Cardiovascular Disability


Book Description

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.




Molecular Mechanism of Congenital Heart Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension


Book Description

This open access book focuses on the molecular mechanism of congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension, offering new insights into the development of pulmonary circulation and the ductus arteriosus. It describes in detail the molecular mechanisms involved in the development and morphogenesis of the heart, lungs and ductus arteriosus, covering a range of topics such as gene functions, growth factors, transcription factors and cellular interactions, as well as stem cell engineering technologies. The book also presents recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanism of lung development, pulmonary hypertension and molecular regulation of the ductus arteriosus. As such, it is an ideal resource for physicians, scientists and investigators interested in the latest findings on the origins of congenital heart disease and potential future therapies involving pulmonary circulation/hypertension and the ductus arteriosus.




A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases


Book Description

Chronic diseases are common and costly, yet they are also among the most preventable health problems. Comprehensive and accurate disease surveillance systems are needed to implement successful efforts which will reduce the burden of chronic diseases on the U.S. population. A number of sources of surveillance data-including population surveys, cohort studies, disease registries, administrative health data, and vital statistics-contribute critical information about chronic disease. But no central surveillance system provides the information needed to analyze how chronic disease impacts the U.S. population, to identify public health priorities, or to track the progress of preventive efforts. A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases outlines a conceptual framework for building a national chronic disease surveillance system focused primarily on cardiovascular and chronic lung diseases. This system should be capable of providing data on disparities in incidence and prevalence of the diseases by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic region, along with data on disease risk factors, clinical care delivery, and functional health outcomes. This coordinated surveillance system is needed to integrate and expand existing information across the multiple levels of decision making in order to generate actionable, timely knowledge for a range of stakeholders at the local, state or regional, and national levels. The recommendations presented in A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases focus on data collection, resource allocation, monitoring activities, and implementation. The report also recommends that systems evolve along with new knowledge about emerging risk factors, advancing technologies, and new understanding of the basis for disease. This report will inform decision-making among federal health agencies, especially the Department of Health and Human Services; public health and clinical practitioners; non-governmental organizations; and policy makers, among others.




The Right Heart


Book Description

The heart and lung are intricately linked. When the heart is affected by disease, the lungs will often show some related pathological or clinical conditions and vice versa. Pulmonary heart disease is by definition a condition when the lungs cause the heart to fail. The left ventricle in combination with the other structures in the “left heart” pumps blood throughout the body. The right ventricle (and structures of the “right heart”) pumps blood to the lungs where it is oxygenated and returned to the left heart for distribution. In normal circumstances, the right heart pumps blood into the lungs without any resistance. The lungs usually have minimal pressure and the right heart easily pumps blood through. However when there is lung disease present, like emphysema, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) or pulmonary hypertension- the small blood vessels become very stiff and rigid. The right ventricle is no longer able to push blood into the lungs and eventually fails. This is known as pulmonary heart disease. Pulmonary heart disease is also known as right heart failure or cor pulmonale. The chief cause of right heart failure is the increase in blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary artery).




Aortopathy


Book Description

This is the first textbook to focus on Aortopathy, a new clinical concept for a form of vasculopathy. The first section of the book starts from discussing general concept and history of Aortopathy, and then deals with its pathophysiology, manifestation, intrinsic factor, clinical implication, management and prevention. The second part closely looks at various disorders of the Aortopathy such as bicuspid aortic valve and coarctation of aorta. The book editors have published a lot of works on the topic and have been collecting relating data in the field of congenital heart disease for the past 20 years, thus present the book with confidence. The topic - an association of aortic pathophysiological abnormality, aortic dilation and aorto-left ventricular interaction - is getting more and more attention among cardiovascular physicians. This is the first book to refer for cardiologists, pediatric cardiologists, surgeons, ACHD specialists, etc. to acquire thorough knowledge on Aortopathy.




Pulmonary Heart Disease


Book Description

Responsibility for the diagnosis and management of disorders of the pulmonary circulation has become the shared domain of the pulmonologist, cardiologist, surgeon, radiologist, pathologist, and, perhaps most important of all, the internist. It is the general internist who is most likely to care for the majority of patients with lung diseases that secondarily give rise to pulmonary heart disease, and it is the internist who will first evaluate the patient with primary pulmonary hyperten sion or recurrent pulmonary thromboembolism who presents with nonspecific complaints and may manifest subtle and nondiagnostic findings on preliminary evaluation. The burgeoning medical literature concerning aspects of the pulmonary circula tion, both clinical and investigative, is a reflection of the reawakening of great interest in this field and has led to many new developments, both in our understand ing of cardiopulmonary pathophysiology and in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary vascular diseases. This book is an attempt to provide the clinician with a comprehensive overview of pulmonary heart disease from the perspective of experts representing a variety of disciplines. It is intended to be thorough yet clinically relevant. Individuals familiar with some facets of pulmonary heart disease may gain insight into other aspects of this condition, whereas those unfamiliar with this disorder may find this work useful as a general reference or as a resource to address a specific question.




Primary Pulmonary Hypertension


Book Description

Detailing state-of-the-art developments in the various aspects of primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), this practical reference explores the history, most current scientific concepts, and treatments of this disease. Includes new advances not yet formally published! Written by nearly 30 of the top international experts in the field, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension addresses the general histological features of the normal and hypertensive pulmonary vasculature and the pathology of PPH discusses etiological possibilities of pathogenesis, common morphological features, and findings in experimental models examines risks factors for PPH and looks separately at familial PPH and PPH in children presents an approach to the differential diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, emphasizing the recognition of PPH elucidates the invasive and noninvasive modalities available for obtaining qualitative and quantitative hemodynamic data for the diagnosis of PPH covers a variety of therapeutic options and much more!




CT and MRI in Congenital Heart Diseases


Book Description

This book covers the cross-sectional imaging of congenital heart diseases, and features a wealth of relevant CT and MRI images. Important details concerning anatomy, physiology, embryology and management options are discussed, and the key technical aspects of performing the imaging are explained step by step. Written by a team of respected authors, the book is richly illustrated and supplemented with access to a number of clinical videos. Intended to provide quick and reliable access to high-quality MRI and CT images of frequently encountered congenital and structural heart abnormalities, the book offers a go-to guide for imaging physicians, helping them overcome the steep learning curve for pediatric cardiac imaging.




Principles of Pulmonary Protection in Heart Surgery


Book Description

Over the past ?fty years, advanced techniques and strategies have arisen in the ?eld of myocardial protection. Meticulous trials, focusing on pulmonary protection during heart surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), have been missing. This te- book is intended to serve as a useful tool to spread information on strategies for lung protection during heart surgery with CPB. Emphasis on pulmonary protection will be turned to lung perfusion as an adjunct for minimizing the deleterious effects of pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury in heart surgery. Many renowned authors have contributed by presenting their expe- ence on lung perfusion in basic research and clinical trials. Furthermore, they have enlightened the quality of this textbook with new ideas, concepts, and future perspectives. The scope of this textbook is of interest to different professionals, such as card- vascular surgeons, pulmonary surgeons, transplantation physicians, cardiothoracic anesthesiologists, intensive care physicians, cardiothoracic fellows, radiologists, basic sciences physicians, cardiologists, pulmonary medicine physicians, perfusi- ists, nurses, students, and researchers. This textbook has 7 sections, aimed at addressing general and speci?c aspects of pulmonary protection during heart surgery with CPB. The ?rst section on general concepts provides information about anatomic, physiologic, histologic, molecular, and radiologic considerations regarding the lungs. The second section focuses on ischemia-reperfusion injury and is composed of several interesting chapters, addressing the basic science aspects of pulmonary p- tection, as well as experimental and clinical experiences from different heart surgery centers worldwide.




NORD Guide to Rare Disorders


Book Description

NORD Guide to Rare Disorders is a comprehensive, practical, authoritative guide to the diagnosis and management of more than 800 rare diseases. The diseases are discussed in a uniform, easy-to-follow format--a brief description, signs and symptoms, etiology, related disorders, epidemiology, standard treatment, investigational treatment, resources, and references.The book includes a complete directory of orphan drugs, a full-color atlas of visual diagnostic signs, and a Master Resource List of support groups and helpful organizations. An index of symptoms and key words offers physicians valuable assistance in finding the information they need quickly.