[Column] Cardiovascular Disease: Chronic Heart Failure Can Be Overcome with Stem Cell Therapy

Cardiovascular disease is already the second leading cause of death worldwide, following cerebrovascular disease. Among these conditions, chronic heart failure in particular is an intractable disease for which there has been no definitive treatment other than surgical heart transplantation, despite a recent sharp increase in its incidence and prevalence. Recently, numerous cases of chronic heart failure treated with stem cell therapies have been reported.

Heart failure refers to a group of chronic conditions caused by structural or functional abnormalities of the heart, which reduce the heart’s ability to fill with blood during diastole and contract during systole, thereby failing to adequately supply the body’s tissues with the necessary blood. In particular, for severe heart failure, the average 5-year survival rate after onset is relatively low, at approximately 35% for men and 50% for women.

Mr. Kim (pseudonym; male; 71), a resident of Chuncheon, experienced sudden chest pain while playing a round of golf in 2015 and was transported to a nearby emergency room. At that time, he underwent a procedure to insert a stent into a blood vessel on the right side of his heart, which allowed him to overcome the immediate crisis. However, since a significant portion of his heart muscle had already undergone necrosis, his condition rapidly progressed to chronic heart failure. Afterward, Mr. Kim was unable to climb even a few stairs on his own, suffered from frequent ankle swelling, and struggled with complications such as chronic fatigue and indigestion. He also complained of insomnia and other discomforts at night.

Recently, Mr. Kim learned that chronic heart failure could be treated with stem cell therapy and began his first stem cell treatment in the fall of 2017. Since then, the chronic fatigue and anemia that had persisted for over a decade have gradually disappeared, and not only has he been able to take short walks, but his insomnia has also improved. Consequently, a blood test conducted this past July revealed a decrease in inflammation markers and an increase in thyroid and growth hormone secretion.

Dr. Kim Hyun-soo, Director of the Kim Hyun-soo Clinic—a research-focused hospital specializing in stem cell therapy—stated, stated, “This is a representative case where, in addition to the treatment of chronic heart failure, we were able to observe so-called anti-aging effects through the regenerative effects—the core principle of stem cell therapy,” adding that he hopes stem cell therapies will become a standardized treatment method for patients with chronic heart failure in the future.
Currently, Cellgram AMI, developed by Dr. Kim Hyun-soo at PamiCell Co., Ltd., has been approved as a stem cell therapy by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and is strictly regulated and distributed by the government as a prescription drug.

However, it should be noted that the results of this procedure may vary depending on the patient’s individual constitution.