Thoracic Key

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The advent of percutaneous therapies has revolutionized our approach to treatment of valvular heart disease. The ability to perform such interventions safely and effectively relies heavily…

ATHEROSCLEROSIS Print Section Listen Introduction The complex molecular and cellular biology of the inflammatory process that promotes atherosclerosis has been elucidated through years of extensive experimental and clinical research. Vascular…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is the main cause of “secondary” arterial hypertension. RAS is found in 0.5% to 5% of hypertensive patients. RAS is most often…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The catheterization laboratory continues to evolve with time, initially concentrating on hemodynamic assessment of the heart and, in particular, valvular heart disease, before becoming very “coronary-centric”…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen In contemporary practice, catheter-based interventions have become an increasingly important therapeutic modality for the treatment of nearly all areas of the peripheral arterial and venous system,…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The heart is the engine that powers life, and the coronary circulation represents the fuel pipes, providing blood with oxygen and other nutrients to keep the…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The cardiac valves permit efficient forward blood flow while preventing backflow, in turn creating unidirectional forward cardiac output. Valve disease leads either to reduction in orifice…

INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen A thorough knowledge of normal and abnormal coronary anatomy is essential for the interventional cardiologist. The direct application of this knowledge base helps in the selection…