Preface

*Inflammatory Heart Diseases*, edited by Drs. Aronow and Murashita, presents comprehensive information on pericardial diseases, cardiomyopathies, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

In the first section, chapters cover advanced concepts in pericardial disease, pericardial disease in the elderly, tuberculous pericarditis, surgical treatment of chronic constrictive pericarditis, surgery for chronic pericardial effusion, and anesthesia for patients with pericardial disease.

In the second section, chapters discuss inflammation and diabetic cardiomyopathy, peripartum cardiomyopathies, and medical imaging in myocarditis.

In the third section, chapters examine atherosclerosis of extracranial carotid vessels and serum homocysteine, and the role of lifestyle in the development of coronary heart disease.

I would like to thank all of the contributors for their outstanding work. I would also like to acknowledge the excellent editing of Professor Murashita and the excellent assistance of Sara Bacvarova, Author Service Manager at IntechOpen.

**II**

**Chapter 8 109**

**Chapter 9 125** Application of Medical Imaging in Diagnosis and Assessment of Myocarditis

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease **137**

**Chapter 10 139**

**Chapter 11 155**

Atherosclerosis at Extracranial Carotid Vessels and Serum Homocysteine *by Mei-Ling Sharon Tai, Kuo Ghee Ong, Tsun Haw Toh, Hafez Hussain,* 

The Role of Lifestyle in Development of Coronary Heart Disease

*Mohammad A. Imran, Adel Ganaw, Umm-e-Amara, Zia Mahmood,* 

*Ahmed Atef Shible, Ranjan Matthias, Muhammad Shakeel Riaz, Hafiz Hamid Habib, Masood Khattak and A.R. Raju Vegesna*

*M.A. Rahman, Mohammad Nayeemuddin, Moad Ehfeda, Muhammad Zubair,* 

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Facts and Figures *by Nissar Shaikh, Firdos Ummunnisa, Arshad Chanda,* 

*by Yousif Mohamed Y. Abdallah and Nouf H. Abuhadi*

*Abdul Rashid Mat Mahidin and Esther Kar Mun Yeow*

and Pericarditis

*by Sushama J. Bhosale*

**Section 3**

**Wilbert S. Aronow, MD, FACC, FAHA** Professor of Medicine and Director of Cardiology Research, Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College

**1**

Section 1

Pericarditis
