With great pleasure we present our Third International Workshop on The Local C- diac Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System (RAAS), held at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in November 2008. When this meeting was rst organized in 2002, we were pleased that all who were invited to participate in our rst workshop attended our program; and what is most satisfying, all of these participants returned for the second and this, the third workshop. In addition, we are delighted that a number of additional workers in this growing eld of investigation joined us for this third program. Over the years since our rst workshop, there is little doubt as to the existence of a local RAAS in the heart. Indeed, there is substantial evidence as to the existence of other local systems in brain, vessels, adrenal, and, as presented in the current workshop, the kidneys. What is even more stimulating intellectually, through dup- cation of local RAAS systems a remarkable yin-yang biological balance is provided by nature. Thus, in the current third workshop considerable evidence has accu- lated over the years for complicated local systems that serve to provide exquisite and unique local control of local organ functions.
