This issue is a valuable tool to help electrophysiologists interpret complex ECGs so they can better understand arrhythmia mechanisms.? Organized by cases, this issue illustrates many of the classic electrocardiographic findings and phenomena that every electrophysiologist should know. Study of this issue demonstrates?a systematic way to analyze arrhythmia mechanisms.

Pediatric Chest Pain is reviewed in this issue of Pediatric Clinics, guest edited by Drs. Guy Eslick and Steven Selbst. Authorities in the field have come together to pen articles addressing the Epidemiology and risk factors for pediatric chest pain, Approaches to the pediatric patient with chest pain, Psychological causes of pediatric chest pain, Myocardial Ischemia (including Kawasaki's Disease), Myocarditis and Pericarditis, Arrhythmias, Gastroesophageal Reflux and Foreign Body, Asthma and pneumonia, Pneumothorax/Pneumomediastinum/pulmonary embolism, Musculoskeletal causes of pediatric chest pain, Miscellaneous causes of chest pain, and Future Developments.

This issue reviews the genetic basis of several heart rhythm disturbances, focusing on information that is relevant for the clinician. Among the conditions included are Brugada syndrome (in an article written by Dr. Brugada), atrial fibrillation, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and sick sinus syndrome. The issue concludes with a consideration of the potential for genetic testing for cardiac arrhythmias.

The presence of depression in patients with cardiovascular disease has been strongly associated with detrimental effects in terms of morbidity and mortality.? This issue thoroughly examines the link between depression and heart disease, helping cardiologists to recognize depression in their patients so they can try to avert its serious consequences.? The topics reviewed include screening for depression, the impact of depression on heart failure, beta blockers and depression, and ICDs and depression.

Although it is widely recognized that environmental factors such as smoking, diet, exercise, and socioeconomic status affect the risk of cardiovascular disease, recent work showing the effects of other environmental factors provides a more complete assessment of the situation. This view has emerged from three developments. Firstly, there has been a sudden explosion in the prevalence of diabetes and obesity which indicates a strong environmental component. Secondly, there is an accumulation of evidence suggesting that most cases of these diseases could be prevented by healthy lifestyle choices. Finally, studies have shown that exposure to environmental pollutants has a significant effect on heart disease risk. This book is the first to provide a comprehensive account of the effects of pollutants on heart disease and to integrate this area of research within the overall theme of environmental cardiology. The introductory chapter outlines the effects of different aspects of the environment on heart disease and provides a context for the discussion that follows. Subsequent chapters give an overview of the effects of particulate matter and discuss the epidemiological studies supporting the link. The book then goes on to cover the effects of pollution on different aspects of cardiovascular disease (hypertension, stroke, heart failure, ischemic heart disease and atherogenesis). Because of a close association between diabetes and heart disease, a discussion of the effects of particulate matter on diabetes is also included. Later chapters discuss the effects of individual pollutants such as vehicular emissions, metals and aldehydes. A review on manufactured nanoparticles is incorporated because these particles represent an important new threat to cardiovascular health. The understanding that emerges from this monograph suggests that we must be more alert to the effects of the environment and develop strategies that target, not only the diseased individual, but also the unhealthy, disease-causing environment. It is essential reading for cardiologists, epidemiologists, urban planners and pollution control specialists.

In the words of Dr. Douglas Zipes, "the AV [atrioventricular] node is the 'soul'' of the heart, and whoever understands its anatomy and electrophysiology will unlock the key to understanding the anatomical and electrical workings of the heart itself. This book reviews what we know and do not know about the AV node, and as such, serves as a good road map in our search for that elusive key."

The book is divided into two parts, basic and clinical. The basic chapters discuss the fundamentals of AV nodal anatomy and morphology in the normal and diseased heart, the principles of slow conduction, the functional property of the transmission through the AV node, its cellular electrophysiology, its control by the autonomic nervous system as well as its behavior and participation in arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. The clinical chapters are devoted to a wide array of problems, including the clinical pharmacology of the AV nodal conduction, slow and fast pathway ablation in AV nodal reentrant tachycardia, unusual electrophysiology of the human AV node in relation to AV nodal reentrant tachycardia, AV nodal modification and/or ablation for control of ventricular rate during atrial fibrillation, and the effects of radiofrequency ablation on autonomic regulation of the AV node. Renowned specialists from around the globe share their different, sometimes controversial, opinions on these subjects, thus giving the reader the opportunity to evaluate the current knowledge through the experience of different schools.

This book was written to serve as an important source of information for cardiologists, electrophysiologists, anatomopathologists, biophysicists, and biomedical engineers. Theauthors believe it will be useful "both for those that remember the growth of our knowledge in the past (20th) century, and for those that will finally be able to resolve the remaining mysteries in the next."

100 Challenges in Cardiology comprises one hundred well-illustrated clinical scenarios covering a wide spectrum of cardiology cases hypertension, stable and unstable angina, non-ST elevation and ST-elevation myocardial infarction, coronary intervention, percutaneous aortic and mitral valve treatment, ASD closure, complications of MI, valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, cardiomyopathies, HOCM ablation, haemodynamic assessment in catheterisation laboratory, aortic dissection, infective endocarditis and its complications. Cardiac pacing, arrhythmia diagnosis and management, electrophysiology, CT and MRI scans, and transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography images are also included for interpretation. This book will serve as an ideal study aid for medical students and junior doctors who are preparing for their clinical examinations in medicine as it presents the relevant investigations corresponding to each case in an interesting and easy-to-read Q&A format concerning diagnosis and management. This text will also be particularly useful for clinical fellows and specialist senior house officers and registrars who are training in cardiology and its subspecialties. By solving the problems posed by these challenging cases, the reader will gain additional knowledge as well as extra practice in diagnosis and treatment strategies in this exciting specialty of cardiology. Readership: Medical students and junior doctors who are preparing for clinical examinations; clinical fellows, specialist senior house officers and registrars who are training in cardiology; general physicians; general practitioners; ancillary and technical staff in cardiology.

Cardiac electrophysiologists have many options for treating arrhythmias, including catheter ablation and implantable cardiac defibrillators.? Antiarrhythmic agents, which are pharmaceutical agents used to suppress fast rhythms of the heart (cardiac arrhythmias), represent another treatment option. This issue summarizes? the most current thinking on the role of pharmaceuticals in relation to other types of treatment, helping electrophysiologists to determine the best method for managing their patients.

James C. Fang, MD, and Gregory S. Couper, MD, have assembled a panel of prominent surgeons and cardiologists to review the latest clinical, scientific, and investigational surgical and mechanical approaches to heart failure in hopes of improving the lives of this challenging group of patients. Topics range from such traditional strategies as high-risk surgical revascularization in advanced coronary artery disease, to more novel approaches such as ventricular reconstruction and mechanical assist devices. Many chapters are contributed by the original pioneers of specific surgical techniques, which provide s invaluable perspective from personal experience.

The book represents a paradigm shift from the traditional static model of investigation of oxidative biology to the dynamic model of vascular oxidative stress. The investigation of vascular biology and cardiovascular medicine is made possible by the use of fluid dynamics, molecular signaling, genomic approach, tissue engineering, stem cell biology, and microfluidics. This is the first book to target a wide readership from academia to industry and government agencies in the field of cardiovascular diseases.

Hypertensive heart disease, the number one cause of death associated with hypertension, refers to coronary artery disease, heart failure, and enlargement of the heart that occur because of high blood pressure.? This issue summarizes the current state-of-the-art in diagnosing, treating, and preventing this potentially fatal disease so that cardiologists can offer the best current treatment to their patients.

Growing numbers of children with heart failure are reaching adulthood because of successful medical and surgical treatments and improved outcomes of congenital heart surgery. A greater understanding of the causes of heart failure in childhood may help cardiologists to develop therapeutic strategies for these children when they become adults. Also, given the recent explosion of research in cardiogenetics, it's possible that discoveries in the field of pediatric cardiovascular disease may also benefit adults with heart failure.? For these reasons, heart failure specialists need to be updated about pediatric heart failure.

This issue of the Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America provides the rheumatologist with the latest information on diagnosis and treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis.? Topics covered inlucde epidemiology; history; pathogenesis; autoantibodies in ANCA-associated vasculitis (including drug-induced ANCAs); pauci-immune renal disease; ocular manifestations; diagnostic approach (including mimickers); Wegener's Granulomatosis; Churg-Strauss Syndrome; microscopic polyangiitis; outcome measures; and the future of ANCA-Associated Vasculitis.

People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.? Insulin resistance, which leads to diabetes in 1 in 4 people who have it, affects 60 million Americans and is also a cardiovascular disease risk factor.? It is important for cardiologists to understand the reasons why diabetes and insulin resistance cause increased cardiovascular risk so they can help their patients control these risk factors.

Recent years have seen numerous advances in cardiovascular nuclear medicine technology, leading to more precise diagnoses and treatment and an expanded understanding of the molecular basis for cardiac disease. Nuclear Cardiology and Multimodal Cardiovascular Imaging is a one-stop, comprehensive guide to the diagnostic and clinical implications of this complex and increasingly important technology. Part of the Braunwald family of renowned cardiology references, it provides cutting-edge coverage of multimodal cardiac imaging along with case vignettes and integrated teaching content-ideal for cardiologists, cardiology fellows, radiologists, and nuclear medicine physicians. Features all the latest cardiovascular nuclear medicine studies with practical, evidence-based implications for personalized patient evaluation and treatment. Presents a consistent, patient-centered approach using integrated case vignettes correlated with specific nuclear medicine imaging findings. Discusses patient assessment criteria, risk factor criteria, pathology, evaluation criteria, outcomes, and other clinical implications. Covers a full range of imaging technologies, including SPECT/CT, PET/CT, and CT/MR hybrid radionuclide cardiovascular imaging studies. Addresses emerging clinical applications of nuclear imaging techniques for precision-based medicine, including targeted molecular imaging and cell therapies. Includes sections on instrumentation/principles of imaging; protocols and interpretation; applications in coronary artery disease, special populations, and heart failure; artificial intelligence, and more. Contains guidelines and appropriate use documents to provide appropriate context for clinicians. Features hundreds of high-quality figures including multimodal cardiac imaging studies, anatomic illustrations, and graphs. Provides Key Point summaries, 50 procedural videos, and 100 multiple-choice questions and answers to reinforce understanding and facilitate review. Enhanced eBook version included with purchase, which allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices

Primary angioplasty is a life-saving, minimally invasive emergency procedure increasingly used in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. As the procedure further proves its effectiveness, it is imperative that all cardiologists have a comprehensive understanding of the major issues surrounding primary angioplasty. This easy-to-use, clinically focused text is an essential reference for those hoping to achieve this understanding. A valuable educational tool, this text fully explores the vital concepts of primary angioplasty. Key features include: * Fundamental examination of acute myocardial infarction -- specifically looks at symptoms, diagnosis, and pre-hospital care * Assessment of various Primary PCI techniques -- explores stenting options, balloon angioplasty and multivessel intervention * An exploration of mechanical aspects of primary angioplasty that includes chapters on possible mechanical complications and circulatory support * Specialty chapters on adjunctive pharmacologic therapies, stem cell therapy, the treatment of diabetic patients, and the role of surgery in acute myocardial infarction * An in-depth discussion of heart attack treatment networks -- looks at North American and European models and economic factors

To achieve cardiac regeneration using pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, researchers must understand iPS cell generation methods, cardiomyocyte differentiation protocols, cardiomyocyte characterization methods, and tissue engineering. This book presents the current status and future possibilities in cardiac regeneration using iPS cells. Written by top researchers who present new data in these fields, this book reviews cardiac cell therapy for ischemic heart disease and explores in vitro generation of efficacious platelets from iPS cells. It also discusses modeling arrhythmogenic heart disease with patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells.

From patient selection and monitoring to follow-up care, Carotid Interventions is the first source to offer a practical how-to approach to carotid angioplasty and stenting-providing maneuvers and strategies for difficult situations, as well as step-by-step guidance on specific surgical procedures, equipment selection and instrumentation, protection devices, and room/facility layout.

Cardiology is becoming an increasingly complex field understood by only a select group of medical specialists. This publication demystifies many difficult topics in interventional cardiology and cardiac catheterisation, commencing with the basics of laboratory instrumentation and technology and progressing to a comprehensive review of both new and established cardiac interventions. Unlike other publications that are directed mainly towards clinicians, this text is specifically written to assist newcomers such as such as medical trainees, nurses, technicians, scientific staff and other allied health professionals understand the wonders of interventional cardiology, and includes extensive explanations of the techniques of angiography, and new percutaneous. The comprehensive information presented herein, written by recognised specialists in their respective fields, will no doubt prove of great benefit to clinician and non-medical specialist alike.

Clinical Nuclear Cardiology-now in its fourth edition-covers the tremendous clinical growth in this field, focusing on new instrumentation and techniques. Drs. Barry L. Zaret and George A Beller address the latest developments in technology, radiopharmaceuticals, molecular imaging, and perfusion imaging. Thoroughly revised to include 20 new chapters-Digital/Fast SPECT, Imaging in Revascularized Patients, and more-this new edition provides state-of-the-art guidance on key areas and hot topics with stunning visuals. Online access to the fully searchable text at expertconsult.com includes highly illustrated case studies that let you see the problem using a variety of imaging modalities. In other words, this is an invaluable resource no clinician or researcher in nuclear cardiology should be without. Features an editorial and contributing team of worldwide leaders in nuclear cardiology to provide you with current and authoritative guidance. Includes a section focusing on acute coronary syndromes to provide you with practical management tools for these conditions. Presents a full-color design that allows color images to be integrated throughout the text. Includes access to the fully searchable contents of the book online at expertconsult.com, along with highly illustrated case studies that let you see the problem using a variety of imaging modalities. Features 20 new chapters including Cellular Mechanisms of Tracer Uptake and Clearance; Attenuation/Scatter Corrections: Clinical Aspects; Hybrid Imaging; Digital/Fast SPECT; Imaging in Revascularized Patients; and more. Focuses on perfusion imaging in a section dedicated to this hot topic so you get all the information you need to stay current. Your purchase entitles you to access the web site until the next edition is published, or until the current edition is no longer offered for sale by Elsevier, whichever occurs first. Elsevier reserves the right to offer a suitable replacement product (such as a downloadable or CD-ROM-based electronic version) should access to the web site be discontinued.

This issue of Medical Clinics of North America covers everything the internist needs to know about the diagnosis and treatment of chest pain.? Topics covered include respiratory causes of chest pain; cardiac causes; gastroenterological causes, such as GERD and dysphagia; musculoskeletal causes, such as fibromyalgia and segmental dysfunction; psychological causes, skin and soft tissue causes, and pediatric chest pain.? A detailed master algorithm for diagnosis and management is provided, and future directions are also discussed.

As a leading cause of death in developed countries, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and its various treatment options are of great concern to those in the cardiology field. This text presents evidence-based chapters that supply clinicians with real-life situations and strategies to treat STEMI patients more effectively and at a quicker pace. A highly illustrated and fully referenced source, this comprehensive text provides both a scientific background and a practical overview of the invasive management of STEMI patients.

Epicardial ablation is a relatively new technique that is less invasive than traditional surgical ablation.? It shows promise in certain patient populations.? This issue of Cardiac Electrophysiology Clinics is one of the first collections of articles on this cutting edge technique.

With cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in the United States, the topic of preventive cardiology deserves intense examination. Michael Rich and George Mensah guest edit this issue, which explores important topics, such as the burden of cardiovascular disease, updates on hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, all geared towards the elderly patient. This issue of Clinics in Geriatric Medicine also covers the effects of physical activity on cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular outcomes, impact of strength and resistance training on cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes, cellular mechanisms and the effects of caloric restriction, obesity and the obesity paradox, and the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases in older adults.

Sleep Apnea: Implications in Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease specifically addresses the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular consequences of sleep apnea and is geared toward a broad readership of physicians that will ultimately aid patients suffering from sleep apnea.

The Second Edition ensures that there is a critical synthesis of existing literature and new information, linking sleep apnea to the major disease burdens faced by developed and developing nations. This synthesis includes both new basic and epidemiological data and published clinical trials linking sleep apnea to:

• inflammation
• the metabolic syndrome
• stroke
• hypertension and heart failure