Preface

As the burden of heart failure continues to grow, it is predicted that 1 in every 33 Americans will be affected by heart failure in the next decade. In addition, it is anticipated that the cost of managing heart failure will be approximately $70 billion in 2030. Currently, heart failure results in more than 1 million hospitalizations every year. With the estimated 5-year mortality at approximately 50%, treatments that will improve survival and alleviate the economic burden of this condition are urgently needed. With all of this in mind, this Color Atlas and Synopsis of Heart Failure has been put together. This book is intended for medical students, postgraduate trainees, practicing cardiologists, physician assistants, internal medicine physicians, and general practitioners so that they can rapidly assimilate information on a wide variety of topics related to heart failure.

This book contains 45 chapters; it is illustrated generously with color photographs and includes a substantial amount of clinically oriented material. The hope is that this book not only will help practitioners to provide better care for their heart failure patients but also will provide a stimulus for further research in this area.