1 Introduction -- 2 Epidemiology -- 3 Pathophysiology -- 4 Etiological definition and diagnostic work-up -- 5 Role of genetics and environmental factors -- 6 Clinical presentation, spectrum of disease, natural history -- 7 Role of cardiac imaging: echocardiography -- 8 Role of cardiac imaging: cardiac magnetic resonance and computed tomography -- 9 Endomyocardial biopsy -- 10 Arrhythmias in dilated cardiomyopathies -- 11 Regenerative Medicine and dilated cardiomyopathy -- 12 Prognostic stratification and importance of follow-up -- 14 Current management and treatment -- 14 Open issues and future perspectives -- 15 Dilated cardiomyopathy at the cross road: multidisciplinary approach.

Open Access

This open access book presents a comprehensive overview of dilated cardiomyopathy, providing readers with practical guidelines for its clinical management. The first part of the book analyzes in detail the disease’s pathophysiology, its diagnostic work up as well as the prognostic stratification, and illustrates the role of genetics and gene-environment interaction. The second part presents current and future treatment options, highlighting the importance of long-term and individualized treatments and follow-up. Furthermore, it discusses open issues, such as the apparent healing phenomenon, the early prognosis of arrhythmic events or the use of genetic testing in clinical practice. Offering a multidisciplinary approach for optimizing the clinical management of DCM, this book is an invaluable aid not only for the clinical cardiologists, but for all physicians involved in the care of this challenging disease. .