The ESC Textbook of Intensive and Acute Cardiovascular Care is the official textbook of the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA) of the ESC. This new updated edition continues to comprehensively approach all the different issues relating to intensive and acute cardiovascular care. The textbook is addressed to all those involved in intensive and acute cardiac care, from cardiologists to emergency physicians and healthcare professionals. The chapters cover the various acute cardiovascular diseases that need high quality intensive treatment, but also organisational issues, cooperation among professionals, and interaction with other specialities in medicine.

The largest section of the textbook is devoted to non-cardiac disease which could acutely involve the cardiovascular system. Other noteworthy chapters are on ethical issues - which are so important in acute cardiac care, such as patient safety, donor organ management and palliative care. A unique characteristic of the textbook is the presence of a whole section devoted to biomarkers, which underline the growing importance of laboratory medicine in the field of intensive and acute cardiac care.

A particular asset of the textbook is the digital version available on Oxford Medicine Online, which has additional online features including an extra chapter on lung ultrasound and many more images and videos, as well as a full list of references from all chapters. The online version is updated by the same authors on a yearly basis and is available with the print version and separately on a subscription basis, allowing easy access to content in digital and mobile optimised format. The textbook aligns directly with the core training curriculum for ACCA.

About the Author:
Marco Tubaro, Head ICCU, Cardiovascular Department, San Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy, Pascal Vranckx, Medical Director ICCU, Cardiology and Critical Care Medicine, ICCU Hartcentrum Hasselt, Belgium, Susanna Price, Consultant Cardiologist and Intensivist, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK, Christiaan Vrints, Head of Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Antwerp, Belgium

Marco Tubaro is head of the ICCU at San Filippo Neri hospital in Rome . He is a member of the founding board of the WG Acute Cardiac Care (now Acute Cardiovascular Care Association) of the ESC and was previously national secretary of ANMCO (Italian association of hospital cardiologists). A visiting professor at Camerino University in Italy, Tubaro is an author of more than 370 papers.

Pascal Vranckx is a consultant in interventional cardiology and medical director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Hartcentrum in Hasselt, Belgium. He is a research affiliate to the department of cardiology, Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He is also clinical consultant and chair of the Clinical Events Committee Core Laboratories at Cardialysis in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Pascal Vranckx has authored over 70 publications and over 10 chapters in textbooks and is an associate editor of the ESC Textbook of Acute Cardiology and Intensive Care Medicine 2010 and is deputy editor of EuroIntervention.

Susanna Price trained in both cardiology and intensive care medicine, and is a Consultant Cardiologist and Intensivist at the Royal Brompton Hospital, London. Her main interests are intensive care cardiology, adult congenital heart disease, and critical and peri-operative/peri-procedural echocardiography. She developed a national training programme in ALS-compliant peri-resuscitation echocardiography, endorsed by the BSE and supported by the Resuscitation Council. Dr Price sits on a number of committees including Chair of the Accreditation/Certification Committee in Acute Cardiac Care(ESC), a member of the Working Group Intensive Care Echocardiography (ESICM), the Executive committee European trans-catheter valve replacement/repair registry(ESC), Accreditation Committee(BSE), Education & Training Committee, Intensive Care Society and the ESC Task Force MCQs and Professional Standards.

Christiaan Vrints is Past-President of the Executive ACCA Board, and a Nucleus Member of the Association. He is Professor of cardiology at the University of Antwerp and Head of the Department of Cardiology at the University Hospital of Antwerp, Belgium.


Table of Contents:
Introduction 1: Intensive and acute cardiac care: an introduction 2: Training and certification in acute cardiac care 3: Patient safety and clinical governance 4: Databases, registries and quality of care The pre-hospital phase and the emergency department 5: Sudden cardiac death: epidemiology and prevention 6: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the post-cardiac arrest syndrome 7: The emergency medical system 8: Chest pain and chest pain units 9: Acute dyspnoea in the emergency department The intensive cardiac care unit 10: Recommendations for the structure, organization and operation of the intensive cardiac care units 11: The intensive cardiac care unit team 12: The heart team in acute cardiac care 13: Ethical issues in cardiac arrest and acute cardiac care: a European perspective Monitoring and investigations in the intensive cardiac care unit 14: Pathophysiology and clinical assessment of the cardiovascular system (including pulmonary artery catheter) 15: The respiratory system 16: Neurological conditions of the acute care patient 17: Monitoring of the kidney, liver and other vital organs 18: Blood gas analysis: acid-base and fluid and electrolyte disorders 19: Clinical assessment and monitoring of chest radiographs 20: Echocardiography and thoracic ultrasound 21: Ultrasound-guided vascular access in intensive/acute cardiac care 22: Computed tomography angiography and other applications of computed tomography 23: Cardiac magnetic resonance in the intensive cardiac unit Procedures in intensive cardiac care unit 24: Mechanical ventilation 25: Non-invasive ventilation 26: Temporary pacing 27: Pericardiocentesis 28: Chest tubes 29: Renal support therapy 30: Portable (short-term) mechanical circulatory support 31: Implanted cardiac support devices 32: Nutrition support in acute cardiac care 33: Physiotherapy in critically ill patients 34: Donor organ management The laboratory in intensive and acute cardiac care 35: The use of biomarkers in acute cardiovascular disease 36: Biomarkers in acute coronary syndromes 37: Biomarkers in acute heart failure 38: Biomarkers of coagulation and thrombosis 39: Biomarkers of renal and hepatic failure Acute coronary syndromes 40: Atherosclerosis and thrombosis 41: The universal definition of myocardial infarction 42: Systems of care for patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI networks) 43: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction 44: Fibrinolytic antithrombotic and antiplatelet drugs in acute coronary syndromes 45: Mechanical complications of myocardial infarction 46: Non ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes 47: Percutaneous coronary interventions in patients with acute coronary syndromes 48: Coronary artery bypass graft surgery 49: Cardiogenic shock in patients with acute coronary syndromes 50: Gender considerations in acute coronary syndromes Acute heart failure 51: Acute heart failure: epidemiology, classification and pathophysiology 52: Acute heart failure: early pharmacological therapy 53: Non-pharmacologic therapy of acute heart failure: when drugs alone are not enough 54: Acute heart failure: heart failure surgery and transplantation Arrhythmias 55: Conduction disturbances and pacemaker 56: Atrial fibrillation and supraventricular arrhythmias 57: Ventricular tachyarrhythmias and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator Other acute cardiovascular conditions 58: Myocarditis and pericarditis 59: Acute valve disease and endocarditis 60: Congenital heart disease in adults 61: Aortic emergencies 62: Cardiac complications in trauma 63: Cardiac emergencies in pregnancy Concomitant acute conditions 64: Acute respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome 65: Pulmonary hypertension 66: Pulmonary embolism 67: Stroke 68: Acute kidney injury 69: Hyperglycaemia, diabetes and other endocrine emergencies 70: Bleeding and haemostatic disorders 71: Anaemia and transfusion 72: Infection, sepsis and multiorgan dysfunction syndrome 73: Acute pain in the intensive cardiac care unit 74: Acute cognitive disorders: recognition and management of delirium in the cardiovascular intensive care unit 75: Special conditions in the immunosuppressed patient 76: Perioperative cardiac care of the high-risk non-cardiac patient 77: Perioperative management of the high risk surgical patient: cardiac surgery 78: Palliative care in the intensive cardiac care unit