Bridging the gap between the laboratory and the bedside, this timely volume illuminates the connection between endothelial dysfunction and vascular disease. This comprehensive survey of atherosclerotic disease begins with biology – incorporating the latest breakthroughs in the field – then elucidates risk factors and diagnostic tools and markers. A major section on endothelium-directed prevention and therapy shows you how to apply cutting-edge research to clinical care. Under the careful editorial guidance of Drs. De Caterina and Libby, the highly-regarded contributors address: – endothelial activation and the initiation of atherosclerosis – mechanisms of plaque progression and complications – the role of LDL in the origin and progression of atherosclerosis – advanced glycation endproducts and the accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes – oxidative stress and vascular disease – soluble adhesion molecules as markers of vascular disease – hormone-replacement therapy and cardiovascular risk – anti-oxidants and endothelial protection and more. The first book dedicated to the central role of endothelial dysfunction in vascular disease, this concise volume gathers all the latest information on the subject into one convenient and cohesive text. Make sure your patients are benefiting from current knowledge by keeping a copy of Enothelial Dysfunctions in Vascular Disease close at hand for frequent consultation. Introduction Every book has a history, this one not excepted, having emerged from intersections in professional lives of the Editors. This book bears the fruits of a collaboration between the “pupil” (RDC) and the “mentor” (PL). During an extended sabbatical of the pupil in Boston in 1994, we probed together the concept that endothelial dysfunction served as a common denominator of vascular disease, with the balance between inflammation and its inhibition as a fulcrum of the regulation of the behavior of endothelial cells. As practicing cardiologists in our clinical lives, we sought to link to endothelial function the mechanisms of action of risk factors and of pharmacologic agents used to treat and prevent vascular disease. The pupil therefore authored a few reviews on the mechanism of action of risk factors and included them in a small book, published in Italian, for which the mentor wrote a preface. The book was greeted with favor from the Italian cardiological community, and provided the nidus for the present, more ambitious endeavor, which includes updated reviews on the pathogenesis of vascular disease and on the most novel aspects of vascular biology. This enterprise was enabled by the contributions of many of our former or present collaborators and colleagues, without whose enthusiasm and engagement this work could never have seen light. We largely underestimated the devotion necessary on our own side at the beginning, but it ultimately yielded a product that we feel achieves our original goals. We are aware that we confront a continuously evolving topic, where frequent updates would be desirable – if not necessary. Yet, we believe in the value of books – such as the current one – that attempt to organize in a snapshot of time, the vast amount of literature available in a coherent and comprehensive scheme. We are aware of existing gaps, of emerging material not paid its due, and of the rapid evolution of some of the concepts highlighted within. The links between the laboratory and the clinic have never afforded more opportunity for new understanding and advances in diagnosis and treatment than today We hope that our colleagues, vascular biologists cardiologists, internists, and other physicians alike will find this compendium a useful guide to this most exciting time in vascular biology and medicine
While bringing into focus the major advances in cardiac pacing over the last 5-6 years this book places particular emphasis on new techniques for the treatment of congestive heart failure. Other topics include new and unusual indications for pacemakers, the clinical aspects of expanding pacemaker memory and stored electrograms in the diagnosis of arrhythmias, automatic mode switching, the pacemaker/ICD interface, complex pacemaker electrocardiography and advances in pacemaker follow-up. This book will be a valuable resource for those involved in the care of patients with implanted devices.
This highly practical diagnostic tool is an indispensable resource for both the office and the noninvasive cardiovascular laboratory. The accompanying CD contains images and video-clips displaying the dynamic aspects of vascular pathology to aid diagnosis and learning. Each image can be enlarged to enable the user to fully discern the main features, and for ease, the CD can be searched by image type, condition/disease or techniques.
Exhaustive in its scope, this book provides a comprehensive study of the natural and modified history of congenital heart disease. Focusing particularly on the discussion of fetal and post-natal outcomes, the contributors seek to place developments in historical perspective. Virtually all surgical and catheter-based strategies to enhance outcomes of all forms of congenitally malformed heart are analysed, covering the morphology and genetic basis of each particular abnormality, and issues that were germane to evolving different therapeutic strategies. Using data from the records of the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, contributors highlight the complications of the various forms of therapies and identifies particular risk factors for mortality and morbidity.
“. . . every critical examination of HF therapy in the United States has documented that we are not using all the weapons in our arsenal. We know what works, yet we are not systematically applying these proven therapies.” – from the Introduction If you are interested in a better way to treat heart failure, this book is for you. Dr. Michael McIvor – who has taught thousands of healthcare professionals how to effectively care for patients with chronic HF through CME symposia – takes a logical, step-by-step approach to setting up and operating the kind of program that reduces hospital admissions and improves patient care. Establishing a Heart Failure Program: The Essential Guide answers the different questions posed by physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and hospital administrators, all of whom need to work as a team to achieve success. The three major sections of the book address: Taking the first steps toward building your heart failure program – developing a business plan, choosing your model of care, and making accurate financial projections Assembling the pieces of your program – managers, front line staff, and the physical facility Day-to-day operations A companion website presents forms you can download and use in your own heart failure center. Drawing from experience, Dr. McIvor helps you avoid common problems by identifying potential problems and sharing advice that has proven effective to your colleagues. He gives you the essential tools – unavailable elsewhere – to set up and maintain a heart failure program that achieves superior clinical outcomes.
The Nuts and Bolts of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy By Tom Kenny, RN Vice President, Clinical Education and Training, St. Jude Medical, Austin, TX, USA Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an exciting new option for a growing number of heart failure patients, but CRT systems present special challenges to clinicians, even those accustomed to working with pacemakers. Now, Tom Kenny demystifies the field in this timely, easy-to-understand paperback. The Nuts and Bolts of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy concentrates on the practical aspects of how these devices work and how to follow the growing number of patients who are using them to fight heart failure. Designed specifically for the non-specialist, the book explains how the device works, how and why CRT-paced ECGs look different, and how to test for proper function of a CRT system. It also includes a systematic (numbered sequence) guide to follow-up that you can use in the clinic. This practical reference offers: clear, straightforward explanations that require no prior training in device therapy many CRT ECGs to familiarize you with what you will encounter in practice a generous illustration program that includes diagrams, charts, and anatomy pictures to reinforce the text sensible advice on daily issues and troubleshooting systems current references to the latest clinical studies and device technology accessible information, organized for ease of navigation a helpful glossary at the end of the book Both practicing and prospective clinicians will find CRT much less daunting when The Nuts and Bolts of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy is close at hand.
What the practicing cardiologist really needs is a text that emphasizes unbiased, up to date information and that places this information into an appropriate context. The third edition of Management of Complex Cardiovascular Problems: The Evidence-based Medicine Approach, carefully edited by Dr Thach N. Nguyen and his co-Editors, does precisely this”. From the Foreword by Eugene Braunwald, MD, Distinguished Hersey Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Patients with complex cardiovascular problems pose a special management challenge for both the specialist and the non-specialist. To make the best treatment decisions and avoid potential problems, you need to stay on top of ever-changing standards of care. Management of Complex Cardiovascular Problems: The Evidence-based Medicine Approach, Third Edition, supplies dependable information you can use in daily practice. Conveniently boxed summaries give you immediate access to: Critical thinking – presenting new concepts Evidence-based medicine – the key results of important clinical trials Emerging trends – how new information can be applied to improve practice Clinical pearls – advice from master clinicians Take home messages – succinct summaries of each chapter This concise text offers candid advice on incorporating evidence-based data concerning: Acute coronary syndrome ST segment elevation myocardial infarction Hypotension and shock in acute myocardial infarction Care of the patient undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery Care of the patient undergoing non-cardiac surgery Pulmonary hypotension Heart failure Ventricular tachycardia Atrial fibrillation Mitral regurgitation Ischemic stroke Syncope Congenital heart disease in adults Keep Management of Complex Cardiovascular Problems: The Evidence-based Medicine Approach, Third Edition, close at hand for the frequent consultation it is sure to receive.
The number of ICD patients is increasing sharply, yet the number of electrophysiologists—physicians who specialize in the electrical system of the heart—is not increasing as dramatically. The result of this influx is that more and more ICD patients are being treated by physicians and staff with little or no ICD training. There are many fine books on device-based therapy for the heart, but most are written for the experts. Whether you read it from cover-to-cover or use it for reference (or both), it is written primarily with you in mind – for people who are actually involved in the clinical care of these patients. The Nuts and Bolts of ICD Therapy is specifically written for non-cardiologists. This book is written in a lively intelligent and easy to navigate style. It emphasizes real-life clinical practice and practical tips, including illustrations from actual clinical settings. Each chapter concludes with a checklist of key points from each subject (“Nuts and Bolts”).
Acute Coronary Syndrome covers the spectrum of clinical conditions ranging from unstable angina to non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and ST elevation myocardial infarction. These life-threatening disorders are a major cause of emergency medical care, hospitalization and mortality. Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes is designed to provide busy clinicians with a comprehensive guide to the investigation, diagnosis and treatment of these syndromes. It encompasses the latest technologies, including the use of biomarkers and non-invasive imaging procedures. For each condition, the reader is taken through all of the therapeutic options available; in each case the indications and contraindications are evaluated in the light of the latest clinical trials. Potential complications are dealt with in a similar fashion, permitting the reader to anticipate and manage problems as they arise. The authors also present evidence-based recommendations for long-term care of at-risk patients, encompassing pharmacologic therapies and lifestyle management. The book concludes with a comprehensive collection of appendices that include treatment algorithms, risk scores and a summary of the latest management guidelines. Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes is the most up to date and comprehensive evidence-based guide to managing acute coronary syndromes, in a compact and usable format. It will be of interest to busy specialist physicians in cardiovascular medicine, cardiac and vascular surgery, and critical care, as well as primary care physicians and hospitalists who care for patients with these syndromes.
The Novartis Foundation Series is a popular collection of the proceedings from Novartis Foundation Symposia, in which groups of leading scientists from a range of topics across biology, chemistry and medicine assembled to present papers and discuss results. The Novartis Foundation, originally known as the Ciba Foundation, is well known to scientists and clinicians around the world.