ABSTRACT
Introduction Scope of the problem Advances in pharmacotherapeutics, primary angioplasty, and stenting, which are reviewed in this textbook, have substantially decreased the mortality and morbidity of the acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, of the 865,000 Americans who have an ACS, yearly, a substantial number will develop CHF resulting in 5 million heart failure patients (1). The mortality of ischemic cardiomyopathy and CHF remains high (50% at five years). Pharmacotherapy and surgical therapy, including biventricular pacers and left ventricle (LV) assist devices, along with transplantation itself, have not produced major survival benefit.
