Following the recent publication of new guidelines by the European Society of Cardiology, this fully up-to-date work provides cardiologists and cardiac surgeons with the first comprehensive guide to post-operative management of patients who have undergone heart valve surgery. An international team of contributors, all recognized authorities in their field, and themselves contributors to the new guidelines, present evidence-based recommendations for managing a range of clinical problems in both adults and children, extending from immediate care in the hospital setting, through to long-term considerations for the primary care physician. Topics covered include: * rehabilitation * management of thrombosis* hemolysis* rheumatic fever* endocarditis* special considerations such as care of the patient undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Illustrated with numerous graphics, checklists and flow charts to enable readers to locate information rapidly and easily, Heart Valve Disease provides practical guidance on a range of common clinical scenarios, encompassing immediate post-operative care in the hospital as well as long-term management in the primary care settings.