Heart failure is the main cause of death and disability in the industrialized world. There is a major need for novel therapeutics for prevention and reversal of cardiac pathology associated with heart failure and cardiac enlargement. Over recent years, dramatic progress has been made in unravelling the cellular circuitry involved in cardiac failure, as well as in normal cardiac growth, development and apoptosis. This work has revealed new and unexpected therapeutic targets in the heart. In addition, advances in understanding the role of stem cells in cardiac physiology have suggested strategies for cardiac repair and regeneration once thought impossible. This book describes the work of leading investigators studying the basic mechanisms of cardiac growth, function and dysfunction. There are also exciting contributions from researchers developing novel therapeutic strategies for cardiac disease. The unique feature is the discussions amongst the contributors, which always return to the same basic problem: how can new data from biological studies be used to design novel therapies for the treatment of cardiac dysfunction following myocardial infarction, hypertension and other disorders? With its strong emphasis on translational research, this book will appeal to both scientists and clinicians interested in diminishing the impact of the current epidemic of cardiac diseases.
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