Thoracic Key

INTRODUCTION Comprehensive assessment of ventricular diastolic function is a complex process. Full elucidation generally requires invasive measurements, such as left ventricular (LV) end diastolic pressure, the time constant of isovolumic…

INTRODUCTION Recent advances in image acquisition techniques and scanner hardware have allowed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to become a useful tool in the noninvasive assessment of cardiovascular diseases. In addition…

INTRODUCTION Heart failure (HF) can be defined physiologically as an inability of the heart to provide sufficient forward output to meet the perfusion and oxygenation requirements of the tissues while…

INTRODUCTION Heart failure (HF) is defined as the pathological state in which the heart is unable to pump blood at a rate required by the metabolizing tissues or can do…

INTRODUCTION For over 30 years, in the diagnosis and management of patients with known or suspected heart disease, nuclear cardiology procedures have made extensive use of radioactive tracers that can…

INTRODUCTION In the era of classical cardiovascular (CV) medicine (ending around the year 2000), CV function was validated predominantly by invasive means. Classic studies established the end systolic and end…

INTRODUCTION A resurgence of interest in atrial function has enhanced our understanding of the atrial contributions to cardiovascular performance in health and disease (see Chapter 13 ). The reasons for…

INTRODUCTION Heart failure is an ancient diagnosis. Some of the earliest known descriptions are attributed to Hippocrates, circa 460–370 BCE. He reported dozens of clinical case histories with examples of…