This extensively updated new edition describes the link between heart failure guidelines and clinical practice, and represents a complementary tool to help physicians to be well informed regarding this important field. The topic of heart failure is continuously changing, with considerable developments over the past 5 years. The pathophysiology is better understood and there is a trend for a better characterization of special population groups, such as oncologic patients. New imaging techniques have become valuable tools for the diagnosis of heart failure, while pharmacological and novel cell and gene treatments have evolved enormously.
The challenge for practitioners is making the right selection of treatment strategy that best fits a patient. Current Approach to Heart Failure presents detailed information on the indications, selection and mechanism of action of these treatments, whether they be mechanical circulatory devices or pharmacological treatments. The contemporary pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of heart failure targets early prevention of disease progression and the avoidance of heart transplant. In the era of shortage of donors, prevention is the mainstay of the therapeutic strategy, which mirrors the main philosophy of this book. This textbook therefore represents an essential tool for professionals from all the fields of cardiology: non-invasive cardiology, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology and cardiovascular imaging.
Prof Maria Dorobanţu is Emeritus professor of Cardiology at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila Bucharest, Romania, Corresponding Member of the Romanian Academy
She has a special interest in the assessment and treatment of hypertension and acute and chronic heart failure (HF). She has been principal investigator in the phase III RELAX-AHF and RELAX-AHF-2 trials as well as SENIORS and BEAUTIFUL trials. These trials regard the effects of the new agent serelaxin in the patients with acute HF.
Between 2008 and 2014 she was a member of CPC of ESC, Group of Hypertension.
She was also President of the ”Coronary Pathophysiology and Microcirculation” Working Group of the European Society of Cardiology (2016-2018) ,Member of the European Society of Hypertension Board as a Representative of the National Societies of Hypertension (2019-2021)
Her current position is President of the Regional Advisory Group Europe (RAG Europe), International Society of Hypertension (ISH)
Prof Frank Ruschitzka is head of the HF and Transplantation Clinic at the University Hospital in Zürich, Switzerland. He specialized in internal medicine, nephrology and cardiology at the Universities of Göttingen and Zürich. In 2003, he was awarded the annual Götz-Preis of the Medical Faculty of the University of Zürich for excellence in clinical medicine and research. Heis the President Elect of the HF Association of the ESC. Professor Ruschitzka's research interests focusses on delineating novel targets and therapies in coronary artery disease and HF.
Professor Ponikowski is the Director of the Institute of Heart Diseases at the University Hospital, Wroclaw, Poland. He serves as Member of the Board of the Heart Failure Association of the ESC (2004-); in 2010-2012 he served as the President of the Heart Failure Association, former President of Polish Cardiac Society. He has been involved in the development of several guidelines on the management of cardiovascular diseases edited by the ESC as the member of the ESC C^140000, h-index=138; selected among Highly Cited Researchers by Thomson Reuters 2016-2021.
