Ischemic Heart Disease

This book describes the different aspects of ischemic heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in industrialized countries, and whose growing prevalence represents a major challenge in terms of short- and long-term management and surveillance. This volume offers a comprehensive discussion of the state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging options, of disease risk stratification, selection of candidates for surgical intervention, percutaneous revascularitation, mechanical assist devices implantation. Recently, the morbidity and mortality of ischaemic heart disease have substantially improved because of the progress in therapeutic strategies, represented by the dramatic evolution of percutaneous coronary interventions, that are carefully described in the volume, together with all the other most recent treatment options: from medical therapy to conventional surgery, minimally invasive surgery, surgery of ischemic complications. The biggest challenge in the next years is, however, to reduce the incidence of coronary artery disease worldwide. This highly illustrated, case oriented reference book is aimed at cardiology fellows in training, while also helpful to surgeons, cardiologists, imaging specialists, interventional cardiologists, as well as other clinicians and students involved in the diagnosis and treatment of ischemic disease.

Foreword.- 1. Surgical Anatomy of Coronary Arteries: Morphogenesis, Normal and Pathological Anatomy.- 2. Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis: a Multifactorial Process.- 3. Prevention of Coronary Atherosclerosis.- 4. History of Ischemic Heart Disease.- 5. Path