Groundbreaking gene therapy trial offers hope to heart patients

If successful the heart muscle would be able to pump blood around the body without any help.

Mr Adams, of Hertfordshire, is the first person in the world to take part in the trial.

"It took some getting used to, living with a (heart pump), he said.

You can't just jump in the bath or the shower and it's difficult sleeping whilst being attached to it. Everywhere I go I have to carry the power supply and spare batteries in a backpack.

"Of course the best thing that could happen would be for my heart function to show signs of improvement and for the gene therapy to prove to be a 'miracle cure' for myself and other patients.

If it does prove to be successful it would be exciting for patients who need a transplant but end up on the waiting list for a long time because of the shortage of donors."

Heart failure occurs when the heart no longer pumps blood effectively and it affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK.

Some patients with advanced heart failure are fitted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), a mechanical pump which supports the failing heart and aims to restore normal blood flow.

The pump moves the blood from the left ventricle into the main artery (aorta) so it can circulate the oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.

Currently there are around 100 to 150 people in the UK living with a pump.

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Groundbreaking gene therapy trial offers hope to heart patients