Artificial hearts are seductive devices. Their promissory nature as a cure for heart failure aligned neatly with the twentieth-century American medical community's view of the body as an entity of replacement parts. In Artificial Hearts, Shelley McKellar traces the controversial history of this imperfect technology beginning in the 1950s and leading up to the present day. McKellar profiles generations of researchers and devices as she traces the heart's development and clinical use. She situates the events of Dr. Michael DeBakey and Dr. Denton Cooley's professional fall-out after the first artificial heart implant case in 1969, as well as the 1982-83 Jarvik-7 heart implant case of Barney Clark, within a larger historical trajectory. She explores how some individuals-like former US Vice President Dick Cheney-affected the public profile of this technology by choosing to be implanted with artificial hearts. Finally, she explains the varied physical experiences, both negative and positive, of numerous artificial heart recipients. McKellar argues that desirability-rather than the feasibility or practicality of artificial hearts-drove the invention of the device. Technical challenges and unsettling clinical experiences produced an ambivalence toward its continued development by many researchers, clinicians, politicians, bioethicists, and the public. But the potential and promise of the artificial heart offset this ambivalence, influencing how success was characterized and by whom. Packed with larger-than-life characters-from dedicated and ardent scientists to feuding Texas surgeons and brave patients-this book is a fascinating case study that speaks to questions of expectations, limitations, and uncertainty in a high-technology medical world.

Responsibility for the diagnosis and management of disorders of the pulmonary circulation has become the shared domain of the pulmonologist, cardiologist, surgeon, radiologist, pathologist, and, perhaps most important of all, the internist. It is the general internist who is most likely to care for the majority of patients with lung diseases that secondarily give rise to pulmonary heart disease, and it is the internist who will first evaluate the patient with primary pulmonary hyperten sion or recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism who presents with nonspecific complaints and may manifest subtle and nondiagnostic findings on preliminary evaluation. The burgeoning medical literature concerning aspects of the pulmonary circula tion, both clinical and investigative, is a reflection of the reawakening of great interest in this field and has led to many new developments, both in our understand ing of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology and in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary vascular diseases. This book is an attempt to provide the clinician with a comprehensive overview of pulmonary heart disease from the perspective of experts representing a variety of disciplines. It is intended to be thorough yet clinically relevant. Individuals familiar with some facets of pulmonary heart disease may gain insight into other aspects of this condition, whereas those unfamiliar with this disorder may find this work useful as a general reference or as a resource to address a specific question."

This compact guide is concerned with the practical aspects of managing hypertension and associated risk factors in the individual patient.

The panel of authoritative contributors have drawn from their extensive experience, both in research and practice, to present a set of clear and up-to-date practical options from which the practitioner can decide his approach to the problem of management of the hypertensive patient.

Hypertensiology is both a science and an applied art. Whilst the scientific component is expanding rapidly, both in scope and depth, the art of applying the acquired knowledge in practice seems to be lagging behind. A contributing factor to this is the maze of newly established facts and the difficulty of reconciling these with conventional ideas.

This guide has been written to aid quick orientation and impromptu decision making in the practical situation.

Molecular Cardiology for the Cardiologist, Second Edition provides a short, easily readable summary of what the new biology brings to cardiology. Special efforts have been made to include comprehensive diagrams and drawings, as well as teaching tables, and also to keep the size of the second edition within the modest limits of the first edition. The book remains divided into 5 parts. The first part is a general introduction to the new terminology. The second part is devoted to the normal structure of the heart and vessels. Parts 3 and 4 deal with physiopathology. One of the important contributions of molecular biology to cardiology is a better understanding of the general process of adaptation of the heart and vessels to a permanent mechanical overloading. Such a process is generally called remodeling, and results from coordinate changes in the expression of the genes. The last part of the book includes information on gene and cellular therapy.

Teleologically, the hemostatic mechanism is among The of Coronary Thrombosis and the most fundamental yet complex physiologic pro- in essence, represents a heartfelt gift of cesses in humans. Early scientists and physicians were knowledge from a dedicated group of scientists and fascinated by the blood's ability to remain in a liquid clinicians, who collectively have set out on a mission state only to clot in response to vascular injury. The to minimize the societal impact of"hemostasis in the cellular and noncellular components of normal wrong place. " The book is divided into four distinct hemostasis took centuries to discover, and the intrica- sections: Part 1, Scientific Principles, lays down the cies of their delicate interactions are still being unrav- supporting foundation; Part 2, Clinical Application eled today. As is so often the case, an in-depth of Scientific Principles, places the knowledge base in appreciation of physiologic hemostasis, representing a a working perspective, directly applying science to basic life-sustaining sequence of events, paved the patient care; Part 3, New Dimensions, provides a way for understanding abnormal hemostasis or glimpse of tomorrow. Steering the field clear of se- pathologic thrombosis. Aristotle, Malpighi, and proclaimed victory and the dangers of complacency as Osier, representing but a few of the founding fathers we move into the 21st century, Part 4, Evolution of in the field, would undoubtedly be honored to see Thrombocardiology, focuses on laboratory standards, their observations form the template for lifesaving clinical trials, and drugs in development.

Embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells are the two major types of stem cells that have been used for experimental and clinical studies. Embryonic stem cells are totipotent cells that have the capability to differentiate into any type of cell in the body. In Cellular Cardiomyoplasty: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field detail many of the methods which are now commonly used to study cellular cardiomyoplasty. Methods and techniques described in this volume use only adult stem cells or adult progenitor cells.Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and Practical, Cellular Cardiomyoplasty: Methods and Protocols will benefit the cardiologist, cardiothoracic surgeons, biologist (cell, molecular, or structural), biochemist, and physiologist who are interested in understanding and treating damaged myocardium and failing heart.

Despite approximately 50 years of progress in the management of com plex congenital heart disease, hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) has been one of the last cardiac malformations to yield to effective surgical treat ment. The surgical therapies for hypoplastic left heart syndrome have evolved by two quite disparate routes. One approach has been the staged reconstruc tion operations utilizing an initial operation pioneered by many but developed by Dr. William Norwood and subsequently modified by many other investigators. The first stage reconstruction operation has been refined and standardized such that the majority of infants now proceed to second and third stage reconstruc tive operations culminating in a Pontan Kreutzer single ventricle physiology. An alternative surgical approach has been the development of neonatal and infant heart transplantation for HLHS. This approach also has had a signifi cant impact on the treatment of HLHS and other cardiac malformations and has been associated with good intermediate term results. Both of the thera peutic approaches devised for treatment of hypoplastic left heart syndrome have been effective and the outcomes are continuing to improve with each."

It is an exciting task to be the editor of the first monograph covering a new area of the biomedical sciences. Since the first report in 1980 by Robert Furchgott and colleagues (see Chapter 1) of the evidence of endothelium-dependent relaxation in isolated arteries, there are ever increasing numbers of vascular physiologists and pharmacologists who are scraping away the endothelium to look into its role in cardiovascular con trol. And the more one looks, the more one discovers. Not only is the list of substances that can induce endothelium-dependent relaxations im pressively long, but these intriguing cells can also secrete vasoconstrictor substances. The ability of the endothelium to modulate the degree of con traction of the underlying smooth muscle is an ancestral property of the blood vessel wall, illustrating the logic of nature, since the endothelial cells are located in the best possible strategic location to continuously monitor the properties (chemical or physical) of the blood. And more and more data emerge suggesting that in several cardiovascular diseases per turbations in endothelium-dependent responses are one of the early signs of the abnormal process. Thus, the importance of endothelium-dependent responses, triggered by the intellectual curiosity of one of the pioneers of vascular physiology and pharmacology, is now recognized not only by basic scientists, but also by all concerned with the cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this monograph is to provide them with a reference work, so that they know where to start."

The purpose of the book is to bring the two disciplines - vascular mechanics and pathology - together. In addition, the book bridges the gap in our knowledge and enhances engineering applications in medicine. This cutting-edge work presents the use of veins as arterial grafts and discusses the role of vein valves in graft stenosis. The book illustrates aneurysm formation, growth, and rupture, using pressure vessel principles. This new work details the investigation of, amongst other topics, aortic dissection, showing for the first time that the aortic root mechanics plays a vital role in the development of this pathology.

Sphingolipids are lipid components of the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells with an important function in signaling mechanisms in the cell. This book provides insight into the physiological and pathophysiological role of sphingolipids and in particular its derivative ceramide. The function of Sphingolipids in cell signaling with regard to infectious and lung diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders are described and treated in distinct parts. Together with Volume 215 from the same Editors, the collection represents a unique, comprehensive work on Sphingolipids, providing information on both: Sphingolipid basic biology as well as its important function in a (patho)physiological context. The book is written for scientists in pharmacology, biochemistry and cell biology with a focus on biomedical research as well as for clinicians in pharmacology, oncology, cardiology, neurology and infectious disease. "

This book highlights recent technological advances, reviews and applications in the field of cardiovascular engineering, including medical imaging, signal processing and informatics, biomechanics, as well as biomaterials. It discusses the use of biomaterials and 3D printing for tissue-engineered heart valves, and also presents a unique combination of engineering and clinical approaches to solve cardiovascular problems. This book is a valuable resource for students, lecturers and researchers in the field of biomedical engineering.

Congenital heart disease is gaining importance as a condition that effects not only the pediatric population but also the adult population, as many congenital cardiac conditions remain silent for years until accidentally discovered on routine check up. Echocardiography in Adult Congenital Heart Disease provides cardiologists with access to the wealth of imaging from the Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute in London to enable them to improve on their own skills and refine their imaging technique. The authors correlate this echocardiography experience with the pathological and surgical aspects of congenital heart defects.

Sudden cardiac death represents a highly heterogeneous group of cardiovascular disorders. While some may initially think of sudden death as primarily an arrhythmogenic event, this actually represents the minority of cases of sudden cardiac death. In the vast majority of cases, there is an underlying anatomic disorder of the cardiovascular system responsible for the ultimate hemodynamic collapse known as sudden cardiac death. This book will provide an atlas type review of ischemic and non-ischemic etiologies of sudden cardiac death. Beyond the atlas, however, will be a "clinical pathologic correlation" for each described disorder providing practicing clinicians with practical information to facilitate proper diagnosis and treatment. While an increasing array of noninvasive diagnostic tools continue to develop, the sad fact remains that many of the physicians and operators of these new diagnostic modalities have never actually seen specimens which demonstrate the fundamental pathologic abnormalities. This ability to see first hand the underlying pathology creates an opportunity to advance the science and enhance ones understanding of these disease processes. There is not a comprehensive text on this subject on the market today which provides clinical and patholigical material in such a comprehensive manner.

This book is timely and challenging. Within its pages are commentaries and opinions on the scientific background and explanatory ideas for a complex of symptoms and investigations known as syndrome X. The commonest cause by far of angina pectoris is coronary artery obstruction due to atheromatous lesions both within the wall of the artery and intruding into the lumen; in such patients it is expected that there maybe ST segment depression on atrial pacing or on an exercise test indicating myocardial ischemia. Syndrome X was a term first used in an editorial written by Kemp in 1973. He was referring to patients in group X in a paper from Arbogast and Bourassa. Patients in group X had three features, namely angina as judged on a clinical history, alterations of the ST segment on the electrocardiogram during atrial pacing and smooth unobstructed coronary arteries (presumed normal) as assessed by the technique of coronary angiography. The changes on the electrocardiogram, conventionally indicative of myocardial ischemia, could not be explained on the basis of any abnormality of the coronary arteries and Kemp named the complex of fmdings syndrome X because of this seeming paradox and the lack of a single explanation. In the last thirty-one years there has been substantial scientific interest in this syndrome giving rise to a large number of publications. The name syndrome X has led to considerable confusion. Physicians are familiar with the X chromosome and with X linked congenital disorders.

Biology of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases combines physiology and pathophysiology of selected metabolic and cardiovascular diseases with health relevance. Written in a concise and easy to read manner, the book allows readers to gain an understanding on a number of topics, including cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology and how it relates to the development of insulin resistance, diabetes and other metabolic diseases. The book also highlights the relevance of obesity in the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and emphasizes the benefits of exercise as a preventative measure and way to treat underlying conditions.

This volume provides methodologies for ES and iPS cell technology on the study of cardiovascular diseases. Chapters guide readers through protocols on cardiomyocyte generation from pluripotent stem cells, physiological measurements, bioinformatic analysis, gene editing technology, and cell transplantation studies. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Pluripotent Stem-Cell Derived Cardiomyocytes aims to help researchers set up experiments using pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac cells.

Leading clinical and experimental investigators comprehensively review the chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, and pathophysiology of nitric oxide in the cardiovascular systems. These experts particularly illuminate nitric oxide biology, its cardiovascular pathophysiology, and its role in cardiovascular therapeutics. Topics also included are the development of nitric oxide donors for the treatment of myocardial ischemia and thrombosis, the development of gene therapeutic restoration of endothelial function in atherosclerosis, and the application of nitric oxide biology to investigative arenas in cardiovascular medicine. With its balanced presentation of basic and clinically relevant information, Nitric Oxide and the Cardiovascular System provides a comprehensive, authoritative guide for all those cardiovascular biologists, cardiologists, physiologists, and cardiovascular surgeons engaged in today's clinical or experimental research.

Cellular signaling in cardiac muscle refers to the myriad of stimuli and responses that direct and control the physiological operation of this organ. Our understand ing of these complex signaling cascades has increased dramatically over the past few decades with the advent of molecular tools for their dissection. Moreover, this infor mation is beginning to provide tangible targets towards manipulating cardiac func tion in the setting of cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms and factors that regulate cardiac cell growth are of particular interest as both adaptive and maladaptive responses can occur during cardiac hypertrophy. Cardiac hypertrophy describes the increase in individual cardiac myocyte size that is accomplished through the series and/or parallel addition of sarcomeres. The ability of cardiac muscle to increase in size through hyperplasia becomes highly restricted or negligible shortly after birth. Consequently, the increase in heart size associated with development and growth of an individual occurs through hypertrophy. In response to a chronic increase in workload, cardiac muscle cells can dramatically increase in size to face their increasing contractile demands. While this plasticity is clearly a ben eficial response under many conditions, it can be highly deleterious and inappropri ate under others. For example, cardiac hypertrophy associated with endurance exercise clearly enhances athletic performance. In contrast, the hypertrophy associated with chronic hypertension, stenotic or regurgitant heart valves, or following a myocardial infarction often continues far beyond the period where this adaptive response is ben eficial."

The overall scope of this new series will be to evolve an understanding of the genetic basis of (1) how early mesoderm commits to cells of a heart lineage that progressively and irreversibly assemble into a segmented, primary heart tube that can be remodeled into a four-chambered organ, and (2) how blood vessels are derived and assembled both in the heart and in the body. Our central aim is to establish a four-dimensional, spatiotemporal foundation for the heart and blood vessels that can be genetically dissected for function and mechanism. Since Robert DeHaan's seminal chapter "Morphogenesis of the Vertebrate Heart" pub lished in Organogenesis (Holt Reinhart & Winston, NY) in 1965, there have been surprisingly few books devoted to the subject of cardiovascular morphogenesis, despite the enormous growth of interest that occurred nationally and internationally. Most writings on the subject have been schol arly compilations of the proceedings of major national or international symposia or multiauthored volumes, often without a specific theme. What is missing are the unifying concepts that can make sense out of a burgeoning database of facts. The Editorial Board of this new series believes the time has come for a book series dedicated to cardiovascular morphogenesis that will serve not only as an important archival and didactic reference source for those who have recently come into the field but also as a guide to the evolution of a field that is clearly coming of age."

Catheter-delivered therapeutic ultrasound angioplasty is a new technique for use in the treatment of obstructive vascular disease. The treatment differs from balloon angioplasty in that it has been shown experimentally to cause disintegration of calcific and fibrotic atherosclerotic plaques, thrombus dissolution and arterial vasodilation. In contrast to laser technology, ultrasound systems are relatively inexpensive and simple to use and maintain. In the clinical trials detailed in this text, ultrasound angioplasty has been shown to be feasible and safe. Ultrasound Angioplasty is a comprehensive text, addressing the theoretical, experimental and clinical issues. The international contributions reflect the excitement, interest, spirit and cooperation in the research and development of therapeutic ultrasound.

Molecular Cardiology for the Cardiologist provides a short, easily readable summary of what the new biology brings to cardiology. With this in mind, special efforts have been made to present many comprehensive schemes and drawings, as well as teaching tables. The five parts of the book provide a general introduction to the new language of biology; the normal structure of the heart and blood vessels; the physiopathology and the new therapeutic avenues that have been opened up by the new biology. A concise summary of the keys that assist the cardiologist or student who seeks to learn and read more about this field. Provides practical examples to illustrate the clinical interest of the new approach.