Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States and other industrialized nations. Acute myocardial infarction accounts for a majority of these deaths, approaching 750,000 yearly. Thrombolytic therapy has revolutionized the treatment of myocardial infarction, saving lives to a greater extent than any treatment developed to date. The identification of patients best suited for thrombolytic therapy has been a challenging task, as has the ideal adjuvant strategy. Further, the noninvasic diagnosis of treatment successes and failures, as well as the expeditious triaging of patients requiring mechanical/surgical revascularization have been difficult to define, but progress has been made recently. The emergence of information vital for patient care has appeared at an extraordinary pace, with hundreds of articles being published yearly. Unfortunately, a resource devoted to the area of thrombolysis does not exist, making the dissemination of information to physicians, scientists and health care providers problematic. The Modern Era of Coronary Thrombolysis is designed to bring the medical and scientific communities up to date. It will serve as a foundation for future investigation, as well as a resource which can be referred to for many years to come.

Cardiac surgery is performed on hundreds of thousands of patients a year, and can have an important beneficial impact on the outcomes of patients with coronary and valvular heart diseases. Despite the favorable recovery of most patients, some will have their post-operative period interrupted by the development of atrial fibrillation, with a host of potential complications including stroke. High risk subgroups may develop atrial fibrillation in more than half of cases, and often despite aggressive prophylactic measures. Treatment of atrial fibrillation and its aftermath can also add days to the hospital stay of the cardiac surgical patient. In an era of aggressive cost cutting and optimization of utilization of health care resources, the financial impact of this arrhythmic complication may be enormous. Experimental studies have led to a greater understanding of the mechanism of atrial fibrillation and potential precipitating factors in the cardiac surgical patient. Prophylactic efforts with beta-blockers, antiarrhythmic drugs and atrial pacing are being used, or are being investigated in clinical trials. New methods of achieving prompt cardioversion with minimal disruption of patient care, and prevention of the thromboembolic complications of atrial fibrillation, are also important therapeutic initiatives. This text is designed to aid health care professionals in the treatment of their patients in the recovery period after cardiac surgery, and to instigate additional research efforts to limit the occurrence of, and the complications following, this tenacious postoperative arrhythmia.

Percutaneous cardiac and endovascular procedures performed by a variety of interventional physicians continue to evolve and expand. One of the most important steps in performing these procedures is vascular access and their Achilles heel is vascular access site complications. This volume is here to help the clinician, providing a practical overview of the techniques and technologies used in top catheterization laboratories to access the arterial and venous beds. Dr. Mazen Abu-Fadel and his contributors, part of the renowned cardiovascular team at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, carefully walk the reader through the various techniques used to obtain vascular access into most arterial and venous sites. They thoroughly describe current data, techniques, advantages, risks, and benefits of each vascular access site. Covering everything from anatomic landmarks to closures devices, Arterial and Venous Access in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab offers a complete overview of each procedure. In addition, it provides an up-to-date guide to the best medical technologies and equipment used when performing these procedures. Arterial and Venous Access in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab is an invaluable resource for a wide range of clinical personnel, from attending physicians and trainees to nursing staff and vascular technicians. Written by experienced leaders in the field, it demonstrates how to perform complex, risky procedures while providing patients with expert care.

A panel of expert clinical researchers offer a practical guide to the key animal models used in vascular disease. These experts examine critical issues related to vascular disease and injury in five major areas: acute mechanical injury and vascular repair, arterial thrombosis, chronic atherosclerosis, vascular disease in transplanted vessels, and vascular disease in systemic and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Up-to-date and highly practical, Vascular Disease and Injury: Preclinical Studies provides a comprehensive review that not only illuminates the current status of cardiovascular research, but also offers vascular biologists and cardiologists a detailed how-to guide to the development of the many powerful new therapeutics now emerging.

This book provides an update of recent advances in the basic and clinical applications of cell-based therapies for myocardial repair and regeneration in ischemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure (HF). The first sections of the book illuminate basic aspects of stem cells such as definitions, isolation criteria and characterization of embryonic and adult stem cells, as well as pluripotent stem cells and tissue specific progenitor and stem cells. In the following section, the text examines the role of critical regulators of stem cell differentiation in myocardial regeneration, that include circadian rhythyms, microRNAs, epigenetics, microvescicles, and exosomes. The text concludes with a review of the use of stem/progenitor cells in cardiac regeneration and discuss current controversies, unresolved issues, challenges, and future directions. Stem Cells and Cardiac Regeneration is addressed to a wide audience consisting of cardiologists, clinicians, and research scientists, who will learn new concepts in cardiovascular regeneration and repair with special focus on molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential for cardiovascular regeneration.

The need for publishing acomprehensive review ofa number ofdifferent membrane pathologiesofmuscleand non-musclecells inillnesses ranging from diabetes toheart disease and cancer lies on to the fact that there are several books dealing with the properties ofnormal cell membranes, although there are very few books focussing on the abnormal membrane behavior. Since the membrane is the critical outer barrier of a cell, this membrane could be the first structure to be affected in some diseases. Research is advancing at the cellular level at a very rapid rate. We can now address questions such as: "How and by what is the mechanism underlying membrane ion channel and receptor dysfunction leading to abnormal cell function?" and "What substances cause dysfunction in specific ion channels or receptors?." Such questions bring together the microscopic worldofthecell with the macroscopic manifestation of disease. We believe that a book such as this one would help researchers, physicians, and students to better understand the relationship between cell membrane dysfunction and abnormal function of the cell and tissue. This book is intended for practicing clinicians and academic researchers, as well as resident physicians, medical studentsandgraduatestudents. Hopefully, suchtreatisewillhelp to fill an important gap between basic science and clinical science. We are greatly indebted to all thedistinguishedandhigWy-qualified researchers from university and industrial milieus who contributed to this book. Finally, we would like to thank the publishers for their confidenceand cooperation in making this book available for the medical sciences.

Defining and understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms that are relevant to women's health has become a critical area of scientific pursuit. Until recently, very little effort has been place on defining or understanding critical differences between women and men that may be critical to the overall health of the woman. In 1990, the National Institutes of Health recognized this gap in knowledge resulting in the creation of the Office of Research on Women's Health. One of the purposes of this office was to advance the understanding of health issues from the women's perspective from both a basic and clinical scientific perspective. From a scientific evolution of understanding, the existence of this office is new and thus there has not been enough time for new information to integrate itself in our current scientific thought process. This book will seek to capture and disseminate our current understanding of scientific advancements relevant to women's health and provide the information to a broad audience. The purpose of this work is to discuss recent advancements in basic science across three areas of concern for women's health. In addition, the book will provide "translational" chapters that attempt to place the basic science work in context within our current understanding of the human. Although it is well acknowledge that gender differences exist across organ function which translates into differences in whole body function, until recently little effort has been made to define basic mechanisms within various tissues within the woman. This work will focus on recent scientific findings that are relevant to women's health and to provide novel and relevant information to interested scientists and clinicians.

The book will be written by the experts in the disease including imaging, interventional cardiology and surgical valve expertise. The book has five main sections: Aortic Valve Disease Mitral Valve Disease Tricuspid Valve Disease Pulmonic Valve Disease Multimodality Imaging The main objectives of the book are: 1- to provide the main guidelines to clinicians on how to identify and diagnose valvular heart disease 2- to provide an overview of what the near future will bring in the diagnosis, prevention and risk stratification of patients to catheter versus surgical approaches 3- to outline the possible implications for medical therapies in slowing progression of calcific aortic valve disease and myxomatous mitral valve disease

Since Paul Cranefield published his monograph, The Conduction of the Cardiac Impulse, in 1975, much has been learned about the role of the slow inward current in cardiac electrophysiology. Because of this expanse in know ledge, both basic and clinical, it appeared reasonable to review in a mono graph once again what was known. When Martinus Nijhoff first approached us to undertake the task of updating this information, we were initially reluctant for several reasons. First, we did not feel that the subject could be adequately and thoroughly reviewed, from the cell to the bedside, by a single person. Second, time constraints on all of us precluded even attempting such a task. However, we were encouraged by several of our friends (' egged on' one might even say, since they wished the job done but did not want to do it themselves ) who promised faithfully to contribute chapters on time if we accepted the task. So we did, and most of them did also."

Understanding the many complex cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying human vascular diseases is essential in improving the treatment of this important and wide-ranging group of diseases that affect a large proportion of the world po- lation. This book is based on lectures presented at an International Vascular Biology Workshop held in London and chaired by Professor Dame Carol Black. The c- tents are complemented by some invited chapters, all written by world experts in areas of basic science and clinical medicine highly relevant to vascular biology and disease. We are particularly grateful to Professor Arshed Quyyumi, Professor of Medicine and Cardiology at Emory University, who with his research group and clinical colleagues, has provided a substantial contribution to this book. In common with our previous book - Vascular Complications in Human Disease: Mechanisms and Consequences published by Springer in 2008, our aim with this book is to highlight some of the established relationships between basic science and clinical medicine, and to outline new and exciting fields of research and practice in vascular biology and pathobiology. There are two sections: Basic Science of Vascular Biology and Clinical Aspects of Vascular Biology. In the first section, dealing with basic science, we have included three important growth areas: "Genetics and Gene Therapy" cover approaches to gene therapy and delivery systems, "Animal Models to Study Vascular Disease" with chapters on animal models of scleroderma, animal models of atherosclerosis, and finally on the endothelin system.

Hemodynamics makes it possible to characterize in a quantitative way, the function of the heart and arterial system, thereby producing information about what genetic and molecular processes are of importance for cardiovascular function.

Snapshots of Hemodynamics: An Aid for Clinical Research and Graduate Education by Nico Westerhof, Nikos Stergiopulos and Mark I. M. Noble is a quick reference guide designed to help basic and clinical researchers as well as graduate students to understand hemodynamics. The layout of the book provides short and independent chapters that provide teaching diagrams as well as clear descriptions of the essentials of basic and applied principles of hemodynamics. References are provided at the end of each chapter for further reading and reference.

Nico Westerhof, PhD is affiliated with the Laboratory for Physiology at VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Nikos Stergiopulos, PhD is affiliated with the Laboratory of Hemodynamics and Cardiovascular Technology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Mark IM Noble, DSc, MD, PhD is affiliated with Cardiovascular Medicine at Aberdeen University, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Current, comprehensive, and evidence-based, Braunwald's Heart Disease remains the most trusted reference in the field and the leading source of reliable cardiology information for practitioners and trainees worldwide. The fully updated 12th Edition continues the tradition of excellence with dependable, state-of-the-art coverage of new drugs, new guidelines, more powerful imaging modalities, and recent developments in precision medicine that continue to change and advance the practice of cardiovascular medicine. Written and edited by global experts in the field, this award-winning text is an unparalleled multimedia reference for every aspect of this complex and fast-changing area. Offers balanced, dependable content on rapidly changing clinical science, clinical and translational research, and evidence-based medicine. Includes 76 new contributing authors and 14 new chapters that cover Artificial intelligence in Cardiovascular Medicine; Wearables; Influenza, Pandemics, COVID-19, and Cardiovascular Disease; Tobacco and Nicotine Products in Cardiovascular Disease; Cardiac Amyloidosis; Impact of the Environment on Cardiovascular Health, and more. Features a new introductory chapter Cardiovascular Disease: Past, Present, and Future by Eugene Braunwald, MD, offering his unique, visionary approach to the field of cardiology. Dr. Braunwald also curates the extensive, bimonthly online updates that include "Hot Off the Press" (with links to Practice Update) and "Late-Breaking Clinical Trials". Provides cutting-edge coverage of key topics such as proteomics and metabolomics, TAVR, diabetocardiology, and cardio-oncology. Contains 1,850 high-quality illustrations, radiographic images, algorithms, and charts, and provides access to 215 videos called out with icons in the print version. Highlights the latest AHA, ACC, and ESC guidelines to clearly summarize diagnostic criteria and clinical implications. Provides tightly edited, focused content for quick, dependable reference. Flexible format options include either one or two volumes in print, as well as a searchable eBook with ongoing updates. Enhanced eBook version included with purchase. Your enhanced eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices.

This volume constitutes the proceedings of a satellite symposium of the XXXth congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences. The symposium has been held In Banff, Alberta Canada July 9-11 1986. The program was organized to provide a selective overview of current developments in cardiac biophysics, biochemistry, and physiology. In order to highlight areas of develop ing ideas and to stimulate the participants' inquisitiveness into the nature and complexity of the integrated cardiovascular system, lectures and discussions were presented that emphasized evolving and sometimes provocative concepts in the field. With the same goal in mind we have, for the readers of this volume, briefly summarized the general discussions. We would like to thank several individuals whose dedication made this sym posium and publication of the proceedings possible. Mrs. Lois Kokoski and Mrs. Madeleine Aldridge of the Conference Office of the University of Calgary seemingly effortlessly handled the details of the symposium. Peter de Tombe, Dr. Peter Backx and Dr. Jeroen Bucx transcribed the general discussions. Finally, we appreciate the extra effort of our secretaries, Lenore Doell and Gregory Douglas, and the work of Anna Tyberg who prepared the final manuscripts for publication. Henk E.D.J. ter Keurs, M.D. Ph.D. John V. Tyberg, M.D. Ph.D."

Taurine 9 contains original articles and critical reviews based on the oral and poster presentations of XIX International Taurine Meeting held in Krakow, Poland in May 2014. The purpose of the book is to present current ideas, new avenues and research regarding biological functions and clinical applications of taurine and taurine derivatives. It focuses on all aspects of taurine research including the cardiovascular system, the immune system, diabetes, the central nervous system, endocrine system and the role of taurine supplements in nutrition. It also includes presentations of novel animal experimental models using Cdo1 and CSAD knock-out mice.

Research at the molecular and the cellular level has greatly enhanced our understanding of the pathogenesis and management of heart disease. Valuable contributions, towards this end, have been made by scientists from different dis ciplines including biochemistry, physiology, pathology, molecular biology and biophysics. We felt that it would be of interest and value to bring together ex perts from diverse specialities to present their work and to discuss the common problems encountered in their endeavours. In accordance, a symposium was organised in February 1988 at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh. It was held during the annual meeting of the Indian section of the International Society for Heart Research. This book is a compila tion of some of the papers presented at the symposium. The symposium was sponsored by the Council on Cardiac Metabolism of the International Society and Federation of Cardiology. A number of Indian or ganisations gave generous financial help. These included the National Academy of Medical Sciences, Indian Council of Medical Research, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Department of Science and Technology. Desktop publishing was used to prepare this volume. In doing so we came to appreciate the remarkable qualities, skills and help rendered by Professor Dharam Vir. For typing the manuscripts and for other secretarial assistance we gratefully acknowledge the help of Ravinder and Sawtantar. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY OF HEART DISEASE 1 THE NEWBORN PIG HEART, A SUPERIOR ANIMAL MODEL OF CARDIAC HYPERTROPHY Howard E."

In May 1990, the First International Symposium on Congenital Heart Disease in Adolescents and Adults was organized in Rotterdam. During these three days' Symposium an overview of the many new problems facing the adult and pediatric cardiologist as well as the cardiac surgeon in this rapidly increasing subgroup of the adolescent and adult cardiac population was given. Chal lenges, controversies, uncertainties and questions were presented and discussed with great enthusiasm. We are greatful that most speakers who participated in this symposium, were willing to write a chapter on their presented topics to be edited in book-form. The final result is here. We hope, it will be of value for both to the adult and pediatric cardiologist and other colleagues, who have to undertake the care of this group of patients, whose management poses such unique problems. J.H. G.S. ix 1. The problem - an overVIew JANE SOMERVILLE The subject of grown-up congenital heart disease is currently and correctly attracting attention in the world. Surgical treatment for congenital heart disease (C.H.D) has evolved through the last 40 years, starting with the attempts by Blalock and Brock to palliate, to the current refined technical virtuoso repairs of the most complex in infancy.

Enthusiasm from the past notable successes with RF ablation and the demand for better therapy for the complex but common arrhythmias has carried forward the progress of catheter ablation technology. In the past few years, there has been significant progress in the development of better mapping and ablative techniques. Such progress has resulted in a steady improvement in the success of ablation of more complex atrial and ventricular tachyarrhythmias as well as our knowledge of their anatomy and pathophysiology. However, enthusiasm for finding the ideal tools for the cure of complex arrhythmias has also resulted in a proliferation of changes in catheter designs, mapping apparatus, and heat energy sources. The clinician nowadays is faced with a wide and often confusing choice of new instruments and methods of ablation. There are few, if any, comparative studies involving the various new tools, nor is there any compilation of data on any specific new discovery. It is timely to provide ourselves with a review of available data on the progress of new technology in order to enhance our knowledge and to concentrate our efforts into the development of an ultimate practical and yet effective methodology.

The purpose of this publication is to provide a forum in which the authors can present their experience, even if only in its preliminary stages, in the respective field or technology. Various technological advancements in mapping and ablation as well as the improved understanding of the pathophysiology of the various arrhythmias are presented. The authors are selected for their interest and expertise on the subject. Each topic is presented in a concise form and with relevance to thedevelopment of new technology. The authors are encouraged to provide their opinion on the issues to stimulate further discussion and investigation. We hope that this publication will also stimulate further growth in this exciting field of cardiac electrophysiology.

The second edition of this textbook builds on the success of the original version by incorporating the latest developments in the clinical evidence base for cardiac rehabilitation whilst also aligning with the wider agenda in terms of commissioning and other national guidance. This edition also recognises the importance of an integrated approach to the prevention and rehabilitation of cardiovascular disease forming the foundation of every cardiac rehabilitation programme. Seven specified standards together with seven core components are presented which aim to ensure programmes are clinically effective and achieve sustainable health outcomes. Edited and written by a multidisciplinary team of experts on behalf of the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, this book provides contemporary evidence-based guidelines for standards of good practice. Special features: * An evidence-based, practical how to of the subject * Edited and written by the writing group for the BACPR 2012 Standards * With contributions from nationally and internationally recognised experts in this field

The book presents the overview of the current knowledge in some fields of vascular biology, addressing cellular and molecular aspects of blood-vessel formation and their role in health and disease. The major factors involved in the formation of blood vessels are presented by scientists actively involved in this area of research. Special emphasis is put on the presentation of various molecular mechanisms not addressed in similar works to date. The book is divided into three parts. The first part describes the cells and mediators in angiogenesis. The significance of various populations of potential endothelial progenitors is particularly highlighted. The chapters of the second part focus on molecular mechanisms, with special emphasis on the role of hypoxia, gasotransmitters and reactive oxygen species as well as microRNAs in regulation of angiogenic processes. In the third part, the pathological aspects of disturbed aggravated or impaired vascularization are discussed and new modalities for potential therapies are presented. The book is intended for scientists and PhD students in the fields of vascular biology and cancer research. It may be of interest for medical professionals in the fields of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, oncology and rheumatoid arthritis.

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The field of catheter ablation has grown In a rather helter-skelter fashion. Ablative techniques were applied in patients before basic bioelectric and cellular electrophysiologic effects were fully defined. Since the introduction of this technique into clinical medicine in 1982, happily, a wealth of basic information has become available, and it was thought prudent to summarize existing data in the form of a text. The purpose of this text is to provide for a concise summary of both the basic and clinical experiences to date. It was simply not possible to include chapters from many workers who have made outstanding contributions in this area. For this, I offer my profound apolo gies. I do wish, however, to acknowledge the outstanding work of Drs. Bharati and Lev who provided us with a sound understanding of the histolo gic effects of various energy delivery systems. Their seminal observations allowed us to bring this technique to clinical fruition."

Thomas Cowan was a 20-year-old Duke grad―bright, skeptical, and already disillusioned with industrial capitalism―when he joined the Peace Corps in the mid-1970s for a two-year tour in Swaziland. There, he encountered the work of Rudolf Steiner and Weston A. Price―two men whose ideas would fascinate and challenge him for decades to come.

Both drawn to the art of healing and repelled by the way medicine was―and continues to be―practiced in the United States, Cowan returned from Swaziland, went to medical school, and established a practice in New Hampshire and, later, San Francisco. For years, as he raised his three children, suffered the setback of divorce, and struggled with a heart condition, he remained intrigued by the work of Price and Steiner and, in particular, with Steiner’s provocative claim that the heart is not a pump. Determined to practice medicine in a way that promoted healing rather than compounded ailments, Cowan dedicated himself to understanding whether Steiner’s claim could possibly be true. And if Steiner was correct, what, then, is the heart? What is its true role in the human body?

In this deeply personal, rigorous, and riveting account, Dr. Cowan offers up a daring claim: Not only was Steiner correct that the heart is not a pump, but our understanding of heart disease―with its origins in the blood vessels―is completely wrong. And this gross misunderstanding, with its attendant medications and risky surgeries, is the reason heart disease remains the most common cause of death worldwide.

In Human Heart, Cosmic Heart, Dr. Thomas Cowan presents a new way of understanding the body’s most central organ. He offers a new look at what it means to be human and how we can best care for ourselves―and one another.

The fundamental premise of lifestyle medicine is that daily habits profoundly impact health and quality of life both in the short-term and long-term. Written by lifestyle medicine pioneer and cardiologist , Dr. James Rippe, this book provides a clinically oriented, evidence-based look into key lifestyle factors and how to prescribe them to individuals of all ages. Written for professionals working at all levels of medical and healthcare practice, this manual summarizes the major components of lifestyle medicine, from physical activity and nutrition to weight management and the avoidance of tobacco products. It includes clinical guidelines and practices for using lifestyle medicine principles to lower the risk of numerous chronic conditions. The manual also provides information on behavior change, approaches to lowering the risk of dementia, treatment of addictions and injury prevention. Features: Explains how lifestyle medicine can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, dementia and many other chronic conditions. Chapters begin with bulleted key points and conclude with a list of clinical applications. Provides strategies for prescribing physical activity and helping patients improve their nutrition, lose weight if necessary and reduce stress. Includes clinically relevant sections on "Treating Addiction, Preventing Injury and Improving Brain Health". This book provides updated and clinically targeted summaries used in conjunction with Dr. Rippe's major academic textbook Lifestyle Medicine, now in its third edition, published by CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.