New Advances in Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2003 Proceedings of the Mediterranean Cardiology Meeting (Taormina, April 10–12, 2003)

Subjects of the book are Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation, two emerging pathologies in the field of cardiology, to which many investigators are now addressing their research. Their diffusion in the sick population represents a major public health problem at the beginning of the third millennium. The volume aims to present the latest approaches to the management of heart failure and atrial fibrillation, emphasising in particular the intrinsic relation existing between them, the results after 10 years of biventricular pacing, the innovative pacing techniques now available, and the use of new drugs, devices or ablation procedures for the prevention and treatment of atrial fibrillation recurrences.

Opening lecture.- Sudden Death Prevention in Heart Failure: Which Role for ICD?. In-and outhospital management of heart failure patients.- ACE-Inhibitors, '-Blockers, Spironolactone: Do We Need Many More Drugs to Treat Chronic Heart Failure?. Non-Invasive Evaluation and Early Treatment of Heart Failure Patients. The Problem of Recreational Sport in Patients with Mild to Moderate Heart Failure.Wireless Home Monitoring in Permanent Cardiac Stimulation: is it Especially Suitable in CHF Patients?. Organisational and Economical Point of View in the Management of Congestive Heart Failure Patient. Electromagnetic Interferences in Biventricular and/or ICD Paced Patients. Atrial Arrhythmias: Drugs, Devices or Ablation.- Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter: Sympathetic Nervous System and Arrhythmogenesis. Current approach and treatment in acute atrial fibrillation. Pacing, ICD, or Both for the Hybrid Therapy of Atrial Arrhythmias?. Is There Still a Role for Right Atrial Ablation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation?. Multidisciplinary Approach to Heart Failure and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.- The Selection of Patients for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy. The Perspective of the Emergency Department. Ventricular Pacing in CHF: The Role of the Internist. Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure: the Chicken-egg Dilemma.- Type of Therapy and Quality of Life in Atrial Fibrillation. Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation in Chronic Heart Failure Patient: Facts or Fancy. Risk-Stratification in Heart Failure Patients with Varying Disease Severity. Atrial Fibrillation Therapy: From Fiction to Facts.- Cardioversion of Recent-Onset Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation to Sinus Rhythm in the Emergency Department: Comparison of Intravenous Drugs. The Present Role And Future Perspectives Of Radiofrequency Ablation Of Atrial Fibrillation. The Affirm Study and Its Implications for the Pharmacological Treatment of AF. Antiarrhythmic Agents in Atrial Fibrillation: A New Role in the Context of a Hybrid Approach? State of the Art in the Current Trends and Treatments of Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter.- Atrial Fibrillation: New Insights Into Electrophysiologic Mechanisms. Pharmacological therapy of atrial fibrillation and flutter: advances and limitations of specific antiarrhythmic drugs. Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter: the Latest from the Planet of Right RF Catheter Ablation. Hot Topics in Tachyarrhythmias management.- Impact of LocaLisa on Ablation Management. Device Therapy for Atrial Arrhythmias: Latest Topics from the AT500 Italian Registry. The Role of Electrical Therapy in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction.- Role of Electrical Therapy in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction: The Clinical Cardiologist's Experience. The Electrophysiological Aspect. New Approaches in Electrical Treatment and Management of Heart Failure Patients.-Benefits of Closed Loop Stimulation in Resynchronization Therapy. Optimization Of Resynchronization Therapy By Intracardiac Ventricular Impedance.Dual Site Right Ventricular Pacing in Heart Failure Patients.The role of 'single shock' ICD for sudden death primary prevention in heart failure patients. Biventricular Pacing: A Simplified Technique For Transvenous Implantation. Innovative Pacing Techniques: Solutions for AF and HF.- Pacing in Atrial Fibrillation: Therapies for Rhythm Control.Pacing in Atrial Fibrillation: Therapies for Rate Control.What Have We Learned from Cardiac Resynchronization Trials?.Is There Still a Role for Cardioversion in AF Patients?.-Is Fluoroscopic Electrode Positioning Improving the Clinical Efficacy of External Biphasic Cardioversion in patients with AF?.Is Transesophageal Echocardiography Always Necessary Before Cardioversion of AF Patients After Conventional Anticoagulation Therapy?.Anticoagulation Therapy of Atrial Fibrillation in the Elderly. Ultimate and Ongoing Trials on Heart Fai