Cardiac Rehabilitation Manual

Cardiac diseases are still the leading causes of death in  industrialized countries. They induce considerable harm to survivors and  often lead to severe and irreversible physical and neurological  disabilities. However, a considerable amount can be done to prevent  coronary artery disease or to slow the progression of the disease. Both  can be achieved by tackling the panoply of modifiable risk factors,  which have been identified to be amenable to lifestyle changes. Cardiac  Rehabilitation Manual covers the general principals of exercise testing  and training as well as nutritional and psychological support. After  these fundamentals of cardiac rehabilitation have been laid out in  appropriate depths, chapters follow on common cardiac diseases. Cases  include symptomatic coronary artery disease with or without diabetes,  myocardial infarction or revascularization, cases of heart failure in  rather stable conditions, with or without cardiac devices. The book  concludes with cardiac rehabilitation in patients with congenital  cardiovascular diseases, valvular surgery, and peripheral arterial  disease with claudication. Critically, the content is not presented in  text book style, but rather taught on representative clinical cases,  focusing on a particular patient and discussing the most appropriate  diagnostic tools and treatment options. It is thus designed to be a  practical guide for doctors – many of whom have little direct experience  in cardiac rehabilitation – and geared to help them guide their  patients through the options available to maximize their health status.