Written by an eminent cardiovascular physiologist with a strong track record in dealing with issues related to exercise and environmental physiology, this text covers cardiovascular function from the exercise and human physiologist's viewpoint. It provides a solid foundation of knowledge of how the cardiovascular system responds and adapts to the challenges of exercise and environmental change, and analyses the practicalities of measuring cardiovascular parameters in normal human subjects. Case studies in exercise physiology throughout text. Open-ended questions at end of each chapter encourage students to explore common situations facing exercise and human physiologists. Bibliography at end of each chapter directs students to further reading resources. Summaries at start of each chapter and multiple choice questions with explanatory answers at end of book aid revision and help students test their knowledge.

This comprehensive reference textbook examines in detail physiological and pathophysiological aspects of the cardiovascular system and cardiovascular disease in the sporting population. In the first part of the book, the non-invasive and invasive diagnostic techniques employed in cardiology are systematically reviewed, with explanation of their indications and clinical utility. The second, more extensive part is devoted to clinical cardiology and covers the great majority of cardiological problems encountered among athletes and other sportsmen and -women. Syncope, cardiac arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death are extensively addressed, and guidance is provided on sports practice for individuals with different forms of heart disease. Cardiologic rehabilitation is discussed, and attention is also paid to the legal implications of diagnosed or unsuspected cardiovascular diseases for sportspeople. Sports Cardiology will be an invaluable resource for trainee and experienced health care professionals, including in particular cardiologists and sports medicine physicians. It will provide the knowledge required in order to make critical decisions regarding eligibility, thereby preventing tragic events and especially sudden death -- the most devastating occurrence in sport.

Experimental and clinical evidence supports the view that the activation of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system is involved in cardiovascular pathology including hypertension, heart failure, myocardial ischemia, and atherosclerosis. The present volume describes the intricacies involved in these processes, including the in?uence of prorenin/renin, angiotensin II, angiotensin (1-7), and aldosterone on cardiac and vascular functions as well as their involvement in the generation of cardiovascular diseases. Fundamental aspects like intracellular signaling, regulation of cell volume in the failing heart, and the presence of an intracrine renin angiotensin system are discussed. Moreover, the role of the mineralocorticoid receptor as an important c- ponent of the intracrine renin angiotensin system and as a regulator of extracellular action of angiotensin II is described, reinforcing the view that aldosterone inhibitors are helpful in the treatment of heart failure and hypertension. Let us hope the imp- tant topics included here motivate basic and clinical investigators and contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches for cardiovascular diseases. We want to thank the distinguished authors and Humana Press for the opportunity to publish this important book. Walmor C. DeMello Edward Frohlich v Contents 1 Systemic Versus Local Renin Angiotensin Systems. An Overview ...1 Walmor C. DeMello and Richard N. Re 2 Clinical Import of the Local Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone Systems ...7 Edward D. Frohlich 3 Renin, Prorenin, and the (Pro)Renin Receptor ...15 Genevieve Nguyen and Aurelie Contrepas 4 Local Renin Angiotensin Systems in the Cardiovascular System ...25 Richard N.

Angiogenesis is a multi-stage process that drives the generation of new blood and lymphatic vessels from pre-existing ones. It is highly active during embryogenesis, largely inactive during adulthood but reactivated during wound healing and under a number of pathological conditions including cancer and ocular diseases. In addition to endothelial cells, which line the walls of the vessels, several other cell types (pericytes, macrophages, progenitor cells ) also contribute to angiogenesis. A number of signaling pathways are activated and very finely tune the delicate morphogenetic events that ultimately lead to the formation of stable blood proof neovessels.

This book reviews recent advances in our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of angiogenesis, with a focus on how to integrate these observations into the context of developmental, post-natal and pathological neovascularization.

The book was published under the auspices of the French Angiogenesis Society. Most contributors are prominent members of this Society or international researchers who have actively contributed to the Annual Meetings of the Society."

The present book reveals the importance of preventive medicine in cardiology and public health, addressing the lack of a broad discussion of this topic in the current literature. It examines the most important risk factors for different cardiovascular diseases, discussing them in detail from a clinical standpoint and presenting important information from a preventive medicine perspective. Further, specific chapters discuss the burden of cardiologic risk factors in special contexts, such as in women, child and adolescents, and in low-income populations. Lastly, a number of conditions that are often overlooked in terms of their cardiological impact are discussed, such as Chagas disease, rheumatic cardiomyopathy and post-traumatic stress disorder. Cardiovascular diseases are still the major cause of death in the world, even though they are considered preventable clinical conditions. The increased prevalence of some risk factors for cardiovascular diseases is an important concern for cardiologists around the world. On the other hand, primary prevention programs have proven their efficacy concerning some known and treatable risk factors, such as with hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes and smoking, but still need to be made more of a priority in public health. Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases is a book intended for multi-disciplinary audience and aimed for all professionals who are willing to face the challenge of cardiovascular prevention

This book will provide both an evidence base and practical recommendations for the treatment of patients with congenital heart disease. It will be a resource to all health care providers, including pediatric cardiologists, pediatric intensivists, pediatric heart surgeons, fetal specialists, maternal fetal medicine specialists, neonatologists, nurses, advanced practice nurses, in addition to trainees in the field. It will summarize world knowledge on the topic of heart failure in patients with congenital heart disease. It will provide an in depth analysis of the current methods of diagnosis and treatment of heart failure. Now that surgical results are at record success rates, more patients with congenital heart disease are surviving, and thus at risk for sequelae from their disease, including heart failure. It will provide evidence based and practical recommendations to the practitioner for the management of heart failure signs and symptoms.

The second edition of this work continues to address the intimate pathophysiologic relationship between hypertension and stroke. The editors and authors clearly and concisely synthesize our developing knowledge of this relationship and place epidemiologic and physiologic information into a practical clinical context. Comprehensive chapters present the evidence supporting strategies for stroke prevention and care, including blood pressure lowering therapies, anti-coagulation, and management of other cerebrovascular risk factors. In addition to prescriptive measures for first stroke prevention, the book illuminates current regimens for care immediately after acute stroke and for the prevention of recurrent stroke. This latest edition also features extensively updated chapters from the previous edition, as well as new chapters on the effects of hypertension and stroke on the cerebral vasculature, blood pressure management in subarachnoid hemorrhage, and blood pressure variability, antihypertensive therapy, and stroke risk. Written by experts in the field, Hypertension and Stroke: Pathophysiology and Management, Second Edition is of great utility for specialists in neurology and cardiovascular medicine and a valuable practical resource for all physicians caring for older adults and hypertensive patients.

One of the only books discussing new advances in venous ulcer therapy, "Venous Ulcers" provides a comprehensive look at the molecular biology and pathophysiology of venous ulcers. It discusses the many new treatments currently being used that offer non-invasive treatment options to patients with venous ulcerations.
* Leg ulcers are defined as a discontinuity of the epithelial surface; a local defect or excavation of the surface of the skin.
* Venous ulceration tends to take a number of months to heal followed by frequent relapse to further episodes.
* This work discusses the newest tools of patient investigation that have emerged in recent years that help to shorten patient recovery times and provide less invasive treatments

This book focuses on how ventricular assist devices (VADs) can help provide destination therapy for patients with terminal heart failure, one of the most serious diseases in the world today because of the tremendous number of patients, the high mortality rate, and the cost of care. One means of providing cardiological support for patients suffering from heart failure is with VADs, and more than 10,000 patients worldwide have now been implanted with these devices. Half of them already have lived more than one year, and 2,000 patients more than two years, after surgery. This improved survival means that we have reached a point where VADs can be used for destination therapy, not just for bridge-to-recovery or bridge-to-transplant. In view of the increasing number of patients with advanced-stage heart failure and the availability and longevity of transplanted hearts, VADs can solve many problems. In addition to providing information about the devices themselves, this book includes vital guidelines on long-term management and support of VAD-implanted patients' everyday lives.

This book analyzes the internal and external causes of acquired and familiar venous thrombosis and proposes the origins and onset of venous thrombus diseases and their triggering factors. It discusses venous and arterial thrombus in two parts, each starting from the genomics and the findings of immunocytological research conducted in a variety of clinical groups and on different experimental models and revealing the mechanisms behind the development of thrombotic diseases and the pathogenesis processes. Further, the book describes the clinical manifestation and the nature of the diseases. The book offers valuable insights important in the prevention and treatment of thrombotic disease.

Pathological heart rhythms are a major health issue. In this book experts from various fields provide an important context for understanding the complicated molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie normal and pathophysiological cardiac rhythms.

Individual chapters cover a full range of topics, including the ionic basis of pacemaking, the role of specific channels and transporters in sinoatrial node pacemaking, altered intracellular Ca2+ handling in response to disease, computer modeling of the action potentials of pacemaker and working cardiomyocytes, genetic and molecular basis of inherited arrhythmias and a review of established and novel antiarrhythmic agents. Due to the key importance of the specialized pacemaker cells and tissue (sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes) in maintaining heart rate and rhythm, special emphasis is placed on the peculiar electrophysiology of these cells.

Cardiovascular heart disease mortality in African Americans is the highest of all major racial/ethnic subpopulations in the United States. Examining race and ethnicity, Cardiovascular Disease in Racial and Ethnic Minorities will reveal that there are unacceptable healthcare disparities in risk factor prevalence, disease states, and cardiovascular outcomes in the United States. Written by a team of experts, Cardiovascular Disease in Racial and Ethnic Minorities examines to what degree biomedical and scientific literature can clarify the impact of genetic variation versus environment as related to cardiovascular disease. Chapters illustrate the magnitude of cardiovascular and metabolic disparities and the effect of environment on diseases.

A modern definition of health goes beyond the biological dimension to encompass human functionality and well-being. Quality of life is one of the most popular health-related concepts and simultaneously reflects several dimensions of individual health. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is taken to include physical, psychological, and social aspects of positive well-being as well as negative effects of illness, treatment, and infirmity. Quality of life outcomes are now considered an important indicator of the success of both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In this book, recognized experts discuss the findings of various studies, including their own, regarding HRQoL in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The impact of the newest forms of medical treatment on well-being is considered in patients with arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and stroke as well as in patients who have undergone interventional procedures or have implantable cardiac devices. By summarizing established facts and presenting new data, this book will be an invaluable source of information for all practitioners in the field.

This is the first textbook entirely dedicated to the endovascular treatment of complications related to arteriovenous accesses for hemodialysis (native fistulas and prosthetic grafts). The book addresses the anatomy of upper limb arteries and veins as well as the clinical presentation of patients and the way to perform and read a fistulogram. Many details and illustrations are provided, clarifying the subtleties in catheterization and the dilation of stenoses. From a strategic point of view, it is explained for the first time that many stenoses must either be ignored or deliberately underdilated. A wealth of images helps to understand the different stages of access recovery from thrombosis. As the number of incident dialysis patients is increasing by 5% every year, this is a field of growing interest. In testament to this there are several annual or bi-annual meetings held by numerous national and international societies (vascularaccesssociety.com, sfav.org, vasamd.org, dialysiscontroversies.org, asdin.org).

The volumes in this authoritative series present a multidisciplinary approach to modeling and simulation of flows in the cardiovascular and ventilatory systems, especially multiscale modeling and coupled simulations. Volume 5 is devoted to cells, tissues, and organs of the cardiovascular and ventilatory systems with an emphasis on mechanotransduction-based regulation of flow. The blood vessel wall is a living tissue that quickly reacts to loads applied on it by the flowing blood. In any segment of a blood vessel, the endothelial and smooth muscle cells can sense unusual time variations in small-magnitude wall shear stress and large-amplitude wall stretch generated by abnormal hemodynamic stresses. These cells respond with a short-time scale (from seconds to hours) to adapt the vessel caliber. Since such adaptive cell activities can be described using mathematical models, a key objective of this volume is to identify the mesoscopic agents and nanoscopic mediators required to derive adequate mathematical models. The resulting biomathematical models and corresponding simulation software can be incorporated into platforms developed in virtual physiology for improved understanding and training.

This book shows how the various paradigms of computational intelligence, employed either singly or in combination, can produce an effective structure for obtaining often vital information from ECG signals. The text is self-contained, addressing concepts, methodology, algorithms, and case studies and applications, providing the reader with the necessary background augmented with step-by-step explanation of the more advanced concepts. It is structured in three parts: Part I covers the fundamental ideas of computational intelligence together with the relevant principles of data acquisition, morphology and use in diagnosis; Part II deals with techniques and models of computational intelligence that are suitable for signal processing; and, Part III details ECG system-diagnostic interpretation and knowledge acquisition architectures. Illustrative material includes: brief numerical experiments; and, detailed schemes, exercises and more advanced problems.

Cardiology to Impress is the ultimate guidebook for medical students preparing for the clinical experience. It is written in collaboration with top teaching consultants and newly qualified doctors who are familiar with the pitfalls of clinical attachments, and understand the fears and apprehensions when students are thrown into difficult exams and the hospital setting. This pocket-size handbook specifically outlines what medical students are to expect, and what is expected of them in clinics, theatres and in exam settings. It teaches how to be competent in front of senior doctors and provides useful tips on how to answer questions on ward rounds. This book does not mindlessly regurgitate facts, rather it tailors the facts to the clinical setting, thus bridging the gap between textbook knowledge and clinical practice in a way that enables the student to understand, and appreciate the clinical relevance of medical knowledge.

In this issue of Rheumatic Disease Clinics, guest editors Drs. M. Elaine Husni and George A. Karpouzas bring their considerable expertise to the topic of Cardiovascular Complications of Chronic Rheumatic Diseases. Top experts in the field cover key topics such as primary and secondary atherosclerotic cardiovascular (ASCVD) risk prevention in the rheumatic disease, pro-thrombotic and pro-atherogenic anti-phospholipid antibodies, recommendations for the use of NSAIDs and CVD risk, and more. Contains 9 relevant, practice-oriented topics including atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk stratification in the rheumatic diseases; subclinical atherosclerosis evaluation across various vascular territories; lessons from heart and large vessel biopsies in patients with and without autoimmune rheumatic disease; the role of lipoprotein levels and function in atherosclerosis associated with autoimmune rheumatic diseases; and more. Provides in-depth clinical reviews on cardiovascular complications of chronic rheumatic diseases, offering actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews.

In excess of 7 million people worldwide die of coronary heart disease each year. Only one-third of these heart attack victims recover completely. The remainder suffer the consequences of myocardial infarction and its ill fated remodeling process, resulting in chronic congestive heart failure. This malady alone is the leading cause of hospital admissions in the United States.

New breakthroughs in stem cell therapy and tissue engineering have promised to reverse this dismal outcome by cardiovascular repair. World authorities, including scientists and regulatory authorities, have joined in a collaborative effort to present for the reader the first collective review of stem cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. These contributions in basic science, pre-clinical and clinical experience guided by the regulatory pathways, assure a rapid course of translational research and clinical trials.

The contents of this publication will become a prerequisite for those preparing to meet the challenges of this exciting and potentially rewarding field of stem cell research.

For many years, there has been a great deal of work done on chronic congestive heart failure while acute heart failure has been considered a difficult to handle and hopeless syndrome. However, in recent years acute heart failure has become a growing area of study and this is the first book to cover extensively the diagnosis and management of this complex condition. The book reflects the considerable amounts of new data reported and many new concepts which have been proposed in the last 3-4 years looking at the epidemiology, diagnostic and treatment of acute heart failure.

This brilliant and highly practical book provides a case-based introduction and primer to the practice of ICD therapy. It contains a huge number of images and includes real-world patient histories. The reader is able to gain extensive practical knowledge of the practice of ICD therapy with the use of these case reports. These concentrate on the skills necessary to increase specialist knowledge of defibrillator therapy practice.