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Cardiology update 1983
Controversies Shahbudin F.A.
in Coronary Artery Disease
H. Rahimtoola
Davis,
Philadelphia;
1983; $55.00
Coronary artery disease is currently one of the commonest disease processes presenting to physicians and indeed is the major cause of mortality in the western world. However, despite intense research efforts into this condition significant controversies persist regarding diagnosis and treatment. This book deals with many of these controversies using experts in the field to give an overview of the problem. The usefulness of newer non-invasive diagnostic techniques such as nuclear imaging, echocardiography and CT scanning is critically assessed in relation to established techniques such as exercise electrocardiography and coronary angiography. In addition the role of the older techniques such as exercise electrocardiography in new settings, e.g. immediately following myocardial infarction, is also analysed. Optimal medical and surgical therapy for stable and unstable angina and contemporary therapeutic techniques for angina and myocardial infarction (e.g. percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and thrombolytic therapy) are also appraised and the appropriate role of these techniques in current clinical practice outlined. Each of these subjects is examined in detail and there is an extensive bibliography at the end of each chapter. This book is completely up-to-date and is ideal for cardiologists wanting a review of the state of the art of coronary artery disease and also gives an excellent overview for general physicians who require an insight into new techniques and modes of therapy. Brompton Hospital London, U.K.
Paul Oldershaw
Cardiology Update 1983 Editor:
Elliot
Rapaport
Elsevier/North-Holland,
Amsterdam,
New York;
400 pp.;
$39.50
Cardiology Update 1983 is the third edition in a series designed to present topics of current interest. With the bewildering number of reports appearing monthly in cardiology there is undoubtedly a place for a book such as this to highlight the most important advances in the field. The topics in this issue have been selected with care. though one wonders whether a full chapter on Bretylium is really warranted. The general impression left by the book is good, but it suffers from its own guidelines and terms of reference, i.e. the contents “are written in a manner to stimulate not only the interest of the cardiologist and cardiovascular surgeon, but also internists, paediatricians, cardiology trainees, housestaff and students”. Consequently we have chapters describing extremely sophisticated techniques such as computerized angiography and intra-operative coronary flow studies using Doppler which really are only interesting to the serious cardiologist; the chapter on hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy conversely is really no more than a standard textbook description and can hardly be considered an update. Most chapters are very well referenced (except the one devoted to hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy in spite of the vast recent literature on the subject), but in general one must
be disappointed that in a book that sets out to present the state of the art as of 1983 relatively few of the cited references are from the 1980’s. Particular mention must be made of the article by Myler, Gruentzig and Stertzer. Coronary angioplasty is undoubtedly one of the most exciting advances in cardiology in the last decade. This article is very comprehensive, well referenced and will be of value to anyone interested in cardiology. National Heart Hospital London, U.K.
Kim Fox *
Coronary Arteriography - A Practical Approach Editor: Herbert L. Abrams Little, Brown and Company, Boston; 338 pp.; 1983; f39.00 This book, three hundred and thirty eight pages long, might be sub-titled “All you need to know (and a great deal you don’t) about coronary arteriography”. As is common with multi-author tejtts the style and quality of the chapters are uneven. There is considerable repetition accounting in part for the almost unbelievable length for a book devoted to such a narrow subject. That the chapters are reprinted from a’ larger work on angiography in general accounts for the inclusion of material which is not strictly relevant to coronary arteriography and should have been edited out or shortened. However, the presentation and the quality of the illustrations are excellent and the chapters on the normal coronary anatomy and “pitfalls in interpretation” in particular are excellent. The section on Indications for Coronary Arteriography and the Abnormal Coronary Arteriogram contains much that is unsupported by objective evidence and uncritically presented - a major defect in a text which, by its size alone, is likely to be regarded as authoritative by those not already familiar with the subject. The techniques described are described well but are limited to those practiced by the authors; virtually no mention is made of the use of pre-shaped catheters introduced from the arm. This is a book which should be available for reference in a laboratory involved in coronary arteriography but is not to be accepted uncritically by the novice arteriographer. Brompton Hospital London, U.K.
Graham
Miller
The Healing Heart The Healing Heart, Antidotes to Panic and Helplessness by Norman Cousins has recently been published by W.W. Norton JL Company, New York & London ($13.95). Portions of this book first appeared in the Journal (Int J Cardiol 1983;3:57-65, 219-229).
* Member of the Editorial Board, International Journal of Cardiology.
in Coronary Artery Disease
H. Rahimtoola
Davis,
Philadelphia;
1983; $55.00
Coronary artery disease is currently one of the commonest disease processes presenting to physicians and indeed is the major cause of mortality in the western world. However, despite intense research efforts into this condition significant controversies persist regarding diagnosis and treatment. This book deals with many of these controversies using experts in the field to give an overview of the problem. The usefulness of newer non-invasive diagnostic techniques such as nuclear imaging, echocardiography and CT scanning is critically assessed in relation to established techniques such as exercise electrocardiography and coronary angiography. In addition the role of the older techniques such as exercise electrocardiography in new settings, e.g. immediately following myocardial infarction, is also analysed. Optimal medical and surgical therapy for stable and unstable angina and contemporary therapeutic techniques for angina and myocardial infarction (e.g. percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and thrombolytic therapy) are also appraised and the appropriate role of these techniques in current clinical practice outlined. Each of these subjects is examined in detail and there is an extensive bibliography at the end of each chapter. This book is completely up-to-date and is ideal for cardiologists wanting a review of the state of the art of coronary artery disease and also gives an excellent overview for general physicians who require an insight into new techniques and modes of therapy. Brompton Hospital London, U.K.
Paul Oldershaw
Cardiology Update 1983 Editor:
Elliot
Rapaport
Elsevier/North-Holland,
Amsterdam,
New York;
400 pp.;
$39.50
Cardiology Update 1983 is the third edition in a series designed to present topics of current interest. With the bewildering number of reports appearing monthly in cardiology there is undoubtedly a place for a book such as this to highlight the most important advances in the field. The topics in this issue have been selected with care. though one wonders whether a full chapter on Bretylium is really warranted. The general impression left by the book is good, but it suffers from its own guidelines and terms of reference, i.e. the contents “are written in a manner to stimulate not only the interest of the cardiologist and cardiovascular surgeon, but also internists, paediatricians, cardiology trainees, housestaff and students”. Consequently we have chapters describing extremely sophisticated techniques such as computerized angiography and intra-operative coronary flow studies using Doppler which really are only interesting to the serious cardiologist; the chapter on hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy conversely is really no more than a standard textbook description and can hardly be considered an update. Most chapters are very well referenced (except the one devoted to hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy in spite of the vast recent literature on the subject), but in general one must
be disappointed that in a book that sets out to present the state of the art as of 1983 relatively few of the cited references are from the 1980’s. Particular mention must be made of the article by Myler, Gruentzig and Stertzer. Coronary angioplasty is undoubtedly one of the most exciting advances in cardiology in the last decade. This article is very comprehensive, well referenced and will be of value to anyone interested in cardiology. National Heart Hospital London, U.K.
Kim Fox *
Coronary Arteriography - A Practical Approach Editor: Herbert L. Abrams Little, Brown and Company, Boston; 338 pp.; 1983; f39.00 This book, three hundred and thirty eight pages long, might be sub-titled “All you need to know (and a great deal you don’t) about coronary arteriography”. As is common with multi-author tejtts the style and quality of the chapters are uneven. There is considerable repetition accounting in part for the almost unbelievable length for a book devoted to such a narrow subject. That the chapters are reprinted from a’ larger work on angiography in general accounts for the inclusion of material which is not strictly relevant to coronary arteriography and should have been edited out or shortened. However, the presentation and the quality of the illustrations are excellent and the chapters on the normal coronary anatomy and “pitfalls in interpretation” in particular are excellent. The section on Indications for Coronary Arteriography and the Abnormal Coronary Arteriogram contains much that is unsupported by objective evidence and uncritically presented - a major defect in a text which, by its size alone, is likely to be regarded as authoritative by those not already familiar with the subject. The techniques described are described well but are limited to those practiced by the authors; virtually no mention is made of the use of pre-shaped catheters introduced from the arm. This is a book which should be available for reference in a laboratory involved in coronary arteriography but is not to be accepted uncritically by the novice arteriographer. Brompton Hospital London, U.K.
Graham
Miller
The Healing Heart The Healing Heart, Antidotes to Panic and Helplessness by Norman Cousins has recently been published by W.W. Norton JL Company, New York & London ($13.95). Portions of this book first appeared in the Journal (Int J Cardiol 1983;3:57-65, 219-229).
* Member of the Editorial Board, International Journal of Cardiology.