There is no cure for heart failure, although drugs can slow its progress, but a new study suggests that the heart might improve if it just gets some rest.
A study published in the journal Circulation offers the first hope for a new way to treat, or even cure, heart failure.
University of Arizona researchers investigated whether heart muscle can regenerate, much like an injured leg muscle heals after time.
They found that some patients with an artificial heart pump actually regenerated heart muscle cells at a rate six times greater than healthy hearts.
Researchers speculate that because the heart pump bypasses the heart, it is like putting the heart on bed rest, giving it time to repair itself, something that can't be done while the heart is working. It is possible that some patient may even be able to have the pump removed.
Only about 25 percent of patients in the study responded with cardiac muscle regeneration. New research will focus on whether all patients might be able to have muscle regeneration. Researchers say such a thing would essentially be a cure for heart failure.
