Book Description:
Cardiovascular disease refers to the class of diseases that involve the heart and/or blood vessels (arteries and veins). While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system, it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis (arterial disease). Most Western countries face high and increasing rates of cardiovascular disease. Each year, heart disease kills more Americans than cancer. Diseases of the heart alone caused 30% of all deaths, with other diseases of the cardiovascular system causing substantial further death and disability. It is the number 1 cause of death and disability in the United States and most European countries. A large histological study (PDAY) showed vascular injury accumulates from adolescence, making primary prevention efforts necessary from childhood. This new and important book presents leading-edge research on both cardiovascular health and disease.

Table of Contents:
Preface

Chapter 1 - Defensive Personality Effects on Cardiovascular Health: A Review of the Evidence; pp. 1-21
(Thomas Rutledge, The Univ. of California, San Diego)

Chapter 2 - Childhood Obesity: New Evidence of Myocardial Functional Abnormalities in Overweight Children; pp. 23-40
(Sudhir Ken Mehta, Adel Younoszai, Cleveland Clinic Health System, USA)

Chapter 3 - Recent Developments in Fatty Acids Research and Cardiovascular Diseases; pp. 41-71
(Antonis Zampelas, Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Agricultural Univ. of Athens, Greece, Kalliopi-Anna Poulia, Dept. of Dietetics, "Laiko" General Univ. Hospital, Athens, Greece)

Chapter 4 - Nutraceuticals for Cardiovascular Protection; pp. 73-103
(Emily Payne, Louise Potts, Brian Lockwood, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univ. of Manchester, Manchester, UK)

Chapter 5 - Cardiovascular Risk Profile of Menopausal Women: Analysis from the Canadian National Population Health Survey;
pp. 105-123
(Julia Wong, Shirley Wong, School of Nursing, Dalhousie Univ., Halifax, Canada)

Chapter 6 - Vitamins E and C for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease; pp. 125-151
(F. Violi, R. Cangemi, L. Loffredo, IV Division of Clinical Medicine, Univ. of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy)

Chapter 7 - Aspirin Withdrawal in Patients with or at risk for Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis;
pp. 153-170
(Giuseppe G. L. Biondi-Zoccai, Hemodynamics and Cardiovascular Interventions Service, Abano Terme Hospital, Abano Terme, Italy, Marzia Lotrionte, Institute of Cardiology, Catholic Univ., Rome, Italy, Pierfrancesco Agostoni, Dept. of Cardiology, AZ Middelheim, Antwerp, Belgium)

Chapter 8 - Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in China; pp. 171-185
(Gang Hu, Zhijie Yu, Dept. of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki and Dept. of Public Health, Univ. of Helsinki, Finland, Institute for Nutritional Sciences, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, PR China)

Chapter 9 - Associations between Carbohydrate Intake and risk for Coronary Heart Disease, Insulin Resistance and the Metabolic Syndrome; pp. 187-201
(Maria Luz Fernandez, Dept. of Nutritional Sciences, Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, Marcela Vergara-Jimenez, Facultad de Ciencias Quimico-Biologicas, Univ. Autonoma de Sinaloa, Sinaloa, Mexico)

Chapter 10 - Vitamin B6, Homocysteine and Inflammation in Cardiovascular Disease; pp. 203-213
(Yi-Chia Huang, School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical Univ., Taichung, Taiwan)

Chapter 11 - Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) with Particular Regard to Infective and Autoimmune Forms; pp. 215-225
(Agostino Pugliese, Dept of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Clinical Virology, Post Doc. School of Medicine, University of Turin, Italy, Tiziana Beltramo, Donato Torre)

Index