Michele Emdin – författare

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is caused by the accumulation of amyloid fibrils in the extracellular space of the myocardium, with clinical manifestations including conduction disturbances and heart failure. CA has traditionally been considered a rare disease, lacking effective therapies and with a poor prognosis, but in recent years, increased possibilities for non-invasive diagnosis and greater awareness of the disease have led to the identification of a growing number of cases, challenging the concept of CA as a rare disease. This is why the ability to recognise and manage patients with CA should become part of the core curriculum of cardiologists, but also of internal medicine specialists, general practitioners, neurologists, nephrologists and haematologists. This book, written by leading experts in the field, will provide the state-of-the-art in the diagnosis and management of CA and will also discuss the latest research developments and future research directions. 

Thevolume appears to be a timely one, given the great interest of clinicians and researchers in CA and the exponential increase in publications in recent year, and will be of interest to cardiologists, internal medicine and other disciplines specialists who may encounter patients with CA in their clinical practice, as well as general practitioners.

This book systematically focuses on central sleep apneas, analyzing their relationship especially with heart failure and discussing recent research results and emerging treatment strategies based on feedback modulation. The opening chapters present historical background information on Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR), clarify terminology, and explain the mechanics and chemistry of respiration. Following a description of the physiology of respiration, the pathophysiology underlying central apneas in different disorders and particularly in heart failure is discussed. The similarities and differences of obstructive and central apneas are then considered. The book looks beyond the concept of sleep apnea to daytime CSR and periodic breathing during effort and contrasts the opposing views of CSR as a compensatory phenomenon or as detrimental to the failing heart. The diagnostic tools currently in use for the detection of CSR are thoroughly reviewed, with guidance on interpretation of findings. The book concludes by describing the various forms of treatment that are available for CSR and by explaining how to select patients for treatment.

Modern cardiovascular science has produced a revolutionary new idea: the heart acts not merely as a pump, but as a "gland", that is as a regulator of circulatory homeostasis and salt-water balance. This book combines the classical heamodynamic view with the new neuro-hormonal paradigm, in all its potential clinical implications. The book will interest physiologists and clinicians involved in the study of the cardiovascular system and care of heart patients.