Sudden death is probably the greatest challenge facing modem cardiology today. This is mainly due to the impact of its brusque appearance and the socioeconomic implications. The incidende is presently decreasing somewhat, mainly due to the decline in new cases of ischemic heart disease on one hand, and to better preven tion in risk patients on the other. Nevertheless, the figures are still high and represent over 300.000 patients per year in the United States alone. This book is an updating of the problem of sudden death from a multifactorial standpoint. It includes not only electrophysiologic data but also covers aspects ranging from epidemiology to prevention. Risk markers and triggering mechanicsms of sudden death are reviewed, with special emphasis on the role of electrical instability, ischemia and depressed ventricular function. The book includes the contributions from many experts, often pioneers in their respective fields. It is our hope that the book serves as an Updating for those cardiologist who are not specialized in these subjects, but may also be of interest to the expert. We wish to express our sincerest gratitude to the authors for sending in their work so promptly, and also Kluwer Academic Publishers for their exactitude and perfection in this edition.
