Coronary Circulation and Myocardial Ischemia

This volume presents the latest updates in the basic science and clinical issues associated with Coronary Circulation and Myocardial Ischemia. New and clinically relevant aspects of coronary blood flow are reviewed in a four-part structure. (1) The basic physiology of coronary blood flow, its control and dysregulation with atherosclerotic disease. (2) The applied physiological aspects of blood flow and myocardial performance. Important concepts such as pre-conditioning, inflammation and thrombosis and fibrinolysis are addressed within the context of ventricular pump function. (3) The functional assessment of the coronary circulation, going beyond coronary angiography and nuclear scanning to address cutting edge technologies including echocardiographic analysis of tissue blood flow, PET analysis of myocardial viability, rapid nuclear magnetic imaging, and intracoronary ultrasound imaging. (4) Non-thrombotic, anti-thrombotic and thrombolytic therapies for coronary ischemia. TOC:Local Control of Coronary Blood Flow and Adenosine.- Basic Mechanisms of Atherosclerosis: From Inflammation to Infection.- Myocardial Ischemic Preconditioning.- Coronary Circulation in Sepsis.- Role of Inflammatory Response and Thrombosis in Acute Coronary Syndromes.- Basic Aspects of Fibrinolysis and Thrombolysis.- Quantitative Echocardiographic Evaluation of Cardiac Function.- Prognosis in Unstable Angina.- Assessment of Myocardial Viability.- Functional Assessment of the Coronary Physiology: The Role of Magnetic Resonance.- Intracoronary Ultrasound Imaging.- Non-Antithrombotic Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndromes: Role of Beta-Blockers, Calcium Channel Blockers, and Nitrates.- Coronary Circulation and Myocardial Ischemia: Thrombolysis.- Interventional Cardiology in the Treatment of Coronary Disease.- Enhancement of Coronary Blood Flow as Myocardial Salvage Therapy.