Subjects of the book are Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation, two emerging pathologies in the field of cardiology, to which many investigators are now addressing their research. Their diffusion in the sick population represents a major public health problem at the beginning of the third millennium. The volume aims to present the latest approaches to the management of heart failure and atrial fibrillation, emphasising in particular the intrinsic relation existing between them, the results after 10 years of biventricular pacing, the innovative pacing techniques now available, and the use of new drugs, devices or ablation procedures for the prevention and treatment of atrial fibrillation recurrences.

In the past few years it has become clear that left ventricular dysfunction, even of severe degree, may be reversible after coronary revascularization in some patients. As a result, myocardial viability has captured the imagination of researchers and clinicians seeking to unravel the cellular and subcellular mechanisms and define appropriate diagnostic modalities. These diagnostic modalities include: cardiac catheterization, positron-emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, two-dimensional echocardiography and single-photon imaging. This book brings together a diverse array of information in a comprehensive and concise fashion using a template of 10 chapters written by experts in the field. It should be of value to cardiologists, radiologists, nuclear medicine specialists, cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists, internists and basic researchers and their trainees who are involved in the management of patients with coronary artery disease in whom myocardial viability is a clinically relevant issue.

Noninvasive electrocardiographic monitoring is a fundamental part of cardiology. Depending on continuous improvements and developments of new technologies, these methods are essential for diagnosis and risk stratification of patients. The rapid changes in the capabilities, technologies and diagnostic values of the different methods force us to update our knowledge continuously. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the current state and future developments in the field of noninvasive electrocardiographic monitoring techniques. In addition, related fields such as magnetocardiography, newer signal detection and analysis techniques as well as ambulatory blood pressure monitoring are reported. The different methods are discussed with regard to methodological aspects, latest technical developments and clinical value of results. Furthermore, review articles focus on the autonomic nervous system, monitoring of ischemic heart disease, quality control and standardization of monitoring techniques. A group of international experts in science and clinical practice have contributed to this book, which is supported by the International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiography (ISHNE). The book is addressed to clinical and academic cardiologists as well as scientists.

Since the introduction of coronary angioplasty in 1977, this procedure has gained a steadily increasing position in the treatment of coronary artery obstmction. From the available evidence it can be estimated, that this thera peutic tool will get even more additional momentum of many ten-thousands of patients to be treated in the next few years, due to a growing fraction of patients who are candidates for this intervention. Information about the indications, benefits and risks of coronary angioplasty is accumulating rapidly in addition to publications about refinements of the technique itself. Recently, a number of investigators have realized that coronary angioplasty is not only a therapeutic tool, but can, during the procedure, be used as a source of diagnostic information. When the catheter is placed in a coronary artery obstruction, inflation of the balloon produces transient myocardial ischemia. Before, during, and after this period of severe ischemia, studies of the perfor mance of the myocardium at risk can be carried out. The fact that therapeutic coronary angioplasty is carried out in a cardiac catheterization laboratory which is by definition optimally equipped for the measurement of hemodynamic parameters, has probably also contributed to the effectuation of these investigations. The combination of hemodynamic and biochemical parameters with morphological information from the coronary angiogram can be utilized for the quantification of myocardial involvement and the success of coronary dilatation with angioplasty. Studies of interactions with pharmacological substances are also feasible and informative."

In the era of instant global communication, medicine is an international discipline characterized by a wide range of patient referral systems, world-wide discussion of clinical and research findings, and an explosion in the medical literature. Perhaps no field has progressed more than cardiology in the past few years. Contemporary Concepts in Cardiology has been conceived as a supplement to the classic cardiology textbooks for the use of practicing physicians, cardiologists-in-training, medical students, and research investigators. This volume focuses on associations between refinements in the understanding of disease and clinical applications. The material is presented in a way that limns the latest advances and focuses thinking towards future developments in cardiology. The Editors have assembled a respected international panel of contributors so that each chapter is authored by a well-known specialist in his or her field. Every attempt was made to avoid the fragmentation which often characterizes the digest approach. Because the constant flow of information makes it nearly impossible to construct a timely book on advances in cardiology, the chapters in this volume describe the current concepts in cardiology and their underlying rationale, rather than attempting a comprehensive review of the most recent papers in each discipline.

Accounting for more than 40% of all heart failure problems, diastolic heart failure is a complex and often difficult diagnosis with rapidly evolving diagnostic management protocols. Diastology: Clinical Approach to Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction, 2nd Edition, brings you up to date and equips you to successfully diagnose and manage even the most challenging incidences of diastolic heart failure and their comorbidities. It incorporates the latest guidelines for the diagnostic evaluation of the patient with suspected or known diastolic dysfunction, provides a comprehensive review of clinical conditions associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and describes the complementary role of imaging modalities and novel therapeutic approaches. Keeps you current with recent extensive changes in the understanding of the mechanisms of diastolic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) that have resulted in dramatic changes in treatment guidelines. Covers the latest molecular, genetic, and cellular mechanisms behind diastolic heart failure as a basis for the latest clinical approaches, diagnosis, and treatment of common and uncommon pathological conditions such as hypertensive heart disease, cardiomyopathies, arterial and valvular diseases, pericardial diseases, congenital heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. Features 50 video cases, new key summary points, new multiple-choice review questions, and six new chapters: Evaluation of Diastolic Function by Radionuclide Techniques; Diastology Stress Test; ASE/EACVI Diastolic Guidelines; Valve Disease; Perioperative Assessment of Diastolic Dysfunction; and Pulmonary Hypertension. Reviews new techniques and indices for assessing diastolic function, such as 3D echo, strain rate imaging, late gadolinium enhancement and T1-mapping by CMR, and novel nuclear scintigraphic methods - as well as the traditional indices of LV filling, LA function, and tissue Doppler indices. Covers emerging topics such as the role of neurohormones, global and regional systolic function of the left ventricle, chronotopic incompetence and pacing, aging, perioperative assessment, and more. Presents information in a quick-retrieval format, covering Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Diagnostic Evaluation, Differential Diagnosis, Treatment, and Future Directions. Helps you learn efficiently and prepare for self-assessment with key summaries and multiple-choice questions and answers for each chapter. 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.

Clinical practice is evolving at a rapid pace, nowhere more so than in the field of cardiology.Acute Coronary Syndromes, Sudden Cardiac Death, Heart Failure, Atrial Fibrillation, Syncope, and Prevention of Global Cardiovascular Risk are the main Emerging Pathologies to which many investigators are addressing their researches. Less than 10 years ago, some of them were considered of relevance only to internists, and some others as a common benign arrhythmia or an ineluctable illness. Today, their prevalence amongst the population represents one of the major public health problems at the beginning of the third millen- um. The need to have a state of the art overview of the epidemiology, physiopat- logical and electrogenetic mechanisms, diagnosis, pharmacological or electrical treatment, prognosis, patient management in and out of hospital, organisational and economical implications of these emerging pathologies and the success of the previous edition inspired us to organise the second edition of this biannual International Meeting. This book contains the Proceedings of the Mediterranean Cardiology Meeting held in Taormina, Italy, 7 9 April 2005. Like the previous volume, it boasts the participation of many nationally and internationally renowned spe- ers in the field of clinical and interventional cardiology who will interact actively with the delega

Excellent end of life care for people with heart failure is challenging but possible. Failure to address this aspect of care has serious consequences for patients, their families, clinicians and the use of health resources. Heart Failure: From Advanced Disease to Bereavement illustrates the complexity and importance of end of life care for patients with advanced heart failure. This book is a pocket reference for everyday use in the clinic, ward or home visit for all doctors, nurses and AHPs caring for people with advanced heart failure. It outlines the underlying pathophysiology of heart failure, summarises standard pharmacological and device therapy, and sets the context of the challenges resulting from an unpredictable course of disease. In easily digestible summaries, this book presents practical advice about how and when to integrate a palliative care approach alongside standard heart failure management, how to communicate honestly in the face of uncertainty, the rationalisation of medication and device therapies at the end of life, symptom control, care for the dying, and care after death.

Disease conditions that affect the human heart and the methods used to diagnose and treat them are all covered in one concise volume. Written by a past president of the Boston Chapter of the American Heart Association, Heart Disease is a comprehensive account of the leading cause of death in the West. Sequential chapters describe the structure and function of the heart, the various disease states, and the treatments for each major disease. In addition, the book examines the vast array of diagnostic tests and the most advanced treatments available, from basic drugs for prevention such as aspirin to transplants and artificial hearts. Dr. de Silva, who teaches at Harvard Medical School, also covers historical aspects of heart disease, discoveries about the structure and function of the heart, and the ways in which heart disease can be diagnosed and treated. Underlying conditions that affect the heart are described and linked to the treatments and devices used to correct disease conditions. Illustrations include diagrams of the heart, examples of test results, and images of devices used to treat heart disease A glossary defines medical terms used in the book

1. Platelet activation and aggregation: rationale for combining antithrombotic drugs.- 2. Role of nitric oxide in endothelial cell - platelet interactions.- 3. Platelets and megakaryocytes in vascular disease.- 4. Thrombosis in relation to atherosclerosis.- 5. Pharmacological inhibition of the ADP-GP IIb/IIIa-fibrinogen pathway of platelet aggregation.- 6. Calcium fluxes in platelets and endothelial cells, mechanisms and functional significance.- 7. Inhibition of platelet function by cyclic nucleotides and cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases.- 8. Pharmacological modification of platelet-derived cyclooxygenase product formation and its consequences for platelet-vessel wall interactions.- 9. Antithrombotics and the lipoxygenase pathway.- 10. Pathological expressions of platelet-vessel wall interactions: implications of serotonin.- 11. The involvement of PAF in thrombotic events.- 12. Prostaglandins and -analogs in the treatment of platelet-vessel wall interaction.- 13. Adjuvant agents to enhance and sustain reperfusion with t-PA: studies in experimental dog models.- 14. Effect of dietary marine lipids on (anti-)thrombotic mechanisms.

Dr Shor believes it is important for every medical practitioner to be aware of the new aspects of this disease, and that all facts concerning the circumstances, the finding of the germ, the specific pathological features and other aspects which change the concept of heart attacks, remarkably, methods of diagnoses of the lesion should all be known. Details and facets of the lesion are necessary for assessment, acceptance or rejection of this very important new disease, by the scientific community. It opens up new diagnosis and treatments, with potential cure and eradication of this deadly disease. Immunization or eradication of this germ if possible will open new horizons.

Leslie T. Cooper, Jr., MD, and a panel of leading clinical and scientific experts comprehensively review both advances in basic scientific understanding and current clinical knowledge of inflammatory heart disease. On the clinical side they discuss the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of nonspecific and specific myocarditis in separate chapters devoted to such major idiopathic clinical entities as cardiac sarcoidosis, giant cell myocarditis, eosinophilic myocarditis, Chagas disease, rheumatic fever, and human immunodeficiency virus-related cardiomyopathy. Research articles complete the picture with discussions of the role of apoptosis in viral myocarditis, rat and mouse models of autoimmune giant cell and lymphocytic myocarditis, and the latest available data on enteroviral proteases and cardiomyopathy.

The development of a bio-engineered pacemaker is of substantial clinical and also scientific interest because it promises to overcome several limitations of electronic pacemakers. Moreover it may answer the longstanding question of whether the complex structure of the sinus node is indeed a prerequisite for reliable pacemaking, or simpler structures might work as well.

This book gives an overview of the current state-of-the-art of creating a bio-engineered pacemaker. It shows the approaches to develop of genetic and cell-based engineering methods suitable to implement them with safety and stability. It also illuminates the problems that need to be solved before bio-pacemaking can be considered for clinical use.

In this book the authors review the field and explore the potential role of RNAi and other RNA technologies in cardiovascular medicine and research. They highlight the impressive recent progress but also the hurdles that still must be overcome before this promising technology is finally ready for translation and clinical use.

Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. It can lead to severe complications and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and death. Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood against the walls of the blood vessels. Comprising more than 1000 pages, this book is a complete guide to the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Divided into 19 sections, the text begins with an introduction to hypertension, its causes, risk factors, and how it presents in different sectors of the population. The next chapters discuss diagnostic methods and echocardiography. The following sections cover hypertension associated with other disorders including heart failure, stroke, renovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and many more. Numerous clinical management strategies are discussed in depth, as well as cardio-oncology, nutrition, and ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation - a procedure that uses a machine to take over the work of the lungs and sometimes, the heart). A complete section is dedicated to paediatric cardiology and hypertension. With an internationally recognised editor and author team, the comprehensive text is highly illustrated with clinical photographs, diagrams and tables. The book also includes full online access. Key points Comprehensive guide to diagnosis and management of hypertension comprising over 1000 pages Internationally recognised editor and author team Highly illustrated with clinical photographs, diagrams and tables Includes full online access to the book

The Genomic and Molecular Cardiovascular Medicine largely focuses on pertinent genomic and molecular aspects of cardiovascular medicine relevant to all levels of clinical practice, from primary care to preventive healthcare. The book also focuses on practice applications of translational genomic and molecular developments and advances that impact on cardiovascular system structure and function. Each chapter is evidence-based and comprehensive, with in-depth, cutting-edge knowledge relevant to the practice of clinical cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. The book aims to fill a major gap of knowledge resource focused on genomic and molecular aspects of contemporary cardiovascular medicine and surgery practice. In view of scientific and technical complexities of the field, the book is written by a team of globally acknowledged experts in respective clinical, investigative, therapeutic and preventive aspects. The current practices within cardiovascular medicine and surgery offer excellent opportunity for genomic and molecular applications to achieve the high order effectiveness with maximum efficiency.

Intelligence-Based Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery: Artificial Intelligence and Human Cognition in Cardiovascular Medicine provides a comprehensive survey of artificial intelligence concepts and methodologies with real-life applications in cardiovascular medicine. Authored by a senior physician-data scientist, the book presents an intellectual and academic interface between the medical and data science domains. The book's content consists of basic concepts of artificial intelligence and human cognition applications in cardiology and cardiac surgery. This portfolio ranges from big data, machine and deep learning, cognitive computing and natural language processing in cardiac disease states such as heart failure, hypertension and pediatric heart care. The book narrows the knowledge and expertise chasm between the data scientists, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, inspiring clinicians to embrace artificial intelligence methodologies, educate data scientists about the medical ecosystem, and create a transformational paradigm for healthcare and medicine.

This book will interest practitioners and researchers in the food science and nutrition fields, and possibly others with an interest in the interaction between diet and health. The need of the book and timeliness are appropriate as the world is heading during the COVID 19 pandemic, cardiovascular disease is one of the comorbidities which has severe adverse effects. There have been considerable advances in scientific techniques in the last few decades and these have been used to examine the composition and applications of traditional cures. Modern science has also seen the investigation of herbs, spices and botanicals beyond their traditional usage. The evidence-based approach that the Editors propose is relatively rare for this type of topic.

Since the introduction of myocardial perfusion imaging and radionuclide angiography in the mid-seventies, cardiovascular nuclear medicine has undergone an explosive growth. The use of nuclear cardiology techniques has become one of the cornerstones of the noninvasive assessment of coronary artery disease. In the past 15 years major steps have been made from visual analysis to quantitative analysis, from planar imaging to tomographic imaging, from detection of disease to prognosis, and from separate evaluations of perfusion, metabolism, and function to an integrated assessment of myocardial viability. In recent years many more advances have been made in cardiovascular nuclear imaging, such as the development of new imaging agents, reevaluation of existing procedures, and new clinical applications. This book describes the most recent developments in nuclear cardiology and also addresses new contrast agents in MRI. What's New in Cardiac Imaging will assist the clinical cardiologist, the cardiology fellow, the nuclear medicine physician, and the radiologist in understanding the most recent achievements in clinical cardiovascular nuclear imaging.

Knowledge of cardiac ion channels and transporters has advanced remarkably in the last two decades with the development of patch-clamp and molecular biological techniques. This textbook offers a comprehensive overview of structures and functions of ion channels and transporters in the heart. Readers are first introduced to the molecular biology and electrophysiology of all the important ion channels. After discussing their developmental changes, the pharmacology and pathophysiology of clinically-relevant ion channels are reviewed. Molecular aspects of the cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and intracellular Ca2+ regulation by ion transporters are also described. The book will be useful to electrophysiologists, cardiac physiologists and pharmacologists, and molecular biologists interested in ion channels at all levels. For research specialists, the book will provide a perspective of the field. The book can be used as a reference source for working scientists in the fields of ion channels, biophysics, cardiac electrophysiology, and pharmacology. It is aimed at graduate and medical students, designed for use as a textbook for graduate and medical courses.

I. Clinical Topics.- The Clinical Profile of Sepsis and the Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome.- The Participation of the Complement System in Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease.- The Spectrum of Atherosclerosis in the Human.- Cerebral Endothelial Injury in Stroke, Brain Trauma and Hypertension.- II. General Concepts in Endothelial Cell Pathophysiology.- Free-Radical Mediated Actions on Endothelial Cells of the Intact Lung.- Regulation of Vascular Function by Vascular Permeability Factor.- III. Chemical Mediators of Endothelial Cell Injury.- Endothelial Cells as Targets for and Producers of Cytokines.- Roles of Vascular Cells in Inflammation and Immunopathology.- The Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology of Type 1 Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor.- IV. Endothelial Cell Interaction with Blood Components.- Purine Regulation of Endothelial Cells: Relevance to Pathophysiology.- Autoantibodies to Endothelial Cells.- Leukocyte-Endothelial Cell Interactions.- V. Vascular Responses to Endothelial Cell Injury.- Endothelial Function in Human Coronary Bypass Grafts.- Altered Renovascular Endothelial Functions During Nephrotoxicity.- Cerebral Endothelial Function: Physiology and Pathophysiology.- Mechanisms of Altered Reactivity in the Cerebral Microcirculation.- VI. Mechanisms of Endothelial Cell Dysfunction.- The Role of Apolipoprotein E and Apolipoprotein B in Atherosclerosis.- Endothelial Cell-Matrix Interactions in Health and Disease.- Biosynthesis and Assembly of von Willebrand Factor by Vascular Endothelial Cells: Relevance to Pathophysiology.- VII. Markers of Endothelial Cell Injury and Repair.- Monitoring of Endothelial Plasmalemmal Ectoenzyme Function as an Index of Endothelial Injury and Repair.- Pathophysiological Significance of Endothelial Cell Integrins.- VIII. Epilogue.- Vascular Endothelium: Physiological Basis of Clinical Problems.- IX. Abstracts of Oral and Poster Presentations.- X. List of Participants.- XI. Index.

This book provides methodological information on establishing reliable and reproducible experimental models of cardiovascular diseases. Chapters detail practical protocols from expert laboratories focusing on cardiovascular research, leading to novel discoveries in cardiac biology, and the development of effective therapeutic approaches. 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, Experimental Models of Cardiovascular Disease: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.