Study hopes to use patients' own stem cells to mend broken hearts

"On September 14, 46-year-old Hatem Faraj suffered a major heart attack while watching Monday Night Football on TV. Tuesday, the Wesley Chapel man joined the cutting edge of heart disease research, becoming the area's first participant in a study to see if a patient's own stem cells can regenerate his damaged heart muscle. The procedure he had at Pepin Heart at University Community Hospital in Tampa is part of a University of Florida research program. Its aim is improving chances of long-term survival and reducing heart transplants. Using stem cells to regenerate heart tissue has been studied for several years in animals and humans, producing mixed results. Still, the therapy is considered promising for millions of Americans with heart failure" - tampabay.com