Although heart failure typically begins with the left side of the heart, it is also important for cardiologists to understand right-sided heart failure, which is the inability of the right side of the heart to adequately pump venous blood into the pulmonary circulation. Right heart failure causes a back-up of fluid in the body, resulting in swelling and edema. This issue covers the normal right ventricle (RV), imaging of the RV, RV failure in a variety of settings, and tratmen tof RV failure, including interventions.

This issue of Cardiology Clinics will cover Right Ventricular Function and Failure. Curated by Drs. Jerry D. Estep and Miriam Jacob, this issue will explore topics in the field that are relevant for practicing clinicians. This issue is one of four selected each year by the series editorial board: Jamil A. Aboulhosn, David M. Shavelle, Terrence D. Welch, and Audrey H. Wu. The volume will include articles on: pathophysiology of acute and chronic right heart failure, right heart failure: a hemodynamic review, right heart failure causes and epidemiology, right heart failure and the cardiorenal syndrome, the role of multimodality imaging and RV failure, short term percutaneous mechanical circulatory support to treat acute right heart failure, defining and predicting right heart failure after LVAD placement, right heart failure after LVAD placement: medical and surgical management considerations, right heart failure in pulmonary hypertension, surgical and percutaneous interventions for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary hypertension and RV failure: lung transplant versus heart lung transplant, and RV failure and congenital heart disease.

Cardiac CT obtains information about coronary arteries, great arteries and veins, and heart valves. It shows the location and extent of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries and helps detect coronary artery disease at an early stage, which neither traditional imaging techniques nor cardiac testing can do. Over the last decade technologic advances in CT angiography have been made at a rapid rate, and the new applications and refinements of existing technology continue to be made. This issue will help practicing cardiologists to keep up with the latest technology in this important and swiftly moving field.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries, which carry blood from the heart to the lungs to pick up oxygen. The changes resulting from PH make it difficult for the heart to push blood through the pulmonary arteries, causing the heart to become weak and possibly to develop failure. Understanding the causes and treatment of PH can help heart failure specialists prevent heart failure due to PH.

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a surgically implanted pump that helps the left ventricle pump blood to the rest of the body. The purpose of this issue is to let cardiologists know about the latest devices, their complications, and the clinical situations in which they are most beneficial.

Chronic total occlusion is the complete blockage of a coronary artery. Opening up such blocked passageways is one of the most difficult challenges for coronary interventionists. The procedures take longer than most interventional procedures and frequently have complications. Articles in this issue review the state of the art in percutaneous treatment of chronic total occlusion.

Pregnancy stresses the heart and circulatory system. During pregnancy, blood volume increases by 30 to 50 percent. The amount of blood the heart pumps each minute also increases by 30 to 50 percent, and heart rate increases as well. These changes cause the heart to work harder, as do labor and delivery. This issue covers diagnosis and treatment of cardiac symptoms and cardiac emergencies during pregnancy.