This issue of Cardiology Clinics is devoted to cardiac intensive care, which involves the treatment and care of patients with critical cardiac illness. Expert authors review mechanical complications of acute MI, cardiogenic shock, acute decompensated heart failure, management of arrhythmias, use of newer antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents, and more. Keep up to date with the latest information on managing these life-threatening conditions.

Among the most recently developed procedures for treating heart disease in a minimally invasive way are the techniques for percutaneous treatment of valvular heart disease. These are important advances because the only alternative is open heart surgery, which is not an option for many high-risk patients.? This issue provides a detailed description of several percutaneous procedures, including trans-catheter aortic valve implantation.

In the past three decades, interventional cardiology has grown tremendously due to development of new devices and expansion of indications based on clinical trials.? This issue of Cardiology Clinics provides an updated view of advanced techniques in the rapidly changing and growing field of interventional cardiology.? The articles included discuss important topics such as emerging techniques for vulnerable plaque detection, coronary bifurcation lesions, drug eluting stents, and left ventricular assist devices.