This issue of Cardiac Electrophysiology Clinics, Guest Edited by Dr. Jagmeet P. Singh and Dr. Gopi Dandamudi, focuses on Cardiac Resynchronization. Topics include--but are not limited to--The many faces of heart failure, Economic impact of chronic HF management in today's cost-conscious environment, Contemporary treatment of HF, Why dyssynchrony matters in HF, Utility of echocardiography in assessing dyssynchrony, Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a tool to assess dyssynchrony, Current clinical evidence favoring CRT & When to implant CRT in HF patients, How to implant CRT devices in a busy clinical practice, Tips and tricks for challenging implants, Explanting chronic CS leads, Optimizing CRT devices in follow-up to improve response rates and outcomes, Increasing role of remote monitoring of CRT devices in improving outcomes, CRT in preserved to mildly reduced systolic function, Role of AVJ ablation and CRT in patients with chronic AF, Gender based differences in CRT response, Benefits of multisite/multipoint pacing to improve CRT response, LV endocardial pacing/leadless pacing, and Evolving role of permanent His bundle pacing in conquering dyssynchrony.

Interventional cardiology has transitioned from angiographic subjective analysis of stenosis severity into assessment of plaque characteristics and objective assessment of stenosis severity. The evolution of novel interventional imaging modalities is progressively altering our understanding of coronary artery disease diagnosis and prognosis. This book will be an essential companion to assist interventional cardiologists in better assessing patients with Coronary Artery Disease. It will encompass and review all interventional imaging modalities and provide guidance for interventional cardiologists to use these modalities.

An illuminating and timely synthesis of methodological and clinical studies showing how medical costs can be established, how the value of clinical outcomes can be assessed, and how difficult choices can be rationally made. The methodological chapters review the conceptual and practical issues involved in estimating and interpreting health care costs, making health status and utility assessments, and statistically analyzing cost-effectiveness and clinical trials. The clinical chapters apply these methods to the major clinical areas of cardiology-primary prevention of coronary artery disease, acute coronary syndromes, angioplasty vs coronary bypass surgery, CABG vs medicine, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and cardiac surgery. Additional chapters consider the use of economic studies for policy purposes and the future of Medicare under a balanced budget in an aging America.

Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology is a comprehensive look into the often overlooked and underappreciated fundamental sex differences between men and women and how those differences affect the cardiovascular system. It covers cardiovascular function, anatomy, cell signaling and the development of pathology. With contributions from world-renowned research investigators, this up-to-date reference compiles critical knowledge on cardiovascular sex differences, providing researchers and clinicians with a better understanding of the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in both men and women.

This guide provides a comprehensive review of the full spectrum of hypertension in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Targeted towards the busy practitioner, the focus of this volume is on various therapies and how to lower blood pressure through lifestyle changes. Specialist patient populations and hypertension and causes of hypertension are also covered in detail. Clinically-focused and authoritative, this resource offers a rationalized approach to diagnosing and treating hypertension in CKD.

Since the publication of the first edition of Cardiac Pacing for the Clinician, the use of implantable cardiac devices has expanded rapidly. Certain classes of devices such as implantable loop recorders and cardiac resynchronization pacing systems were not commonly used when the first edition was published, and recent studies have shown that implantable cardioverter defibrillators are beneficial in large, previously unrecognized patient populations at risk for sudden death. In order to meet this demand, cardiologists without special training in electrophysiology or pacing are implanting an increasing number of cardiac devices. It is in this rapidly evolving setting that Cardiac Pacing for the Clinician, Second Edition is being undertaken.

The main focus of this volume will be to provide a practical discussion of the a oenuts and boltsa of implantable cardiac devices. The target audience will be cardiologists in practice and in training as well as nurses, technologists and industry. In addition, it will benefit physicians preparing for certification.

Additions to the new edition will include: Chapters discussing new cardiac devices; Implantation of Left Ventricular Leads for Cardiac Resynchronization Pacing Systems; Identification of Candidates for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy; Follow-Up Issues in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy; Implantable Loop Recorders.

Updates to the existing chapters will include: New Trial Information & Follow-Up of the Newest Generation of Defibrillators; Use of Defibrillators in Patients at Increased Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death due to Long QT Syndrome, Brugada Syndrome and Congenital Heart Disease; Updates to Lead Extraction a" NewTechniques and Tools; Cardiac Pacing chapter will shift focus to Cardiac Devices.

This new edition of Cardiac Pacing for the Clinician, Second Edition will become a valuable resource to the general cardiologist and cardiology fellow by providing practical information for managing patients with complex cardiac devices.

Recognized scientists and clinicians from around the world discuss the most recent molecular approaches to understanding the cardiovascular system in both health and disease. The authors focus on all components of the system, including blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and the brain, and cover disease states ranging from vascular and cardiac dysfunction to stroke and hypertension. The methods described for identifying the genes that cause susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases emphasize the possibility of discovering new drug targets. Authoritative and ground-breaking, Cardiovascular Genomics offers an unprecedented examination of both the cutting-edge scientific approaches now possible and the results obtained from them in the new science of cardiovascular genomics.

Not long ago, it was assumed that coronary heart disease mainly--or only--affected men. Now that CHD is recognized as a leading killer of women as well as men, numerous research studies have been made of its diverse presentations in women, causal factors, and possibilities for prevention and treatment. The expert contributions to Psychosocial Stress and Cardiovascular Disease in Women span the results of this cross-disciplinary awareness. This progressive resource takes a three-dimensional approach to its subject, focusing on epidemiology and risk factors for heart disease in women, the psycho- and neurobiology of stress and coronary disease, and promising clinical interventions. Chapters identify and analyze multiple intersections of social, biological, and psychological factors in affecting women's heart health, from the social dimensions of depression to genetic/environmental interactions to the demands of balancing work and family. These wide-ranging findings will assist and motivate professionals in choosing and creating interventions, developing appropriate prevention strategies, and reducing gender-based disparities in health care. Among the topics covered: Enhancing women's heart health: a global perspective. Coronary heart disease in women: evolution of our knowledge. Gender observations on basic physiological stress mechanisms in men and women. Sleep as a means of recovery and restitution in women. LifeSkills training: benefiting both genders, for different reasons. Gender considerations in psychosocial-behavioral interventions for coronary heart disease. In particular this book will be helpful for cardiologists and other clinicians who may ask themselves why patients do not seem to make rational choices. "Why do patients not follow the advice they are offered?" is a common complaint. The role of psychosocial stress for patient compliance and adherence can be traced throughout the volume. It is emphasized in the chapters on psychosocial interventions along with other tangible and conceptual suggestions and experiences with psychosocial stress and life style change. Psychosocial Stress and Cardiovascular Disease in Women offers a deep practical level of understanding of this epidemic to help expand the work of health and clinical psychologists, sociologists, cardiologists, primary care physicians, and epidemiologists.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death throughout the world. Chronic negative emotions such as depression and anxiety place cardiac patients at greater risk for death and recurrence of cardiovascular disease. In 2008 the editor published a book related to this topic, titled Psychotherapy with Cardiac Patients: Behavioral Cardiology in Practice (American Psychological Association). Aside from that book, there are very few resources specifically written for clinicians who treat psychologically distressed cardiac patients. Unlike other medical specialty areas such as oncology, the field of cardiology has been slow to integrate behavioral treatments into the delivery of service. Perhaps because the field has been largely defined and dominated by researchers, mental health clinicians are only starting to recognize behavioral cardiology as a viable arena in which to practice. There is a large void in the practitioner literature on behavioral cardiology. In a review of Psychotherapy with Cardiac Patients, Paul Efthim, Ph.D. wrote, "Her new book goes well beyond previous works by giving specific and detailed guidance about how to tailor psychological interventions with this variegated population." He added, "It would benefit from even more details about treatment approaches." This proposed volume goes beyond the editor's previous volume by providing in-depth descriptions of behavioral treatments for distressed cardiac patients written by eminent leaders in behavioral cardiology. This book describes a wide range of behavioral treatments for the common psychologically based problems encountered by clinicians who treat cardiac patients. The book is organized as follows: Part I focuses on the most psychologically challenging and common presentations of cardiac diagnosis; coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, and heart failure. This section also includes a chapter on heart transplantation, which is a treatment, not a diagnosis, but a treatment that incurs profound psychological impact for the individual. In Part II, behavioral interventions for the general cardiac population are described. Mainstream therapies such as stress management, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and medical family therapy are described, along with approaches that have less empirical support but considerable practical significance such as personality-guided therapy and interventions aimed at altering type D personality traits. The literature in behavioral cardiology has a rich history of investigating maladaptive personality traits and thus it is important to include behavioral approaches that target personality in this volume. Part III focuses on common behavioral problems encountered by clinicians who work with this patient population. Most patients who seek psychological help do so because they perceive themselves to be stressed due to their job or overextended in all areas of their life. Other people with heart disease present with sleep problems and/or an inability to motivate themselves to exercise or quit smoking. There are many practical behavioral approaches that can be helpful for patients with these difficulties and these are detailed in this section of the book. The conclusion of the book focuses on how to integrate the behavioral treatments described in the preceding chapters into a comprehensive treatment model.

In spite of their relatively low prevalence, systemic vasculitides have been the object of intensive basic and clinical investigations over the last few years. As a consequence, important advancements have been achieved: from updated diagnostic and classification criteria and a more rational nomenclature to the recognition of an expanding spectrum of clinical manifestations and potentially devastating complications; from the recognition of the viral etiology of conditions such as HCV-related cryoglobulinemic vasculitis and HBV-associated polyarteritis nodosa to newly named variable vessel vasculitis exemplified by Behcet's disease; from single-organ vasculitis such as central nervous system vasculitis to the more recently emerging features of the IgG4-related, immune-mediated diseases that are showing remarkable clinical heterogeneity. In addition, intriguing pathogenetic hypotheses are being reported for certain chronic, relapsing vasculitides that are improving our understanding of their biology and basic pathophysiology. New avenues are being explored that will hopefully allow a deeper comprehension of the relationships between certain virus-driven vasculitides and lymphoproliferation, and possibly lead to the identification of novel biomarkers that may be used to single out patients at an increased risk of relapse. This explosion of knowledge is obviously resulting in state-of-the-art, personalized treatments of systemic vasculitides. This book is a collection of reviews on the major vasculitides, written by scientists and clinicians with a multi-year experience in this field. We hope it will provide the reader with a stimulating container of new advances in scientific knowledge and more rational therapeutic approaches to this fascinating chapter of pathology.

This issue of Cardiology Clinics, edited by Drs. Palak Shah and Jennifer Cowger, will focus on Mechanical Circulatory Support. Topics include, but are not limited to, The Evolution of Mechanical Circulatory Support, Continuous-flow Device Engineering and Pump Technology, Surgical Implantation: Perspective and Techniques, Temporary Circulatory Support and ECMO, Durable MCS Candidate Selection, Perioperative Management of the Right and Left Ventricle, Quality of Life, Frailty and Cognitive Impairment in the MCS Candidate, Microbiology and Infections in VAD recipients, Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Cerebrovascular Accident, Antithrombotic Strategies and Device Thrombosis, Impact of MCS on Post-Transplant Outcomes, Hemodynamic Pump-Patient Interactions & VAD Imaging, Ambulatory Patient Management, and Imaging in VAD recipients.

This issue of Cardiology Clinics, edited by Dr. Andrew M. McCoy, will focus on Resuscitation. Topics include, but are not limited to Improving survival in your community, Compression only CPR, Dispatch, CRP quality issues, Drugs in OHCA, Mechanical CPR, DSeD, Nuances of Airway Management in OHCA, refractory/recurrent VF, future of OHCA care, and more.

In The Practice of Electrocardiography, a master practitioner offers an organized approach to the art of EKG interpretation. Moving beyond the traditional approaches of many books that stress technical skill and pattern recognition, Dr. Blake shows how the four measurements needed to examine a tracing (orientation, duration, amplitude, and contour of each component) may be used with consistency and medical rigor for distinguishing normal and abnormal EKG patterns.
A unique worksheet guides the analytic process item by item and clarifies the logic of each stage of interpretation, in the same way that a dissection manual leads the student in an anatomy course. The result is a method for interpreting the electrocardiogram that reveals the anatomy and physiology behind each waveform and illuminates the gray areas between normal and abnormal.
The Practice of Electrocardiography provides a firm foundation in the diagnostic methods and clinical application of electrocardiography, as well as an entry into the literature through an outstanding bibliography. It will enable medical and nursing students to analyze the tracings they encounter in day-to-day practice with confidence and real understanding. Practicing clinicians will also find fresh insights here, and there are sections for technicians and their supervisors, as well as for administrators and others charged with assessing competence in the field.
After a lifetime of teaching and practicing EKG production and interpretation, after seeing more than a million EKG tracings over the years, Dr. Blake has distilled in The Practice of Electrocardiography the essence of his art and understanding for all those who must recordtracings, interpret them, or judge an interpretation written by someone else.

Cardiovascular disease affects 20% of all Americans and is the leading cause of death in the USA. Every year approximately 1,500.000 Americans suffer from an acute myocardial infarction, and over 25% of the total number of deaths in this country are attributable to coronary artery disease. Unstable angina causes over 650,000 hospital admissions, and in the absence of medical therapy, the rate of progression from unstable angina to infarction is 12-20%. Since plaque disruption, plaque erosion, and acute intracoronary thrombus formation play major roles in the pathophysiology of both unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction, and since the two disease entities represent a continuum of coronary ischemic syndromes, it is appropriate to discuss the two disease states in a single monograph. Unstable Coronary Artery Syndromes, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Treatment will offer the clinician a reference book which coherently discusses the pathophysiology of acute ischemic syndromes as well as remarks diagnosis and treatment strategies. Geared toward internists and cardiologists, the book should allow the reader to understand the pathophysiology of unstable coronary artery syndromes and subsequently apply this knowledge to patient care.

Cardiovascular Thrombus: From Pathology and Clinical Presentations to Imaging, Pharmacotherapy and Interventions provides a comprehensive, up-to-date presentation of the research and clinical practices as related to the contemporary aspects of the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular thrombosis. The formation, identification and management of cardiovascular thrombus is of paramount importance for researchers and practicing physicians, yet it remains one of the most challenging diagnostic and clinical scenarios. This important reference connects between research, up-to-date clinical knowledge, and the technological tools available for diagnosis and management of thrombus in cardiovascular medicine. The book includes comprehensive descriptions and review of pathology, clinical presentations, diagnosis, pharmacotherapy, interventions and future trends. It is the perfect reference for basic science students and researchers in general and interventional cardiology, general and interventional radiology, vascular medicine specialists, and vascular, general and cardiac surgeons.

This issue of Cardiology Clinics, guest edited by Drs. Srihari S. Naidu and Julio A. Panza, will focus on Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Articles in this issue include: Historical Perspective and the Diagnostic Dilemma, Echocardiography for Diagnosis and Management, Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for Diagnosis and Risk Stratification, Genetic Testing and Counseling, Role of Advanced Testing: Invasive Hemodynamics, Biopsies and CPET, Lifestyle Modification and Medical Management, Arrhythmia Evaluation and Management, Sudden Cardiac Death Risk Stratification and the Role of the ICD, Choice of Septal Reduction Therapies and Alcohol Septal Ablation, Surgical Myectomy: Sub-aortic, Mid-ventricular and Apical, Advanced Heart Failure Management and Transplantation, Novel Pharmacotherapy, and Unresolved Issues and Future Directions.

Dr. Louis Ignarro discovered lithe molecule of cardiovascular health - Nitric Oxide (NO) - which is produced naturally by the human body and serves as a regulator of blood pressure to help prevent blood clots. The problem is that many people find this out too late, going through life without understanding that this all-important molecule is the difference between healthy living and a heart attack. With all the focus on new diets, Dr. Ignarro's research is all the more vital. In an easy-to-follow plan - which discusses NO friendly foods and informs about supplements to stimulate NO production, he lays out a regimen that age-proofs the cardiovascular system, keeping it clean and the blood vessels strong. The "Say Yes to NO" program allows readers to tap into the body's own cardiovascular drug and discover that the littlest molecule can make a tremendous difference.

This issue of Interventional Cardiology Clinics, edited by Jorge Gonzalez and Matthew Price, will span a number of essential topics surrounding Imaging in Intervention. Subjects discussed include: Multimodality Imaging for Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement; CT Assessment for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement; Imaging Evaluation and Interpretation for Vascular Access for TAVR; Imaging Evaluation for the Detection of Leaflet Thrombosis after TAVR; CT Imaging Guidance for WATCHMAN LAA Closure; Myocardial viability testing to guide coronary revascularization; Intravascular Ultrasound For Guidance and Optimization of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention; CT-FFR to guide coronary angiography and intervention; Multimodality imaging of the tricuspid valve for assessment and guidance of transcatheter repair; and Three-dimensional printing for structural heart intervention planning, among others.

Stress Echocardiography - Its Role in the Diagnosis and Evaluation of Coronary Artery Disease - Second Edition by Thomas Marwick is a concise, practical guide for anyone new to the field of stress echocardiography or an excellent summary of the existing evidence base for the experienced user. This new edition includes, in the back, a CD-ROM with images; film loops and a slide presentation.

Dr. W.F. Armstrong described the first edition of this book in his Foreword to the first edition as "a thorough, comprehensive review of the basic and advanced concepts of stress echocardiography. This text represents an excellent starting point for individuals wishing to gain initial familiarity with stress echocardiography and a superb reference source for more experienced investigators and clinicians finding a need to further develop their understanding of the technique and advance its clinical relevance in their laboratories."

This book covers the state-of-the-art approaches for automated non-invasive systems for early cardiovascular disease diagnosis. It includes several prominent imaging modalities such as MRI, CT, and PET technologies. There is a special emphasis placed on automated imaging analysis techniques, which are important to biomedical imaging analysis of the cardiovascular system. Novel 4D based approach is a unique characteristic of this product. This is a comprehensive multi-contributed reference work that will detail the latest developments in spatial, temporal, and functional cardiac imaging. The main aim of this book is to help advance scientific research within the broad field of early detection of cardiovascular disease. This book focuses on major trends and challenges in this area, and it presents work aimed to identify new techniques and their use in biomedical image analysis. Key Features: Includes state-of-the art 4D cardiac image analysis Explores the aspect of automated segmentation of cardiac CT and MR images utilizing both 3D and 4D techniques Provides a novel procedure for improving full-cardiac strain estimation in 3D image appearance characteristics Includes extensive references at the end of each chapter to enhance further study

This issue of Heart Failure Clinics, edited by Drs. Ragavendra R. Baliga and Umesh C. Samal, will focus on Recent Advances in Management of Heart Failure. Topics include, but are not limited to, Neprilysin Inhibition on Systolic HF, If Channel Inhibitor Ivabradine in Heart Failure, Growth Hormone Therapy in Heart Failure, Ultrafiltration in Heart Failure, Aldosterone Receptor Blockade in Diastolic HF, Intravenous Iron Therapy in HF, Management of Secondary Pulmonary Hypertension, Management of Chemotherapy Induced Cardiomyopathy, Management of HF in Adult Congenital Heart Disease, LVADS in Heart Failure, Short Term Circulatory & Right Ventricle support in Cardiogenic Shock, Mitral Valve Repair in HF, Total Artificial Heart, Current Status of Inotropes in Heart Failure, Palliative Therapy in Heart Failure, Subcutaneous ICDs and Leadless Pacemakers, Interventional Heart Failure and Hemodynamic Monitoring, and Management of Sleep Apnea in Heart Failure.

This issue of Heart Failure Clinics--edited by Dr. Eduardo Bossone--will cover The Right Heart Pulmonary Circulation Unit. Topics include Pathophysiology, Increased Systemic versus Increased Pulmonary Pressures, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Right Heart Pulmonary Circulation Unit in Connective Tissue Disease, Right Heart Pulmonary Circulation Unit in Congenital Heart Diseases, Pulmonary Hypertension and Heart Failure, Right Heart Pulmonary Circulation Unit in Cardiomyopathies and Storage Diseases, Pulmonary Hypertension, Right Heart Pulmonary Circulation Unit at High Altitude, Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension, Combining Invasive and Non-Invasive Evaluation for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension, Imaging the Right Heart Pulmonary Circulation Unit: The Role of Ultrasound, Imaging the Right Heart Pulmonary Circulation Unit: The Role of CT and MRI, Biomarkers in Pulmonary Hypertension, Pulmonary Hypertension Related to Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease, Chronic Right Heart Failure, Exercise Training and Rehabilitation in Pulmonary Hypertension, and Right Heart Circulation Unit and Left Heart Valvular Diseases.

Get a quick, expert overview of the ways in which biomarkers can be used to assess and guide the management of cardiovascular disease in the clinical setting. This concise, clinically-focused resource by Dr. Vijay Nambi consolidates today's available information on this rapidly changing topic into one convenient resource, making it an ideal, easy-to-digest reference for cardiology practitioners, fellows, and residents. Covers lab standards and statistical interpretation of biomarkers with a clinical focus. Discusses relevant conditions such as hypertension and diabetes as key markers of injury and prognosis. Includes current information on biomarkers to assess and guide the management of heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, chest pain, shortness of breath, and more. Concludes the book with a timely chapter on how biomarkers may guide cardiologists in the future.

Magnesium is an essential mineral which is required for growth and survival of humans. Since magnesium is a mineral and not synthesizable it must be obtained through dietary foods and/or supplements. Magnesium in Human Health and Disease reviews the benefits of magnesium supplementation to reach recommended intakes as well as provides new research that suggests how reaching levels above the recommended intakes can promote health and treat various diseases. Magnesium deficiency can cause low serum potassium and calcium levels, retention of sodium, and low circulating levels of regulatory hormones. These changes in nutrients cause neurological and muscular symptoms such as tremor and muscle spasms. Further magnesium deficiency causes loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, personality changes and death from heart failure. Causes of magnesium deficiency include alcohol abuse, poorly controlled diabetes, excessive or chronic vomiting and/or diarrhea. Thus the effects of inadequate and deficient intakes or levels of magnesium is critical to health and are reviewed by the expert clinicians in this book. Magnesium in Human Health and Disease provides the most current research to support the potential benefits or lack thereof for normal and high supplementation with magnesium. Animal model research and early human trials are reviewed to document other disease states such as hypertension, cholesterol level, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease that would benefit from increased magnesium.