Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death around the world.
The heart is one of the most vital organs in the human body, tirelessly pumping blood to sustain life. When heart muscles, known as cardiomyocytes, are damaged due to conditions like heart attacks, the consequences can be severe and long-lasting. Traditionally, it was believed that heart muscle cells cannot regenerate, leading to permanent damage. However, a recent research found that gentle shockwaves could regenerate the heart tissue of patients after bypass surgery. It is based on the health data of a small group of people - 63 - but researchers in Austria are thrilled to see the results.
"For the first time, we are seeing the heart muscle regenerate in a clinical setting, which could help millions of people," Prof Johannes Holfeld, from Innsbruck Medical University, told the BBC.
Researchers used a device they named a "space hairdryer" for the study and now plan to replicate the results in a wider group of people.
During the study, they found that those given the new treatment could walk further - and their heart could pump more blood.
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death around the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says 18 million people die due to heart complications every year.
So far, medications and other treatment can help manage the disease and reduce the chances of a heart attack. In severe cases, surgeons perform a bypass surgery - attaching a healthy blood vessel above or below a blocked artery - to restore the blood flow.
So, this news has left them excited. The study showed that it takes 10 minutes to stimulate the growth of new vessels in the area damaged by heart attack.
The "shockwave" technique is used to treat other conditions such as injured ligaments. A higher powered waves are used to break up kidney stones.
Details of the study have been published in European Heart Journal. The research team said that a year after the treatment, the amount of blood pumped by the heart increased by more than 11 per cent. Also, the patients were able to walk for longer distance without resting.
"It means they are able to go out for a walk with their dog again or go to the supermarket in their everyday life. We also anticipate they will have a longer life expectancy and fewer re-hospitalisations," said Prof Holfeld.
But British Heart Foundation associate medical director Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, a cardiologist, said that the treatment left room for improvement and called for "bigger and longer trials".