Accessed by more than 200,000 website visitors over the last two years, its readership is broad and diverse both in terms of career stage and geographical outreach. The Textbook covers all relevant clinical and practical aspects of interventional cardiovascular care, with around 120 chapters authored by world-renowned experts. For nearly three years, Stephan Windecker has co-edited the Textbook with Piera Capranzano. Professor Windecker is now stepping down and Robert Byrne is set to become the Editor-in-Chief.
Describing the progress made, Professor Windecker says, “Traditionally, the main focus of the Textbook was coronary interventions resulting in a detailed and in-depth coverage on this topic. One of the goals was to develop the same attention to detail to the content on valvular heart disease and thromboembolic disease protection. Another goal was to maintain the Textbook as a ‘living’ document, providing new chapters and updating content on a continuous basis.” To this end, he thanks all the authors, reviewers and contributors for their relentless efforts and dedication in making this possible.
The creation of the second edition of the Textbook, overseen by Professor Windecker and Pr Capranzano, also involved a new website, with improved accessibility and readability, and more dynamic illustrations.
Chapters are now more easily bookmarked, downloaded and shared to social media. A ‘Spotlight On’ section allows direct access to selected chapters, highlighting updates and the latest news.
Professor Windecker explains, “To ensure that the Textbook continues to evolve to meet the needs of our readership, the time is now right to hand over the role to someone who is more familiar with the educational requirements of the younger generation of interventional cardiologists. I’m extremely pleased to be followed by someone with vast experience as a clinician practising interventional cardiology on a daily basis, who is also a highly esteemed clinical researcher and scientist, and who has personal experience in translating new evidence into clinical practice guidelines. I am sure he will elevate the Textbook to new heights.”
Professor Byrne wishes to continue the great progress made: “It is an honour to take on the role, building on the great work of my immediate predecessor Professor Windecker, Pr Capranzano and all the contributors who have provided such valuable content and accomplished so much, comprehensively revising the textbook over recent years. The dual focus of the Textbook will continue to be: firstly, to provide comprehensive subject matter overviews including evidence-based guidance for good clinical practice, and secondly, to share insights on practical skills, tips and tricks that are relevant in the cathlab on a day-to-day basis.”
He notes that interventional cardiology is characterised not only by innovations and incremental developments in practice, but also by progress through accumulated evidence from clinical trials. “Interventional cardiology boasts a large number of high-quality randomised clinical trials delivering important advancements not just year-on-year, but month-by-month and sometimes week-to-week. A key challenge for the Textbook is how to incorporate this rapidly emerging evidence. There are important synergies with ESC Guidelines and with the PCR Trials Book and it is anticipated that we can work together, incorporating new evidence in real time into the PCR-EAPCI Textbook.”
Talking of updates, new content is now available on TAVI, carotid artery stenting, optical coherence tomography, left main coronary artery disease, coronary revascularisation in patients with chronic kidney disease, interventions in the reno-visceral circulation and the workings of the contemporary heart team.
Professor Byrne concludes:“As the interventional cardiology field progresses, our team of Deputy Editors and I aim to keep the Textbook evolving in the same dynamic way.”