Book excerpt: Challenges for the treatment of valvular heart disease include the growing need for effective yet less invasive interventions and therapies to treat these progressive conditions. With the development of potential new treatments, it is crucial for cardiac physicians to be well informed on the pathophysiology, assessment, treatment options and their outcomes of valvular diseases. Written by a highly experienced and internationally recognized group of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and researchers, Valvular Heart Disease offers insights into the widely varying hemodynamic effects and clinical course of heart valve conditions, as well as the contemporary management of these conditions. Offering a broad perspective on these diseases, Valvular Heart Disease expands on the recent guidelines developed by the major heart societies in the United State and Europe.