Cardiovascular Disorders Sourcebook, Eighth Edition

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 805,000 people in the United States have a heart attack every year. Yet, cardiovascular disease is often preventable. With careful attention to diet; an active lifestyle; and control of contributing factors, such as diabetes, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, tobacco use, and weight, Americans can reduce their chances of facing heart disease, stroke, or other blood vessel disorders. Furthermore, advances in our understanding of how to treat cardiovascular conditions make it possible to reduce the disabling health consequences frequently associated with these disorders.

Cardiovascular Disorders Sourcebook, Eighth Edition provides information about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of heart and blood vessel disorders, including cardiomyopathy, heart attack, heart rhythm disorders, heart valve disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and deep vein thrombosis. It offers details about the conditions associated with increased risks, explains the methods used to diagnose and treat them, and offers suggestions for steps men and women can take to decrease their likelihood of developing these disorders. The book also includes a discussion of cardiovascular concerns specific to men, women, children, and minority populations, and concludes with a glossary and a directory of resources for further help and information.

Part 1: Understanding Cardiovascular Risks and Emergencies describes how the heart works, explains the known risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and offers details about the conditions that make it more likely that a person will develop a cardiovascular disorder. It describes recent research regarding the genetic links and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and it explains how to recognize a cardiac emergency and what to do when one occurs.

Part 2: Heart Disorders provides basic information about the types of disorders that affect the heart. These include problems with the heart’s blood supply, problems with the heart’s rhythm, heart valve disease, and certain infectious diseases, as well as heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest, cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. Individual chapters include information about each disorder’s development, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

Part 3: Blood Vessel Disorders discusses the types of disorders that affect the arteries and veins, including atherosclerosis, carotid artery disease, stroke, disorders of the peripheral arteries and veins, and aortic disorders. It explains how these disorders arise, what their symptoms are, how they are diagnosed, and how they are treated. 

Part 4: Cardiovascular Disorders in Specific Populations describes the unique ways that cardiovascular disease affects men, women, and children. It also offers some statistics on the occurrence of cardiovascular disorders in each of these populations, and it concludes with a discussion of cardiovascular disease among minority populations in the United States.

Part 5: Diagnosing Cardiovascular Disorders explains the methods used to diagnose heart and blood vessel disorders. It describes diagnostic tests, including blood tests, electrocardiography and echocardiography, angiography, stress testing, and Holter and event monitors, and it explains how to prepare, what to expect, and which risks are associated with each test.

Part 6: Treating Cardiovascular Disorders discusses medications and procedures for treating these disorders, including antiarrhythmic and anticoagulant medications, catheterization, coronary artery bypass grafting, stenting, and pacemakers. It also includes a discussion of aneurysms and heart defect repair, heart transplants, and the use of the total artificial heart. The section concludes with a discussion of cardiac and stroke rehabilitation techniques.

Part 7: Preventing Cardiovascular Disorders describes the things that can be done to help prevent heart and blood vessel disease. It explains how to control risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and stress, by practicing a heart-healthy lifestyle, and information on vaccines for people with heart disease is also provided. 

Part 8: Additional Help and Information includes a glossary of terms related to cardiovascular disease and a directory of resources offering additional help and support.