In excess of 7 million people worldwide die of coronary heart disease each year. Only one-third of these heart attack victims recover completely. The remainder suffer the consequences of myocardial infarction and its ill fated remodeling process, resulting in chronic congestive heart failure. This malady alone is the leading cause of hospital admissions in the United States. New breakthroughs in stem cell therapy and tissue engineering have promised to reverse this dismal outcome by cardiovascular repair. World authorities, including scientists and regulatory authorities, have joined in a collaborative effort to present for the reader the first collective review of stem cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. These contributions in basic science, pre-clinical and clinical experience guided by the regulatory pathways, assure a rapid course of translational research and clinical trials. The contents of this publication will become a prerequisite for those preparing to meet the challenges of this exciting and potentially rewarding field of stem cell research.

In excess of 7 million people worldwide die of coronary heart disease each year. Only one-third of these heart attack victims recover completely. The remainder suffer the consequences of myocardial infarction and its ill fated remodeling process, resulting in chronic congestive heart failure. This malady alone is the leading cause of hospital admissions in the United States.

New breakthroughs in stem cell therapy and tissue engineering have promised to reverse this dismal outcome by cardiovascular repair. World authorities, including scientists and regulatory authorities, have joined in a collaborative effort to present for the reader the first collective review of stem cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. These contributions in basic science, pre-clinical and clinical experience guided by the regulatory pathways, assure a rapid course of translational research and clinical trials.

The contents of this publication will become a prerequisite for those preparing to meet the challenges of this exciting and potentially rewarding field of stem cell research.

"Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Heart Failure" is a state-of-the-art reference that combines the both the breadth and depth of information available in one place. Stem cell and gene therapy is the most cutting edge therapy currently available for patients with heart failure and the therapy has progressed to availability in multiple clinical trials. Each section of this resource includes trials from contributors and specialists from around the world that have been completed to date as well as planned for the future, making this an important resource for cardiology researchers, basic science clinicians, fellows, residents, students, as well as industry.
Includes coverage of the three areas with the greatest clinical trials to date: Chronic Limb Ischemia, Chronic Angina, and Acute MI.Provides the current understanding of harnessing the body s native repair mechanisms.Offers future perspectives outlining prospective directions, new trials and exploring unanswered questions.
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