Is Stem Cell Therapy an Answer to Heart Failure: A Literature Search

The heart is one of the most industrious organs in the human body. It starts beating in the first few weeks of embryonic life and keeps pumping blood till death. This organ can host a range of diseases as well. Some can hamper the vasculature, while others can affect its electrical activity, the heart valves, etc. All these conditions can lead to end-stage failure where it can no longer meet the requirements of the body’s milieu. This imbalance between supply and demand leads to an array of symptoms. Medical management can reduce these clinical effects and possibly prolong the life expectancy in such patients. However, prescription medications can also have their own adverse effects. This necessitates that each line of treatment should be assessed on a risk vs benefit basis. The conventional approach has been to try and slow down the progression of heart failure (HF). However, the inception of stem cells in the management of HF has the potential for reversal of this pathology. Keeping this in view, many studies and trials are under process. To turn the clock back on the HF, before complications set in or get out of control, is the main focus of the time. This article attempts to evaluate various studies about stem cell therapy (SCT) and highlight the important aspects of this novel modality in changing patients' lives.