Heart failure affects nearly 7 million adults in the U.S. each year, leading to 14% of annual deaths. At present, no cure exists. Medications slow progression, but advanced cases rely on heart transplants or mechanical heart pumps.
A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) supports the heart by pumping blood, allowing some patients to survive without a transplant. But now, researchers believe LVADs may do more than just assist—they might help the heart heal.
A CLOSER LOOK AT MUSCLE REGENERATION
Dr. Hesham Sadek, director of the Sarver Heart Center at the University of Arizona, co-led the study published in Circulation. Sadek explains that while skeletal muscles regenerate after injury, heart muscles typically do not.
“If you tear a muscle playing soccer, it heals with rest. But the muscle loss is permanent. We can’t reverse it,” Sadek said.
This study suggests otherwise. Some cardiac failure patients showed muscle regeneration after receiving artificial ones.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
The research involved a global team. Colleagues at the University of Utah provided tissue samples from LVAD patients. Experts from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden used innovative carbon-dating methods to track new cell growth.
Swedish scientists Jonas Frisén and Olaf Bergmann found heart muscle cells regenerating at six times the rate seen in healthy ones.
“This is the strongest evidence yet that human heart muscle can regenerate,” Sadek noted.
WHY IT MATTERS
The findings suggest heart rest might trigger regeneration. LVADs bypass the heart, pushing blood directly into the aorta, allowing it to “rest.”
This rest mirrors the healing process seen in skeletal muscles. “The heart essentially gets the equivalent of bedrest,” Sadek said.
A LONG ROAD TO DISCOVERY
Sadek’s research into heart regeneration dates back to 2011. He discovered that cardiac cells divide actively in utero but stop shortly after birth, focusing solely on pumping.
By 2014, Sadek observed potential regeneration in LVAD patients, sparking further studies. Now, his team has direct evidence that LVADs may restart the division process.
Yet, only about 25% of LVAD patients show significant regeneration. Researchers don’t yet know why some respond while others don’t.
“The goal is to make everyone a responder,” Sadek said. “If we can, we might manage to cure cardiac failure.”
THE PATH AHEAD
Sadek’s team plans to study molecular pathways linked to cell division, aiming to enhance the the regenerative abilities.
Artificial hearts are already widely used, providing a reliable option for patients while researchers explore new possibilities.
WHY THIS MATTERS FOR PATIENTS
For patients with cardiac failure, this research signals hope. Artificial hearts may one day eliminate the need for transplants, providing long-term solutions. Muscle regeneration could reshape the future of cardiology, reducing deaths and improving life expectancy.
