Overview

Coronary artery disease, or more commonly known as heart disease, is usually a result of plaque buildup in coronary arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. This book covers original research with a clinical emphasis as well as advances in laboratory research that contribute to the understanding of coronary artery disease about its causes, symptoms and treatments. There are 6 chapters in this book. Chapter 1 proposes a basis for the establishment of effective rehabilitation planning. It discusses the clinical effect of 8-week rehabilitation program on physical, cognitive, and depressive symptoms and the variables influencing changes in depressive symptoms for the reduction of the psychological stress of chronic stroke. Chapter 2 provides an overview of our current understanding of cyclic nucleotide-driven protein kinase signals as essential components in arterial smooth muscle physiology and pathology underlying coronary artery disease. Chapter 3 discusses the presence of rhabdomyolysis as an adverse event after concomitant use of statins and antimicrobial agents and mechanisms involved to these interactions. Chapter 4 aims to provide the extended version of presently published content on chitosan activities towards platelet and blood coagulation mechanisms. Since we are exploring on platelet activities which involve in the coagulation process, as a new contribution to the society, chitosan-based hemostatic agents could be a new strategy biomaterial to achieve hemostasis. Chapter 5 highlights the major findings and recent advances in the study of micro-biota-dependent mechanism involved in the development of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and discuss important roles of probiotic bacteria and plant compounds in prevention and treatment of CAD. Chapter 6 discusses the value of heart rate in the physiopathology and management of coronary artery disease. Physiology of heart rate value is discussed, along with topics that relate heart rate to endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and other co-morbidities that predispose to coronary artery disease. The role of inflammation and autonomic nervous system are also presented.