Arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease and heart fail ure are the commonest cardiovascular conditions to present in clinical practice. Over the past few years it has become in creasingly clear that they are closely and causally interrelated and that their relationship can have a significant bearing on prognosis. Epidemiological studies have shown that arterial hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for de veloping heart failure. Only one in four patients with hyper tension is adequately managed, and in 50% of cases, the hypertension has not been recognised or treated. Patients with pre-existing hypertension who go on to suffer an acute myocardial infarction have usually not previously had typi cal angina symptoms, the infarct territory is larger, life threatening arrhythmias are commoner and hence in-hospi tal mortality and long-term prognosis are markedly worse. The presence of raised blood pressure in the post-infarct phase doubles the risk of manifest heart failure. The close relationship between hypertension, coronary heart disease and heart failure makes the choice of therapeu tic strategy particularly important. Agents and classes of agents that have prognostic value in all three conditions should be considered first, as synergy might result in addi tional benefits. In such patients, this sort of therapeutic deci sion-making might have further advantages. The use of these agents may prevent complications which are not yet clinically obvious (such as heart failure).

This book explains how hypertension affects 20-50% of the adult population in developed countries. Heart failure is the result of the hypertension's effects on the heart and it represents a growing public health problem. In this context the international scientific community is continuously struggling to develop better strategies in screening, diagnosing and treating hypertension and its deleterious effects. Thus, this field is continuously changing, with new important information being added constantly. This volume will offer both insights into the intimate mechanisms of transition from hypertension to heart failure and clinical practice advice on the prevention and treatment of heart failure in hypertensive population. The mechanisms which explain the progression from hypertension to heart failure will be also covered exhaustively by offering two chapters referring to the diagnosis of heart failure in hypertensive population and one regarding echocardiography which is the most frequently used imaging method in clinical practice. The reader will be also provided with information on cardiovascular magnetic resonance which has the unique advantage of differentiating hypertensive heart failure from other pathologies associated with increased myocardial thickness. This book is a useful tool for clinicians but also to the research community interested in heart failure and consequences of hypertension on heart who want to be up-to-date with the new developments in the field.

Cardiovascular, respiratory, and related conditions cause more than 40 percent of all deaths globally, and their substantial burden is rising, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Their burden extends well beyond health effects to include significant economic and societal consequences. Most of these conditions are related, share risk factors, and have common control measures at the clinical, population, and policy levels. Lives can be extended and improved when these diseases are prevented, detected, and managed. This volume summarizes current knowledge and presents evidence-based interventions that are effective, cost-effective, and scalable in LMICs.

For many years, there has been a great deal of work done on chronic congestive heart failure while acute heart failure has been considered a difficult to handle and hopeless syndrome. However, in recent years acute heart failure has become a growing area of study and this is the first book to cover extensively the diagnosis and management of this complex condition. The book reflects the considerable amounts of new data reported and many new concepts which have been proposed in the last 3-4 years looking at the epidemiology, diagnostic and treatment of acute heart failure.

The third edition of Hypertension: A Companion to Braunwald's Heart Disease, by Drs. George L. Bakris and Matthew Sorrentino, focuses on every aspect of managing and treating patients who suffer from hypertensive disorders. Designed for cardiologists, endocrinologists and nephrologists alike, this expansive, in-depth review boasts expert guidance from contributors worldwide, keeping you abreast of the latest developments from basic science to clinical trials and guidelines. - Features expert guidance from worldwide contributors in cardiology, endocrinology, neurology and nephrology. - Covers behavior management as an integral part of treatment plans for hypertensives and pre-hypertensives. - Covers new developments in epidemiology, pathophysiology, immunology, clinical findings, laboratory testing, invasive and non-invasive testing, risk stratification, clinical decision-making, prognosis, and management. - Includes chapters on hot topics such as hypertension as an immune disease; sleep disorders including sleep apnea, a major cause of hypertension; a novel chapter on environmental pollution and its contribution to endothelial dysfunction, and more! - Equips you with the most recent guidelines from the major societies. - Updates sourced from the main Braunwald's Heart Disease text. - Highlights new combination drug therapies and the management of chronic complications of hypertension.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a screening tool called the Listing of Impairments to identify claimants who are so severely impaired that they cannot work at all and thus immediately qualify for benefits. In this report, the IOM makes several recommendations for improving SSA's capacity to determine disability benefits more quickly and efficiently using the Listings.

An accessible and forceful account of the harmful effects of excess salt in the human diet.