Overall cardiac performance (preload, afterload and contractility), as well as regional ventricular function (systolic wall motion abonorality) can be very precisely obtained using transoesophageal echocardiography. Assessment of the major cardiac function, such as cardiac output can be performed independently by means of two-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler sampling of the aortic valve (pulmonary valve, respectively). Using an integrated approach and incorporating other haemodynamic parameters, sophisticated methods for assessment can be obtained, for example, Laplace relation and end-systolic contractile indices. Experimental studies have validated the ability of intravenous contrast of echocardiography in assessing myocardial perfusion and, thus, shows great promise for clinical use in this field. This book is aimed all those who word in the fields of cardiology, anaethesiology and intensive care medicine.