Since 1900, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been the number one killer of Americans every year except 1918. Today 61.8 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease--heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, congenital heart defects, hardening of the arteries, and other diseases of the circulatory system. These diseases affect men and women of all ages, from senior citizens to children and young adults. The Encyclopedia of the Heart and Heart Disease brings together the most current information on all facets of the heart and heart-related topics and offers a complete overview of the medical, scientific, social, and lifestyle implications of heart disease. More than 600 detailed entries cover such topics as etiology, symptoms, preventive strategies, treatments, medications, procedures, surgeries (and recovery from), research, medical terms, coping and caregiving, living with heart disease, hope for a cure, and more. Appendixes feature an extensive bibliography; a directory of leading heart hospitals, research centers, and organization; and a quick-reference emergency guide, making this the most accessible and thorough encyclopedia of its kind.