No other health issue in the U.S. today requires more understanding by physicians, paramedical professionals & the public at large than cardiovascular diseases. More than 1.5 million Americans are stricken with these disorders each year. Unfortunately, much of the available literature is written in complex medical terminology. HEART TALK: UNDERSTANDING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES is the first comprehensive overview of heart & vascular diseases to be written in understandable language for all professionals & educated lay persons with an interest in these topics. Each illustrated chapter describes; how the heart & vascular systems work; their anatomy & physiology; disorders & diseases that affect these systems; the causes of heart & vascular diseases; state-of-the-art methods to diagnose, treat & prevent these diseases; & explanations of the risk factors associated with specific diseases. Also included in this authoritative text are: in-depth descriptions of 41 different diseases of the heart; instructions on appropriate diet, exercise & stress reduction programs; plans to help individuals stop smoking; drug therapies used to treat cardiovascular diseases; & a glossary of cardiovascular terms.