Many people with heart conditions such as heart failure are now afraid of coming to the hospital because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent research has shown a 40% drop in the number of patients seeking treatment for serious heart attacks. If the condition isn’t treated, it could become heart failure. Doctors advise patients not to delay getting treatment.
Good news: Clinical trials are ongoing for heart disease. These patients may have the opportunity to study cutting-edge heart failure treatments.
One of these treatments uses patient’s cells to help heal the heart after a severe heart attack. CardiAMP cell therapy is for patients with severe heart failure, who feel tired and unable to breathe despite being on regular medication. They may also have to limit their activities.
Previous studies on this cell therapy type have demonstrated significant and sustained improvements in quality and function, with very few risks.
“Heart failure patients who continue to have symptoms despite a course of optimal medications often seek a minimally invasive treatment as an alternative to open heart surgery. We look forward to studying the potential of this cell therapy to improve heart function and quality of life,”Dr. Natasha Altman (cardiologist, principal investigator of CardiAMP heart failure trial at UC Health University of Colorado Hospital), said:
Doctors take cells from patients’ bone marrow and process them at the point-of-care. Then, they deliver them to the affected area of the heart using minimally invasive cardiac catheterization. Researchers stress that bone marrow cells are not used to create new heart tissue cells. Instead, they stimulate the body’s natural healing process.
Pete Hagerstrom, a Colorado Springs resident aged 73 who had a quadruple bypass in the past to treat his heart disease, was the first patient in his state to enroll in the FDA-approved clinical trial of the therapy.
Participants who meet the criteria for the study are randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Although Mr. Hagerstrom won’t know until the end if he has received cell therapy, he says he feels much better after taking part in the trial.
“Everything is easier. I can walk three miles in about 45 minutes, and it takes a lot less time to garden and shovel snow.”
CardiAMP Heart Failure Trial will be available to up to 260 patients in 40 hospitals across the country.
This trial is unlike other studies. It tests the bone marrow of patients before they receive treatment. It helps to determine which patients are most likely to be able to benefit from treatment.
CardiAMP Heart failure Trial patients may be eligible if they are suffering from heart disease as a result an earlier heart attack, and have symptoms that are New York Heart Association Class II/III.
Visit CardiAMP Heart Failure to find out more about the trial. www.biocardia.com? www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02438306Or, ask your cardiologist.
