Preface

Within the field of cardiovascular medicine, the field of interventional cardiology has evolved rapidly during the past decade. In particular, there are advanced therapeutic valvular interventions that compare favorably with historical outcomes achieved with surgical approaches. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement may soon become the standard of care, and transcatheter mitral valve interventions continue to develop rapidly. In addition, improvements in drug-eluting stent technology continue to improve long-term outcomes for patients.

Keeping in mind these rapid advances in interventional cardiology, we have put together this Color Atlas and Synopsis of Interventional Cardiology. The book is intended for medical students, postgraduate physician trainees, practicing cardiologists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, internal medicine physicians, and general practitioners so that they can rapidly assimilate information on a wide variety of interventional cardiology-related topics.

This book contains 39 chapters and is presented in a succinct format with many color photographs and illustrations and related teaching points. The intent of this text is to be clinically oriented and we hope that the book will provide our readers with useful knowledge that will be relevant to their patients and their clinical practice.