown that transplantation of stem cells (e.g. mesenchymal or cardiac progenitors) can lead to a modest increase in left ventricular ejection fraction, indicating improved cardiac contractility.
• Reduction in infarct size:
Some clinical cases have shown that administration of stem cells after myocardial infarction can help reduce the size of the damaged area by stimulating angiogenesis and tissue remodeling.
• Improved quality of life:
Patients who have undergone stem cell therapy often report reduced symptoms, improved exercise capacity, and a decrease in the frequency of heart attacks.
CADUCEUS study: Patients with myocardial infarction were given CSC injections. After 6 months, a reduction in scar size and an increase in viable myocardial mass were observed. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improved by 16.4% in the experimental group compared to 1.3% in the control group.
ALLSTAR study: Evaluated the safety and efficacy of allogeneic CSCs in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Results showed a reduction in scar size and improved cardiac function, confirming the potential of CSCs in myocardial regeneration
2023 study: Included 565 patients with chronic heart failure and low ejection fraction. Patients received the introduction of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) of embryonic origin + cardiospheres. After 12 months, a significant reduction in the risk of decompensation of heart failure or ventricular arrhythmias was found.
Early studies: Included small groups of patients (for example, 24 people), where the introduction of allogeneic stem cells led to a decrease in the frequency of angina attacks. After six months, patients who received stem cell injections had an average of 7.6 attacks of chest pain per week, while in the control group – almost twice as many.
SUCCESS RATE: Stem Cell Therapy Success Rate: What Patients Should Know About Effectiveness and Results
Feedback from a patient after 1 month of stem cell treatment (patient is 73 years old, cardiomyopathy complicated by lung problems)
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