Practical Cardiovascular Pathology PDF

PREFACE

When my mentor Michael J. Davis and I wrote this book in 1997, I was a very naïve pathologist who thought cardiac pathology was easy. Michael J. Davis opened my eyes to the beauty and complexity of this speciality. He was such a marvellous teacher that I asked him to guide and write the original book with me to demonstrate the brilliant skills he had in passing on his knowledge. These skills as a result will pass to future generations and will never be lost.

Now 12 years later, cardiac pathology has undergone a revolution, particularly in genetics and imaging. Sadly, Michael J. Davis died prematurely in 2003. As a result of the success of the first volume I have now been asked to do a second volume in which I have expanded on Michael's original work. It is in the field of cardiomyopathy, genetics and sudden cardiac death that cardiac pathology had developed in the last decade. In collaboration with our clinical colleagues and with the development of new imaging techniques, we stand as part of a multidisciplinary team in the approach to the cardiac patient. A knowledge therefore of clinical cardiology, imaging, genetics and follow-up is needed in this rapidly evolving field. I hope I have followed Michael's example in passing on what I have learned from him and from others. Cardiac pathology will adapt to the new millennium in which we work hand in hand with both human and experimental models as well as basic sciences to contribute to the well being of humanity.

Cardiac disease still remains the most common cause of death and it is in elucidating the causes of these often premature deaths that we make invaluable contributions in helping clinicians to understand the new evolving entities such as sudden adult death syndrome, as well as helping further in deciphering the precipitating fatal events in that most crippling and common of cardiac diseases, coronary atheroma.

I dedicate this book to the two most important men in my life: John A. Sheppard, my father, whose good strong heart ceased beating on 11 March 2010 and James A. Long, my husband, whose good strong heart will beat with mine into eternity.