Cardiac disease is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Catastrophic outcomes typically encountered are due to gaps in knowledge and communication between health care providers. There is a great need for a standardized approach for care of this very high-risk group of pregnant women. The book encompasses detailed obstetrics and cardiology perspectives that are crucial in the management of the commonly encountered cardiac conditions in pregnancy. This text aims to provide guidance to the whole team caring for a pregnant cardiac patient consisting of obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine, hospitalists, cardiologists, obstetric anaesthesiologists, emergency physicians, primary care providers and nurses. Features: Cardio-Obstetric team organization Preconception counselling and family planning considerations Cardiovascular disease screening and risk stratification of a pregnant cardiac patient Management of a wide spectrum of cardiovascular diagnoses through use of checklists and algorithms in a simple format Essential key points for each cardiac diagnosis

Addresses the challenges of managing critically ill obstetric patients, with chapters authored by intensivists/anesthesiologists and obstetricians/maternal-fetal medicine specialists.

Heart disease is the most common medical cause of maternal death in the UK and it is a major pregnancy problem around the world. The RCOG invited 26 of the world's leading experts from the UK, Europe, the USA and Canada and Japan, to a study group in February 2006, each contributing the latest available information in this vital area. The editors have paid great attention to accuracy but also to readability. The fact that the contributors came together to check, refine and develop their chapters and the speed with which the book has been produced have resulted in a volume which is particularly valuable for updating clinical practice in this key area. This is a book that all obstetricians, cardiologists and anaesthetists dealing with pregnant women with heart disease should read. Anyone with an interest in women's health care will find something for them in these pages.

Heart disease is currently the leading cause of maternal mortality in developed countries and is expected to increase further due to advanced maternal age and conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Maternal Cardiac Care: A Guide to Managing Pregnant Women with Heart Disease is an up-to-date, multidisciplinary resource for physicians and advanced practice nurses caring for pregnant patients with a variety of preexisting and emerging cardiac issues. - Offers comprehensive information on caring for women with heart disease, in an easy-to-follow, quick-access format. - Shares knowledge from a multidisciplinary group of experts who are well versed in the team approach needed to treat this high-risk patient population. - Includes extensive references for readers who want to delve more deeply into specific subjects. - Ideal for obstetricians, internists, cardiologists, critical care specialists, and advanced practice nurses involved in caring for pregnant patients, as well as institutions and departments that need detailed guidance on establishing a maternal cardiac care program.

A practical manual to aid the management of women with heart disease who are pregnant or who are considering pregnancy, Heart Disease in Pregnancy also provides an introduction to the physiological changes of pregnancy and the relevant obstetric knowledge and processes needed for a cardiologist to successfully manage a pregnant woman.

Cardiac Problems in Pregnancy offers clinicians the most detailed and comprehensive guide to diagnosing and managing pregnancy-associated cardiovascular diseases currently available. Covering a wide spectrum of congenital and acquired cardiovascular conditions, its extensive contents examine diseases of the heart with an expert awareness of the implications of pregnancy and the attendant physiological changes it brings. Such guidance is vitally required in an age in which congenital and acquired heart diseases are the leading causes of non-obstetrical maternal morbidity and mortality. Featuring 36 new or extensively revised chapters, this fourth edition of the book complements coverage of the latest research and clinical advances with a complete and up-to-date bibliography of literature on pregnancy in women with cardiovascular conditions. It also serves as a practical, step-by-step companion for those caring for heart disease patients during pregnancy, labor, and the post-partum period. Contents include: Coverage of all elements of maternal cardiology Newly written chapters featuring fresh research and data Guidance on performing risk assessments and interventions both prior to and during gestation Explanations of a range of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to cardiovascular disease in pregnant patients Drawing on expertise from across the fields of cardiovascular medicine, obstetrics, anesthesiology, cardiac surgery, pharmacology, and clinical science, Cardiac Problems in Pregnancy is designed to give invaluable support to all medical professionals involved in maximizing the safety and success of cardiologically complex pregnancies.

"This book contains a collection of the most recent insights regarding maternal morbidity and mortality and optimization of the care processes during acute critical illness. The volume represents a practical resource to be used in real-time by medical practitioners faced with a woman who is critically ill during pregnancy and the peripartum period. By providing concise tools for disease identifiers and management flow-charts, the Editors aimed to increase awareness and improve processes of care for this population. Many care paradigms for obstetric patients are currently unstandardized, unfocused and often do not follow a pre-determined path. Each chapter will provide the practitioner with updated information on how to identify specific critical conditions and how to manage them once they have been identified, to enhance recognition and readiness. This book should be used as a resource to improve the quality of care administered to obstetric patients, to reduce fragmented care processes and to improve interdisciplinary co-ordination and communication, with the overall aim of decreasing maternal morbidity and mortality. Therefore, this book represents an invaluable guide to specialists in critical care, anesthesia and obstetrics as well as to intensive care nurses and midwives."