G. Jagadeesh – Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapy of Cardiovascular Disease (2015)

Описание

With the advance of modern civilization, the historical causes of death in human
populations such as war, drought, famine and the spread of microbes have been
replaced by a new wave of global killers: ‘non-communicable diseases (NCDs)’.
According to the World Health Organization report, NCDs kill 38 million people
each year, with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) accounting for most NCD deaths
(17.5 million deaths, or 46.2 % of NCD deaths). Urbanization, industrialization,
globalization and a larger ageing population have amplifi ed the role of NCDs in
global mortality and morbidity. NCDs affect both men and women, devastating both
rich and poor nations alike, although more people in poor nations are more likely to
die as they lack access to lifesaving medicines. In the past, we tussled against nature
to combat communicable diseases; now, it is a battle against the lifestyles, dietary
habits and indulgences of human nature to combat these NCDs, of which one
important battlefront is to prevent, delay and effectively treat CVDs and promote
global cardiovascular health.
While we are acquainted with a lot of information about CVDs and relevant
treatment strategies, we still need to know more about current advances in CVD
patterns, pathophysiology, diagnosis and pharmacotherapy. In addition, there is a
constant stream of newly approved medicines entering the pharmaceutical drug
market necessitating periodical updates in drug information to meet the rational use
of drugs. We have attempted to collate here the knowledge of experts in different
aspects of CVDs. This effort has been an innovative collaboration of global clinicians
and scientists with the goal of advancing our thinking and testing new
approaches to combat CVDs. Keeping these principles in mind, our authors have
narrated the basic understanding of physiology and pathophysiology of the cardiovascular
system, its regulation, and its excessive indulgence or over-activation causing
an imbalance in the neural and hormonal systems to release harmful factors/
chemicals changing the integrity of the cells, tissues and organs to precipitate
disease(s). Applying the fi ndings from these studies, treatment algorithms were
generated by the authors, giving detailed descriptions of complex cellular mechanisms
of drug action for the CVDs described in each chapter.
The book has eight major sections comprising 62 chapters. The emphasis is
clinical, covering all key areas such as heart failure, cardiac hypertrophy and
cardiomyopathy, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia,
hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, valvular heart diseases and cardiovascular
conditions of childhood and pregnancy. Emerging areas of cardiovascular therapies
such as cell and gene therapy, microRNA therapeutics, biomarkers, devices and
mechanical approaches to control diseases are presented in addition to classic
pharmacologic and therapeutic approaches. The editors are greatly indebted to all
authors and co- authors for the expert write-up of their respective chapters in a fi eld
that is dynamic and ever growing.
Our objective is to provide meaningful guidance in understanding and treating
CVDs. This book is not just a database of therapeutics for CVDs. This book is
particularly intended for pharmaceutical, biomedical and health science
professionals. We have tried our level best to make the subject contents interesting
and thought provoking. This book offers an opportunity for readers to keep
abreast of recent advances in the practice of cardiovascular medicine. We sincerely
welcome comments and suggestions from readers.
We are grateful to Dr. Amitabh Prakash, Editor of Clinical Pharmacokinetics
and the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs for having initiated the project
and for his timely advice in the preparation of the book. We are also pleased to
acknowledge the indispensable role played by Ms. Lorna Venter-Lewis, Ms. Ursula
Gramm, Mr. Gurunadham Prasad and Mr. PremLal Prejith of Springer in the preparation
of this book.
The opinions expressed in the book are those of the respective chapter authors
and do not necessarily represent those of the editors and their employers.