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Cardiac arrhythmias: Diagnosis and treatment. Second edition
Book reviews
CRC Handbook of Engineering in Medicine and Biology. vol. 1. By David C. Fleming and Barry N. Feinberg, Cleveland, 1976, CRC Press, Inc., 421 pages. Price $44.95.
This is an excellent handbook on biomedical engineering. The recent interest of engineers and biophysicists in medicine and biology has stimulated biomedical research extensively. This has been of considerable value even to clinical medicine where it is expressed primarily in the introduction and improvement of diagnostic and therapeutic devices. The average doctor will find it impossible to understand most of this book, but it should interest those in research in medicine, especially cardiology. The 13 presentations include electrophysiology, hemodynamic phenomena, and computer systems, which are of especial interest to cardiologists. The presentations are very good and practical. Engineers as well as biologists and cardiologists should find this a profitable addition to their literatures. Intraaortale Ballongegenpulsation. By Ernst Rainer de Vivie, Berlin/Heidelberg/New York, 1976, Springer-Verlag.
This brief paperback publication in German describes the principles of anesthesiology and resuscitation.The figuresand illustrationsare numerous and the description of methods and results are standard but differentin that there is considerate emphasis on physiologic principles. For those who can read German this is a useful book. Cardiac Emergencies. Edited by Robert S. Eliot, Gerald L. Wolf, and Alan D. Forker, Mount Kisco, N e w York, 1977, Futura Publishing Company, 375 pages. Price $22.50.
This third volume on Contemporary Problems in Cardiology edited by Eliot et al. is not only timely but reviews problems of current emphasis in medicine and cardiology. The book consistsof a seriesof short papers related to pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management. This is not a comprehensive presentation of the various selected subjects but rather a brief summary of the contributors' concepts and practices. Readers will find the presentations interesting even though some complex subjects are reviewed superficially, such as the pathophysiology of congestive heart failure and cardiogenic shock in patients with myocardial infarction. The contributors have effectively centered their considerations for the benefit of clinical practice. Readers will have an opportunity to learn a great deal from this book. It is brief, clearly written and nicely illustrated. The material presented is fairly extensive and well done in less than 375 pages. House staff and students will find the book a good source of information. Cardiac Arrhythmias: Diagnosis and Treatment. Second Edition. Edited by Noble O. Fowler, Hagerstown, Md., 1977, Harper & Row, Inc., 236 pages.
This second edition includes the new advancements in the management of cardiac arrhythmias, including discussions of surgical section of the bundle of Kent and His bundle recordings. The text of the book is 210 pages. The book is concerned with the c o m m o n arrhythmias, their pathophysioi-
American Heart Journal
ogy and management. The 12 contributors briefly review the problems of arrhythmias for the clinician. The physician will, therefore, find this book to be practical and useful. The discussions present the management in detail so that the reader has no difficulty in applying the recommendations to his patient, including electric conversion of arrhythmias. The first edition has been well received and the second edition should continue this reception. This is a good practical book. Myocardial Infarction. Edited by E. I. Chazov, Chicago, 1976, Imported Publications, Inc. (Mir Publishers, Moscow), 380 pages. Price $6.80.
Chazov is one of the outstanding cardiologistsin USSR. H e has edited a book which describes for cardiologists of other nations the approach to myocardial infarction in Russia. The translation from the Russian to English was by David A. Myshne. The book consists of nine chapters dealing with pathology, pathogenics, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, complications, diagnosis, and management. It is a good publication which indicates that the Russian approach to myocardial infarction is the same as that in the western world. This is an interesting and good book which should be read by those who wonder what the practice of cardiology in Russia is like. Basic Correlative Echocardiography--Technique and Interpretation. By Siegfried J. Kra, M.D., Flushing, N e w York, 1977, Medical Examination Publishing Company, Inc., 270 pages. Price $14.00.
This manual on echocardiography represents a training source for beginners in the field.The tracings are very good. They were selected from m a n y sources. E C H O is concerned primarily with adequate recordings and their interpretations. References to patterns in the text could be supported better by more illustrations to assist the reader to understand properly actual E C H O manifestations. However, this small book is useful and a good addition to those already available on E C H O . Students, housestaff, and fellows in training in cardiology and internal medicine will find this to be a good book to own and study. Textbook of Echocardiography. By Vincent E. Friedewald, Jr., M.D., Philadelphia, 1977, W. B. Saunders Company, 317 pages. Price $17.50.
Books on echocardiography have been appearing at a rapid rate. This is to be expected in view of this rapidly expanding field and instrumentation. There is a need, however, for more trained technicians and echocardiographers. This book by Friedewald is a good one. The subject is presented in a well organized and thorough manner. It is intended for trainees and includes a discussion of the physics of sound, methodology, principles of interpretation, and a discussion of recordings of different structures of the normal and diseased heart. This is a reliable and well organized book with a good appendix of normal values for reference.
675
CRC Handbook of Engineering in Medicine and Biology. vol. 1. By David C. Fleming and Barry N. Feinberg, Cleveland, 1976, CRC Press, Inc., 421 pages. Price $44.95.
This is an excellent handbook on biomedical engineering. The recent interest of engineers and biophysicists in medicine and biology has stimulated biomedical research extensively. This has been of considerable value even to clinical medicine where it is expressed primarily in the introduction and improvement of diagnostic and therapeutic devices. The average doctor will find it impossible to understand most of this book, but it should interest those in research in medicine, especially cardiology. The 13 presentations include electrophysiology, hemodynamic phenomena, and computer systems, which are of especial interest to cardiologists. The presentations are very good and practical. Engineers as well as biologists and cardiologists should find this a profitable addition to their literatures. Intraaortale Ballongegenpulsation. By Ernst Rainer de Vivie, Berlin/Heidelberg/New York, 1976, Springer-Verlag.
This brief paperback publication in German describes the principles of anesthesiology and resuscitation.The figuresand illustrationsare numerous and the description of methods and results are standard but differentin that there is considerate emphasis on physiologic principles. For those who can read German this is a useful book. Cardiac Emergencies. Edited by Robert S. Eliot, Gerald L. Wolf, and Alan D. Forker, Mount Kisco, N e w York, 1977, Futura Publishing Company, 375 pages. Price $22.50.
This third volume on Contemporary Problems in Cardiology edited by Eliot et al. is not only timely but reviews problems of current emphasis in medicine and cardiology. The book consistsof a seriesof short papers related to pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management. This is not a comprehensive presentation of the various selected subjects but rather a brief summary of the contributors' concepts and practices. Readers will find the presentations interesting even though some complex subjects are reviewed superficially, such as the pathophysiology of congestive heart failure and cardiogenic shock in patients with myocardial infarction. The contributors have effectively centered their considerations for the benefit of clinical practice. Readers will have an opportunity to learn a great deal from this book. It is brief, clearly written and nicely illustrated. The material presented is fairly extensive and well done in less than 375 pages. House staff and students will find the book a good source of information. Cardiac Arrhythmias: Diagnosis and Treatment. Second Edition. Edited by Noble O. Fowler, Hagerstown, Md., 1977, Harper & Row, Inc., 236 pages.
This second edition includes the new advancements in the management of cardiac arrhythmias, including discussions of surgical section of the bundle of Kent and His bundle recordings. The text of the book is 210 pages. The book is concerned with the c o m m o n arrhythmias, their pathophysioi-
American Heart Journal
ogy and management. The 12 contributors briefly review the problems of arrhythmias for the clinician. The physician will, therefore, find this book to be practical and useful. The discussions present the management in detail so that the reader has no difficulty in applying the recommendations to his patient, including electric conversion of arrhythmias. The first edition has been well received and the second edition should continue this reception. This is a good practical book. Myocardial Infarction. Edited by E. I. Chazov, Chicago, 1976, Imported Publications, Inc. (Mir Publishers, Moscow), 380 pages. Price $6.80.
Chazov is one of the outstanding cardiologistsin USSR. H e has edited a book which describes for cardiologists of other nations the approach to myocardial infarction in Russia. The translation from the Russian to English was by David A. Myshne. The book consists of nine chapters dealing with pathology, pathogenics, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, complications, diagnosis, and management. It is a good publication which indicates that the Russian approach to myocardial infarction is the same as that in the western world. This is an interesting and good book which should be read by those who wonder what the practice of cardiology in Russia is like. Basic Correlative Echocardiography--Technique and Interpretation. By Siegfried J. Kra, M.D., Flushing, N e w York, 1977, Medical Examination Publishing Company, Inc., 270 pages. Price $14.00.
This manual on echocardiography represents a training source for beginners in the field.The tracings are very good. They were selected from m a n y sources. E C H O is concerned primarily with adequate recordings and their interpretations. References to patterns in the text could be supported better by more illustrations to assist the reader to understand properly actual E C H O manifestations. However, this small book is useful and a good addition to those already available on E C H O . Students, housestaff, and fellows in training in cardiology and internal medicine will find this to be a good book to own and study. Textbook of Echocardiography. By Vincent E. Friedewald, Jr., M.D., Philadelphia, 1977, W. B. Saunders Company, 317 pages. Price $17.50.
Books on echocardiography have been appearing at a rapid rate. This is to be expected in view of this rapidly expanding field and instrumentation. There is a need, however, for more trained technicians and echocardiographers. This book by Friedewald is a good one. The subject is presented in a well organized and thorough manner. It is intended for trainees and includes a discussion of the physics of sound, methodology, principles of interpretation, and a discussion of recordings of different structures of the normal and diseased heart. This is a reliable and well organized book with a good appendix of normal values for reference.
675