Cholesterol Drug May Help Stimulate Heart Stem Cells

Cholesterol Drug May Help Stimulate Heart Stem Cells

Researchers from the University of Buffalo say that pravastatin, which is used to lower high cholesterol, appears to increase the concentration of stem cells in the heart. It also improved cardiac function and coronary blood flow in animals. The story is reported by UPI on Science Daily. The results were presented at the American Heart Association’s conference, where earlier in the week other researchers said that have identified a gene which limits the effectiveness of statins in lowering cholesterol in some people. (That study is reported on Forbes.) It would be interesting to know if the stem cell effect also has a genetic component.