Researchers at the University of Arizona have made a significant breakthrough suggesting that patients with artificial hearts may experience heart muscle regeneration, potentially transforming treatments for heart failure. Co-led by Dr. Hesham Sadek from the Sarver Heart Center, the study demonstrates that artificial hearts allow heart muscle to “rest,” similar to how skeletal muscles recover from injuries. This could pave the way for new interventions, as heart failure currently affects nearly 7 million adults in the U.S., with existing treatments limited to medications or heart transplants.
The research found that patients with artificial hearts regenerate muscle cells at over six times the rate of healthy hearts. This discovery supports the hypothesis that the inability of heart muscle to rest significantly hampers its regenerative capabilities. The study builds on Sadek’s earlier research, which indicated that heart muscle cells stop dividing shortly after birth, dedicating their energy to pumping blood without breaks.
Going forward, Sadek aims to understand why only about 25% of artificial heart patients show signs of cardiac muscle regeneration and how to enhance this response, as achieving universal muscle regeneration could effectively cure heart failure. The findings, indicating a previously unrecognized capacity for human heart regeneration, highlight the potential of artificial hearts not just as life-sustaining devices but as catalysts for healing.
