Includes References and Index

Heart failure has become the leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization in the developed world. Much of this is due to the success in prolonging survival in patients with other cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarctions
and valvular heart disease. The number of patients with heart failure will almost
double in the next 20 years. The understanding of the pathophysiology of heart
failure has improved significantly in the past few decades, and this has translated
into dramatic improvements in pharmacologic and device therapies that have significantly improved patient outcomes including survival and the quality of life.
Even for patients with the most advanced stages of heart failure, there are now
options such as improvements in cardiac transplantation which allow prolonged
survival and alternatives to cardiac transplantation in patients who are not candidates for this therapy, which include mechanical circulatory support with a rapidly
growing number of new, smaller, more reliable devices and a growing number of
patients receiving this therapy.
The goal of this book is to provide an understanding of the etiologies and pathophysiology of heart failure and to provide a context for understanding clinical therapies available for this disease. The use of this book is to provide scientific and
clinical background for trainees in cardiovascular disease as well as physicians
involved in caring for these patients. As the field continues to evolve, there will be
updates to this book to reflect these advancements.