Stem Cell Therapy for Atherosclerosis - Stem Cell Therapy

Stem Cell Therapy for Atherosclerosis Abroad

Atherosclerosis takes place when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body become thick and stiff, restricting blood flow to the organs and tissues. Healthy arteries are flexible and elastic, but in time, their walls can harden, a condition commonly called hardening of the arteries.

Atherosclerosis refers to the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls, called plaques. These plaques can burst, triggering a blood clot. Although atherosclerosis is often considered a heart problem, it can affect arteries anywhere in your body. Atherosclerosis may be preventable and is treatable.

Symptoms of Atherosclerosis

Depending on where the Atherosclerosis is located the symptoms can vary, but the most common ones are:

• Chest pain or pressure (angina)
• Sudden numbness or weakness in your arms or legs,
• Difficulty speaking or slurred speech,
• Temporary loss of vision in one eye,
• Drooping muscles in your face.
• Leg pain when walking (claudication)
• High blood pressure
• Kidney failure

Causes of Atherosclerosis

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• High triglycerides, a type of fat (lipid) in your blood
• Smoking and other sources of tobacco
• Insulin resistance, obesity or diabetes
• Inflammation from diseases, such as arthritis, lupus or infections, or inflammation of unknown cause

Stem Cell Therapy for Atherosclerosis

Stem cells have the ability to not only home into the damaged areas but also to initiate biological events which both culminate in healing of the blood vessels. The stem cells have the potential to replace countless cells of the body, blood vessels included. These stem cells may heal the body by replacing the ones that are plagued with disease, regenerating new cells, and suppressing the immune system's macrophage response which engulf and digest the dying cells. Both embryonic stem cells and mature cells that are manipulated back to a stem cell state can be harnessed to create new cells.

Mesenchymal stem cell research has provided hope to people with formerly incurable and devastating conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, leukemia, heart diseases, multiple sclerosis, juvenile diabetes and osteoarthritis, as well as 80 other diseases.

The cost of Stem Cell Treatments

As with all other types of stem cell treatments, there is no singular price available. The average price for a treatment is somewhere around $10,000, although the prices can vary from $2,000 to $20,000. As stem cell treatment is still a budding field, there is no standardization of prices. Instead, they vary on a clinic to clinic basis. In places where the costs of living and medical expenses are lower, it might be possible to find cheaper therapies.

Choosing the right clinic and treatment 

Informing yourself about the particular treatment that you have in mind is crucial for any therapy, not just stem cell ones. Find out who the doctor who performs the therapy is and check as much as you can about him/her. The main thing to look for is whether they have had any experience with stem cell treatments before, and specifically with stem cell treatments for heart disease. Also, read up on the patient testimonials and, if possible, get in contact with someone who has already gone through this procedure. This will give you a clearer picture of whether or not you should choose a particular clinic and a particular doctor. 

If you are already suffering from Atherosclerosis and want to know how stem cell therapy can help you, feel free to contact us and find out more.