This monograph comprises 17 papers written by prominent authors in the
field, each of whom presents his most recent experiences. The papers
were not specially selected so that this work is far from being a
comprehensive textbook covering all aspects of right ventricular
hypertrophy and failure in chronic lung disease. Perhaps some of the
papers dealing with more strictly physiological problems and
experimental models will be somewhat difficult to relate directly to
former modes of thinking of both cardiologists and pneumologists.
Nevertheless, we hope and expect that this book will provide the reader
with, an in-depth appreciation of the situation of present research in
different laboratories and countries. Occasionally contradictions
between different papers may be noticed. We have not tried to remove
these, since each contradiction reflects current areas of dispute or
uncertainty in this developing field. We wish finally to acknowledge the
continuing support of the Clinica del Lavoro Foundation for projects
aimed at promoting education in all fields related to medical
rehabilitation. Vlastimil Jdek Mario Morpurgo Roberto Tramarin Foreword
This volume is the sixth issue in the Series "Current Topics in
Rehabilitation", which was ftrst conceived in 1987 with the aim of
offering updated indications as to functional comprehensive evaluation
strategies and rehabilitation programmes.