Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for approximately 800,000 deaths in the United States each year
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women
Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack
On average one person dies from CVD every 40 seconds with coronary heart disease
Annual healthcare costs attriubuted to Heart DIsease is $555 billion
Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion & American Heart Asociation
According to the latest statistics from the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for approximately 800,000 deaths in the United States each year. This equates to one out of every three deaths, making it the leading cause of death for people of most ethnicities in the US.
On average one person dies from CVD every 40 seconds with coronary heart disease (CHD) accounting for the majority of CVD deaths and more than 90 million Americans carrying a diagnosis of CVD.
While a new report from the American Heart Association (AHA) identifies that healthcare costs are expected to hit a whopping $1.1 trillion annually within 18 years – more than double the current cost of $555 billion, The AHA also projected that by 2035 an estimated 45 percent of the US – about 131 million people – will have at least one health problem related to heart disease.
Research into stem cell treatment
However, breakthroughs in stem cell research could reveal new ways to help mend damaged hearts. Leading the way in this has been a number of studies utilising Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
Mesenchymal stem cells are classified as multi-potent stem cells. Multi-potent stem cells can transform into many different cell types that are of the same lineage. These innate traits make them prime candidates for use in developing heart disease treatments. While research and clinical trials are still in their infancy, mesenchymal stem cells possess many desirable characteristics necessary to successfully regenerate heart tissue and restore heart function after heart attack.
“The idea of using stem or precursor cells has emerged in the last decade as a leading approach for a regenerative strategy to address cardiac disease. In this context, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are lead candidates for cellular therapy not only for heart disease, but multiple diseases characterized by fibrosis.”
Protecting Against Potential Future Heart Disease
The best stem cells are young stem cells, before they can deteriorate through age of pollution. That’s why it’s advisable to bank stem cells whilst they are in their prime, at the best they will ever be – at the youngest age possible.
As children naturally lose around 12 teeth over a five-year period, the process of obtaining viable stem cells for future treatment for conditions, such as heart disease, is non-invasive. It’s also the most cost-effective way to ensure cells are banked and ready for when they may need to be used in the future.
If you want more information on how you could bank your children’s baby teeth for potential future therapeutic use, have a chat to one of our team or download our guide to stem cell banking.
To keep up to date with the latest developments in stem cell therapy and the treatment of heart disease, make sure to check back regularly to our blog.
