Pulmonary Vascular Physiology and Pathophysiology

Book excerpt: Considering various aspects of pulmonary vascular control and the pulmonary vasculature's response to injury and disease, this monograph applies recent advances in molecular biology to increasing our understanding of cell proliferation, interactions between the endothelium and smooth muscle, and the etiologies of various forms of pulmonary hypertension. In addition, this book presents important reviews of lung phylogeny, right ventricular function, high altitude pulmonary edema, plus unique discussions of areas for which there have been no previous attempts to analyze all available information, such as pregnancy, diving, hyperbaria, and exercise. Pulmonary Vascular Physiology and Pathophysiology assesses the basic mechanisms underlying pulmonary health and disease ... investigates the response of pulmonary circulation to stress and disease ... highlights the ability of lung circulation to adapt to major environmental changes and varying metabolic demands ... and contains some 2,000 citations of relevant literature. Illustrated with nearly 170 diagrams, photomicrographs, and tables, Pulmonary Vascular Physiology and Pathophysiology is a superb reference for pulmonary physiologists, cardiologists, pediatricians, cardiovascular surgeons, anesthesiologists, pathologists, and cell and molecular biologists.