Horizons in World Cardiovascular Research : Volume 1

Cardiovascular disease refers to the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels (arteries and veins). While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system, it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis (arterial disease). Chronic heart failure (CHF) has emerged as a major world-wide epidemic. Recently, a fundamental shift in the underlying aetiology of CHF is becoming evident, in which the most common cause is no longer hypertension or valvular disease, but rather long-term survival after acute myocardial infarction. Chronic artery disease (CAD) is the cause of CHF in the majority of patients, and CHF is the only mode of CAD presentation associated with increasing incidence of mortality. This new and important book gathers the latest research in cardiovascular disease with a focus on such topics as: diabetic cardiomyopathy, the promise of biological pacemakers, stem cells and repairs of the heart, cardiac autonomic function and sports activity, "tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy" and others.