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Our hearts have evolved to be extremely efficient, long-lasting pumps that exquisitely match the needs of our bodies. This book is about how the heart does this; how can a heart pump the blood for up to 100 years while the best Formula 1 racing engine has a working life measured in hours? Why is the heart so efficient, and how are worn out parts replaced while working? How does it generate the force to act as a pump, how is it controlled electrically, and how can it repair itself?This book addresses these questions from physiological and molecular perspectives in language that aims to be accessible to all interested in biology and with liberal illustrations.The story of how the heart works is presented in the context of its origins:The book begins with a discussion of why the word heart is universally used as a metaphor for reason and emotion and traces its origins in modern and ancient languages. The last chapter offers advice on how to preserve the heart by matching our lifestyles more closely to how it evolved.

This book reflects how the concern regarding the effects of radiation exposure in patients and health personnel involved in cardiac electrophysiology (EP) has inspired new developments in cardiac electrophysiology procedures without the use of fluoroscopy. This innovative method has become a subspecialty within electrophysioloy with several EP laboratories around the world adopting an exclusive non-fluoroscopy approach. It features guidance on how to use three dimensional (3D) navigation systems, ablation energy sources and zero-fluorospic implantation of cardiac electronic devices. The potential complications and associated preventative methods with utilising RFCA are also described. Cardiac Electrophysiology Without Fluoroscopy offers a thorough description of the technique correlated to the performance of EP procedure without the use of radiation, and provides a valuable resource for those seeking a practically applicable guide on how to perform cardiac EP without fluoroscopy, including practising and trainee electrophysiologists, cardiac imagers, general cardiologists and emergency medicine physicians.

Le coeur et ses mystères...Le cœur, organe de vie par excellence, rythme notre vie. S'il bat en moyenne 2,5 milliards de fois durant notre existence, dès qu'il montre ses premiers signes de faiblesse, c'est bien souvent la panique. Les questions sont nombreuses et nous ne savons pas si ce que nous avons ressenti est grave ou non. Il faut dire que le cœur reste pour nous mystérieux sous bien des aspects. Savons-nous seulement ce qu'est un rythme cardiaque normal? Quelles sont les maladies les plus courantes et comment les traiter? Ou tout simplement comment protéger cet organe vital autant que possible? Voilà quelques-unes des questions posées par Pierre Guelff au Professeur Scavée. Tous deux nous invitent à découvrir le fonctionnement du coeur, l'influence de nos comportements sur celui-ci ainsi que les maladies cardiaques les plus courantes.A travers des échanges entre Pierre Guelff et le Professeur Scavée, découvrez les réponses aux questions que l'on se pose couramment sur cet organe fascinant qu'est le coeur.EXTRAITLe calcium (Ca2+) est indispensable à la vie. Les taux sériques (taux dans le sang) de calcium sont situés entre 2,1 et 2,6 mmol/L. Ce niveau est régulé par plusieurs médiateurs : la parathormone (PTH), la vitamine D et la calcitonine. Environ la moitié du calcium du sang est liée aux protéines (albumine). L'hypocalcémie est fréquente. Si elle est le plus souvent bénigne, elle peut également provoquer le décès. Elle se définit par un taux sérique de calcium inférieur à 2,1 mmol/L. Il s'agit généralement d'une conséquence d'une insuffisance en vitamine D ou d'un dysfonctionnement de la parathyroïde (hypoparathyroïdie). Les symptômes comprennent le plus souvent des sensations de picotements, des crampes, de la tétanie, des crises épileptiques. Sur le plan cardiaque, les conséquences sont néfastes. Le calcium est indispensable pour la contraction du muscle et pour la conduction électrique. L'hypocalcémie peut se manifester par un intervalle QT prolongé et de l'insuffisance cardiaque.A PROPOS DES AUTEURSChristophe Scavée est médecin depuis 1994, spécialiste en cardiologie. Il possède une formation supplémentaire en électrophysiologie à l'Hôpital cardiologique du Haut-Lévêque de Bordeaux. Il est également responsable de l'unité de Rythmologie, chargé de cours et chef de clinique aux Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc (Belgique).Pierre Guelff est auteur et chroniqueur. Il a remporté plusieurs prix, dont le Prix des Arts et Lettres de France.

Cardiac problems in athletic individuals are rare, but when they occur can be devastating. This book provides a definitive review of current practice and thinking surrounding the often difficult and life-changing practice of sports cardiology. Topics which remain a challenge for practitioners, athletes and families are investigated, including cardiovascular screening, exercise participation prescription, and prevention strategies for sudden cardiac arrest. Also given are guidelines for diagnosis, management and prevention of specific cardiac illnesses.This second edition includes new information on a number of key issues surrounding modern sports and cardiology, including the athlete at altitude, heat stress in athletes, exercise aspects of swimming and diving and ergogenics in the cardiac care of athletes. Additionally, further details are given on new research related to sports and exercise for individuals with implantable cardioverter defibrillators, advanced echocardiography in athletes and non-compaction cardiomyopathy.Building on the first edition, Exercise and Sports Cardiology (2nd Edition) provides cardiologists, physicians, coaches, trainers and medical students and researchers with a comprehensive go-to reference for modern day concerns in the expanding field of sports cardiology research and treatment.

“Describes the physiology behind the normal function of the heart with gusto and humor... well informed and accessible... a necessary book.” —Readings In this lively and informative exploration of all aspects of the heart, Johannes Hinrich von Borstel offers a perfect mix of medical fact and amusing anecdote. A doctor, prospective cardiologist, and former paramedic—as well as a successful science-slammer—von Borstel relates his own experiences to provide a personal insight into the human side of heart medicine, while clearly explaining the science behind cardiac disease and healthcare for the heart. His many tips on how to give your ticker the best chance of enduring for as long as possible include one that will certainly be close to many people's hearts: have more sex! Oh, and eat more vegetables. “Whether your heart is healthy or not, everyone should read this book, because the author has truly put his heart and soul into it.” —Shelf Life “While von Borstel cautions against these excesses, his youthful enthusiasm and gusto for his subject makes for a lively read.” —The Sydney Morning Herald “An eminently readable book which strikes a very good balance between information and anecdote... should be of interest to anyone who wants to know what goes on ‘under the hood'as it were, regardless of your level of anatomical understanding... this is a marvelous book.” —Yinspire

Regenerative therapy has rapidly developed as one of the most promising treatments for patients suffering from severe heart failure. Autologous bone marrow-derived cells and cardiac stem cells have been clinically applied for cell injection therapy for heart failure. As a next-generation therapy, tissue-engineered myocardial-patch transplantation h

Atherosclerosis: Clinical Perspectives Through Imaging is aimed at practicing clinicians and relies on didactic tabular and bullet points and a host of fine imagery describing the common features of the imaging of atherosclerosis, enabling the reader to understand more about the advantages and limitations of each modality in investigating athersclosis. Edited by and contributed to by a host of international experts in cardiac imaging, this book is a must read by all who image the heart.

The recent development of three-dimensional imaging techniques has provided an enormous amount of information relevant to the clinical management of patients at low and high risk for coronary artery disease. However, while progress in each individual technique has been rapid, the correlation of findings obtained with radiology, nuclear medicine, and magnetic resonance imaging is still relatively neglected. In this book, qualified experts in cardiac imaging present the basic concepts of cardiac pathology and imaging and compare the findings obtained in particular subspecialties with those acquired using other techniques. In this way the reader will learn how images and techniques can be integrated in clinical practice to the benefit of the patient. In addition, it is explained how appropriate multimodality integration can reduce the patient's exposure to ionizing radiation. Physicians ranging from cardiac surgeons to internal medicine specialists and even public health administrators will find this book invaluable in understanding the role of hybrid cardiac imaging.

This textbook is alone in focusing on the subject of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in pediatric and adult patients with congenital heart disease. The topic of congenital heart disease imaging is usually relegated to a single chapter in most general CMR texts. The expanding scope of CHD warrants a text dedicated to covering CHD and CMR imaging in detail. Our proposed book aims to be a comprehensive and authoritative text on this subject. This book is be a multi-authored, illustrated text that includes supplementary access to a number of clinical videos. Authors have been selected from imaging experts in the most medically advanced areas of the world, heavily weighted by experts in the US and Europe to produce the quintessential reference in this topic.

The `Formation of the Heart and its Regulation` reviews in considerable detail the major events in heart development and their control via genes, cell-cell interactions, growth factors and other contributing elements. In addition, there is an extensive and useful overview of the field of heart development taken as a whole. The book will appeal to all students and researchers working on cardiovascular development and to pediatric cardiologists.

This timely review of heart mechanosensitivity examines tissues at the molecular, biological, bio-physical, physiological and pharmaceutical levels. New insight on the electromechanical properties of cardiac tissue is supported with experimental results.

La risonanza magnetica del cuore è in grado di fornire contemporaneamente informazioni morfologiche, di caratterizzazione tissutale, funzionali, di perfusione e di flusso in un'unica indagine. Il suo utilizzo è in continuo incremento, sia nella ricerca che nella clinica, in molti ambiti della cardiologia: dalle miocardiopatie, ai vari aspetti della cardiopatia ischemica, dalle cardiopatie congenite alle aritmie cardiache. Il volume rappresenta un'importante novità editoriale ponendo l'accento sull'ottimizzazione delle tecniche di acquisizione e dei protocolli di studio e descrivendo, oltre alle basi fisiche delle apparecchiature, anche l'anatomia cardiaca e tutte le tecniche per lo studio del cuore, e infine evidenziando le principali applicazioni cliniche della metodica e le sue indicazioni consolidate. L'opera, principalmente rivolta a radiologi e cardiologi, risulterà di interesse anche per i meno esperti, grazie alla trattazione esaustiva e didattica dei contenuti.

New MSCT machines produce a volume data set with the highest isotropic spatial resolution ever seen, offering superb 3D images of the entire heart and vessels. The texts currently available on cardiac CT imaging mainly focus on visualizing pathological aspects of coronary arteries. Anatomy of the Heart by Multislice Computed Tomography is the first text to bridge the gap between classical anatomy textbooks and CT textbooks, presenting a side-by-side comparison of ‘electronic'dissection made by CT scanning and traditionally hand-made anatomical dissection. Focusing on the fundamentals as well as the details of cardiac anatomy in a clinical setting using MSCT, this is an invaluable reference for cardiac imaging trainees, cardiologists, radiologists, interventionists and electrophysiologists, providing a better understanding of the cardiac structures, coronary arteries and veins anatomy and their 3-dimensional spatial relationships.

Cardiac Gene Expression: Methods and Protocols presents both cutting-edge and established methods for studying cardiac gene expression. The protocols provide a template for solid research, and cover the process through screening, analysis, characterization, and functional confirmation of novel genes or known genes with a new function. Section I, Cardiac Gene Expression Profiling: The Global Perspective, discusses several different approaches to examining, identifying, and analyzing changes in transcriptome gene expression. Section II, Cardiac Gene Regulation: Gene-Specific mRNA Measurement in the Myocardium, outlines more sensitive and gene-targeted expression methods. Section III, Cardiac Gene Regulation: Promoter Characterization in the Myocardium, provides protocols for the study of underlying gene regulation mechanisms by focusing on the interaction of transcription factors with their cognate cis binding elements. Section IV, In Silico Assessment of Regulatory cis-Elements and Gene Regulation, and Section V, Cardiac Single Network Polymorphisms, emphasize new analytical approaches for deciphering the functional elements buried in the 3 billion nucleotides of the human genome and other model genomes. The concluding section, Gene Overexpression and Targeting in the Myocardium, highlights methods that facilitate overexpression or cardiac-specific targeted gene deletion.

Over the past few years, the power and potential of proteomics has become widely recognized. The use of proteomics for the study of complex diseases is increasing and is particularly applicable to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in developed countries. The ability to investigate the complete proteome provides a critical tool toward elucidating the complex and multif- torial basis of cardiovascular biology, especially disease processes. Proteomics involves the integration of a number of technologies with the aim of analyzing all the proteins expressed by a biological system in response to various stimuli under different pathophysiological conditions. The proteomic approach offers the ability to evaluate simultaneously the changes in protein expression and cell signaling pathways in response to such conditions as atherosclerosis, c- diac hypertrophy, stroke, or heart failure. Cardiovascular Proteomics: Methods and Protocols covers many of the above aspects of the proteomic approach in the cardiovascular field. This v- ume takes the reader through the complete process of proteomic analysis, from the obtention of specific heart proteins (troponin I) to the new techniques of identifying risk biomarkers of atherome plaque rupture, analyzing the secretome of explanted endarterectomies cultured in vitro, or the application of phage display techniques to decipher the molecular diversity of blood vessels.

This book draws on the established European guidelines from the ESC that address the key issues in sudden cardiac death, such as identifying individuals at risk prior to an episode of a ventricular tachyarrhythmia or a sudden cardiac arrest, and responding in a timely fashion to the person suffering the event out-of-the-hospital. It presents an update on what is known about sudden cardiac arrest, from basic experimental studies to clinical trials, and serves as a complement to the ESC Core Syllabus on this subject. Topics include epidemiology, genetics, arrhythmogenic mechanisms, risk stratification, autonomic nervous system and phenotypes. Disease states and special populations are also covered, as well as drug, device and ablation treatments, and cost effectiveness. All chapters are co-authored by experts from both Europe and the US. The ESC Education Series This book is part of the ESC Education Series. The series is designed to provide medical professionals with the latest information about the understanding, diagnosis and management of cardiovascular diseases. Where available, management recommendations are based on the established European Guidelines, which encompass the best techniques to use with each cardiac disease. Throughout the series, the leading international opinion leaders have been chosen to edit and contribute to the books. The information is presented in a succinct and accessible format with a clinical focus.

This special volume of the Journal of Elasticity represents the first in a new p- gram dedicated to the occasional publication of collections of invited, reviewed papers of topical interest. The purpose of this program is to spotlight the dev- opments and applications in the mechanics of materials within specific areas that can enhance growth and provide insight for the advancement of the field as well as promote fundamental understanding and basic discovery. Soft Tissue Mechanics is an area of biomechanics that draws heavily upon f- damental ideas and material models from nonlinear elasticity and viscoelasticity. A major goal of this research is to understand those mechanics properties of heart, artery, collagen and skeletal muscle tissue that can be used for the diagnosis of health problems and the improvement of human life. This volume illustrates how experiment, modeling and computation is currently employed in this emerging field. May 2001 ROGER FOSDICK Editor-in-Chief Journal of Elasticity 61: ix–xii, 2000. ix Preface There are two primary areas for the application of elasticity in the biomechanics of tissues: hard tissue mechanics (e.g., bone, teeth, horns, etc.) and soft tissue - chanics (e.g., skin, tendons, arteries, etc.). The distinguishing feature between these tissue types is the amount of physiological “normal” deformation they experience. While “hard” tissues only experience small deformations, soft tissues typically experience large deformations. From a biomechanics viewpoint soft tissues fall within the realm of finite elasticity.

Both timely and topical, this book examines the most important aspects of the relationship between alcohol consumption and health. Drawing together much new and exciting work in this area, it reviews this emotive subject from a dispassionate perspective. It will provide a firm base for further research into the effects of alcohol on the cardiovascular system, and into public health attitudes to what is both a universal pleasure and problem.