1.Cardiac Risk

This section is comprised of chapters discussing the developmental risk of cardiac disease. Chapter 1 discusses the role of inflammation in the development of cardiovascular pathology, in particular the role of inflammation in the formation of thrombosis and the contribution to risk of myocardial infarction. Chapter 2 stays with myocardial infarction, offering perspectives on the pathophysiology of myocardial injury with insight into cardioprotective mechanisms. Chapter 3 examines the fascinating area of circadian rhythm disruption via an epigenetic approach to the development of cardiovascular disease. Chapter 4 specifically focuses on the global prevalence and diagnostic criteria in Takotsubo syndrome, indicating that universal acceptance of definition and diagnostic criteria is required. Chapter 5 examines the disproportionate differences in prognosis of patients according to gender following percutaneous coronary intervention with primary and secondary prevention recommendations. Chapter 6 investigates body image and obesity acceptance in relation to clinical cardiac risk factors. Study in this area suggests that the efficacy of classical risk reduction regimens (such as weight management, exercise, hypertensive and hyperglycaemic control, etc.) can be improved by the maintenance of a self-perception of 'normal' weight in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Chapter 7 specialises in discussing the genetic determinants of familial dilated cardiomyopathy with a focus on genotype-targeted therapeutic strategies. Chapter 8 discusses the impact of coronavirus disease and the implication of the cardiovascular system in severe cases. The final chapter in section 1, chapter 9, the authors consider the role of the G-protein-coupled, seventransmembrane receptors (7TMRs) and their role in the cardiovascular system and development of cardiomyopathy with attention to the role of autoimmunity and autoantibodies in cardiomyopathy.

2.Cardiorenal Pathology

Section 2 specifically examines the specialised area of cardiorenal pathology. Chapter 10 discusses the perils and opportunities of vascular access in renal patients being assessed for central venous diseases, while Chapter 11 focuses on early detection and endovascular intervention to correct dialysis vascular access failure.

3.Cardiovascular Interventions

The final section relates to surgical interventions as part of the armamentarium of medical therapies aimed to alleviate cardiovascular diseases. The section starts with Chapter 12 offering an overview of basic to advanced specialised techniques available to the interventional cardiologist to open occluded arteries in the hope of salvaging myocardial tissue. Chapter 13 focuses on the primary angioplasty in a geographic arrangement from artery to the myocardium with particular emphasis on novel treatments offering continuous myocardial protection, again to preserve tissue and improve overall prognosis. Chapter 14 turns attention to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and the management of ascending aorta calcification which is an independent risk factor for cerebrovascular events post-off-pump CABG procedures. Chapter 15 deals with the surgical methodologies available for reconstructing distal aortic dissection. Chapter 16 identifies the complexities of mitral valve repair and focuses on a novel non-resectional repair technique. The penultimate chapter, chapter 17 discusses the complications of minimally invasive left ventricular assistance devices in patients with advanced cardiac failure. Last but by no means least, Chapter 18 discusses the radical approach of Sanal flow choking and its risk association to asymptomatic cardiovascular disease as demonstrated through a review of *In Vitro* and *In Silico* studies.

The eighteen chapters above offer insight into the current state of the art with respect to risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, maintenance of patent vascular access in patients with cardiorenal syndrome, and a plethora of novel interventional technologies all aimed at salvaging damaged tissue and improving prognosis and reducing mortality.

At the inception of this book, the World was a very different place. With the rapid emergence of coronavirus diseases, the value of the content of this book is now more important than ever; especially through the open-access platform allowing such knowledge to be freely available to those in less fortunate situations.

The editors wish to thank the authors of each chapter for providing their expert insight into the chapter content and responding rapidly to our revision requests. Our gratitude is also extended most humbly to those authors and co-authors who have turned any clinical responsibilities to the fight against COVID-19.

We also wish to extend our thanks to the publishing management team at IntechOpen Publishing, notably to Sandra Maljavac and Dolores Kuzelj.

> **Dr. David C. Gaze** University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

Dedication

*Mr Charles Benjamin Flint 20th March 1936 – 17th April 2020*

*One of the many victims of the COVID-19 Pandemic DCG*

**Dr. Aleksandar Kibel** Osijek University Hospital, Osijek, Croatia
