Time is like a clock in my heart: implications for stem cell delivery after myocardial infarction.

摘要

For more than 2 decades, advances in cardiovascular medicine have trended toward the early detection and treatment of ischemic heart disease. New biomarkers, imaging modalities, and educational campaigns now target at-risk patients for primary prevention. Improved drugs, devices, and healthcare delivery systems speed the reperfusion of thrombosed arteries. Nonetheless, some patients still miss this early detection and treatment window, presenting either late to outlying centers or with pathophysiologic barriers to reperfusion. This missed opportunity may then be followed by scarring, negative remodeling, and heart failure.