This monograph comprises 17 papers written by prominent authors in the field, each of whom presents his most recent experiences. The papers were not specially selected so that this work is far from being a comprehensive textbook covering all aspects of right ventricular hypertrophy and failure in chronic lung disease. Perhaps some of the papers dealing with more strictly physiological problems and experimental models will be somewhat difficult to relate directly to former modes of thinking of both cardiologists and pneumologists. Nevertheless, we hope and expect that this book will provide the reader with, an in-depth appreciation of the situation of present research in different laboratories and countries. Occasionally contradictions between different papers may be noticed. We have not tried to remove these, since each contradiction reflects current areas of dispute or uncertainty in this developing field. We wish finally to acknowledge the continuing support of the Clinica del Lavoro Foundation for projects aimed at promoting education in all fields related to medical rehabilitation. Vlastimil Jdek Mario Morpurgo Roberto Tramarin Foreword This volume is the sixth issue in the Series "Current Topics in Rehabilitation", which was ftrst conceived in 1987 with the aim of offering updated indications as to functional comprehensive evaluation strategies and rehabilitation programmes.