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Cardiovascular pharmacology
International Journal of Cardiology 46 (1994) 189-190
Book reviews
The Physics of Heart and Circulation J. Strackee, N. Westerhof Institute of Physics Publishing, Medical Science Series, Bristol, UK, 1993; 502 pp.; stgf69.00; ISBN 0-7503-0278-X This book forms part of a series published under the auspices of the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering and the International Organisation for Medical Physics. According to the preface, one of the aims of the book is to present the physical and mathematical basis for the study of biological systems and to present basic information on all aspects of the cardiovascular system such as fluid dynamics, elasticity, potential theory, mathematical modelling and so on. It is aimed at PhD students and post-doctoral fellows with a physical or mathematical background who are working in, or are interested in working in, the field of circulatory biology. This is an ambitious project even in a book of nearly 500 pages. On the other hand, because the target audience is assumed to be already familiar with fairly sophisticated mathematical and physical concepts, it is possible to compress a great deal of information into a very small space (this is, after all, a definition of a mathematical formula !). Another feature of the book is that it ruthlessly concentrates on concepts rather than detail. Going through the chapter headings provides a fascinating insight into modern physical cardiology, ranging from the physics of ion channels, models of left ventricular mechanics, system modelling of ventricular function, the genesis and propagation of the ECG, velocity profiles in large arteries, and the effect of cardiac contraction on coronary flow, to name but a few. As a clinical cardiologist who works closely with engineers and physicists I am frequently asked to recommend a text which will succinctly but rigorously provide the basis for understanding the biological basis as well
as the physical and mathematical implications of some aspect of the circulatory system. For that purpose, I think this is by far the best book that I have yet encountered. Although in terms of particular aspects it is inevitably less detailed than, for example, the latest edition of MacDonald’s ‘Blood Flow in Arteries’, its scope and variety is far wider. As virtually all its authors either work in, or have worked in the Netherlands it is a great tribute to the strength of biological physics in that country. David de Bono*
Cardiovascular Pharmacology Editors: W.W. Parmley, K. Chatterjee Mosby Year Book, Europe, Aylesford, Kent, UK, 1994; pp.; stgf70.00; ISBN l-56375-160-7 The first impressions of this quite comprehensive review of cardiovascular pharmacology is that it is a beautifully prepared textbook. The quality of the presentation of the publication is matched by the glittering array of senior experts in the field that have been brought together to produce individual chapters for this multi-author book. I agree entirely with a number of the comments made in the preface by one of the editors, Dr Parmley, in which he alludes to the importance of the need for practising physicians to be fully acquainted with the advances in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy, as this aspect of therapeutics represents a major component of modern day general internal medicine. In addition, I also agree that it is important in producing a text of this kind that there is an adequate balance between *European Editor, International Journal of Cardiology
190
Book reviews/Int. J. Cardiol. 46 (1994) 189-190
basic pharmacological science and the application of drug therapy in everyday clinical practice. In both respects, the present text adequately satisfies these requirements. Each chapter has been carefully prepared in order to give an overview of the basic principles of drug action within each major group of cardiovascular treatment. This is coupled with reasonable and practical advice (albeit variable between the chapters) on the clinical application of the drugs discussed. There is a good balance between chapters dealing specifically with drug groups and those addressing general therapeutic areas, for example, vasodilators in the treatment of heart failure and antithrombotic therapy in cardiac disease, There is also a useful chapter on cardiovascular drug interactions by Neal Benowitz. I am, however, not entirely sure how useful Chapter 1 on basic principles of clinical
pharmacology is in the context of a specialist cardiovascular text. The quality of the displayed items, tables and figures is very high and adds usefully to both the general appearance of the text and to the ability of the reader to rapidly assimilate and review the information presented. The book is extensively referenced, some of the chapters listing over 200 citations. Overall, this new book represents a very useful addition in the area, but I would suggest that a slightly less ‘grand’ paperback edition might achieve wider distribution amongst specialist nurses, physicians in training and students. Division of Clinical Pharmacology Clinical Sciences Building L&ester Royal Infirmary L&ester, UK
Prof D.B. Barnett
Book reviews
The Physics of Heart and Circulation J. Strackee, N. Westerhof Institute of Physics Publishing, Medical Science Series, Bristol, UK, 1993; 502 pp.; stgf69.00; ISBN 0-7503-0278-X This book forms part of a series published under the auspices of the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering and the International Organisation for Medical Physics. According to the preface, one of the aims of the book is to present the physical and mathematical basis for the study of biological systems and to present basic information on all aspects of the cardiovascular system such as fluid dynamics, elasticity, potential theory, mathematical modelling and so on. It is aimed at PhD students and post-doctoral fellows with a physical or mathematical background who are working in, or are interested in working in, the field of circulatory biology. This is an ambitious project even in a book of nearly 500 pages. On the other hand, because the target audience is assumed to be already familiar with fairly sophisticated mathematical and physical concepts, it is possible to compress a great deal of information into a very small space (this is, after all, a definition of a mathematical formula !). Another feature of the book is that it ruthlessly concentrates on concepts rather than detail. Going through the chapter headings provides a fascinating insight into modern physical cardiology, ranging from the physics of ion channels, models of left ventricular mechanics, system modelling of ventricular function, the genesis and propagation of the ECG, velocity profiles in large arteries, and the effect of cardiac contraction on coronary flow, to name but a few. As a clinical cardiologist who works closely with engineers and physicists I am frequently asked to recommend a text which will succinctly but rigorously provide the basis for understanding the biological basis as well
as the physical and mathematical implications of some aspect of the circulatory system. For that purpose, I think this is by far the best book that I have yet encountered. Although in terms of particular aspects it is inevitably less detailed than, for example, the latest edition of MacDonald’s ‘Blood Flow in Arteries’, its scope and variety is far wider. As virtually all its authors either work in, or have worked in the Netherlands it is a great tribute to the strength of biological physics in that country. David de Bono*
Cardiovascular Pharmacology Editors: W.W. Parmley, K. Chatterjee Mosby Year Book, Europe, Aylesford, Kent, UK, 1994; pp.; stgf70.00; ISBN l-56375-160-7 The first impressions of this quite comprehensive review of cardiovascular pharmacology is that it is a beautifully prepared textbook. The quality of the presentation of the publication is matched by the glittering array of senior experts in the field that have been brought together to produce individual chapters for this multi-author book. I agree entirely with a number of the comments made in the preface by one of the editors, Dr Parmley, in which he alludes to the importance of the need for practising physicians to be fully acquainted with the advances in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy, as this aspect of therapeutics represents a major component of modern day general internal medicine. In addition, I also agree that it is important in producing a text of this kind that there is an adequate balance between *European Editor, International Journal of Cardiology
190
Book reviews/Int. J. Cardiol. 46 (1994) 189-190
basic pharmacological science and the application of drug therapy in everyday clinical practice. In both respects, the present text adequately satisfies these requirements. Each chapter has been carefully prepared in order to give an overview of the basic principles of drug action within each major group of cardiovascular treatment. This is coupled with reasonable and practical advice (albeit variable between the chapters) on the clinical application of the drugs discussed. There is a good balance between chapters dealing specifically with drug groups and those addressing general therapeutic areas, for example, vasodilators in the treatment of heart failure and antithrombotic therapy in cardiac disease, There is also a useful chapter on cardiovascular drug interactions by Neal Benowitz. I am, however, not entirely sure how useful Chapter 1 on basic principles of clinical
pharmacology is in the context of a specialist cardiovascular text. The quality of the displayed items, tables and figures is very high and adds usefully to both the general appearance of the text and to the ability of the reader to rapidly assimilate and review the information presented. The book is extensively referenced, some of the chapters listing over 200 citations. Overall, this new book represents a very useful addition in the area, but I would suggest that a slightly less ‘grand’ paperback edition might achieve wider distribution amongst specialist nurses, physicians in training and students. Division of Clinical Pharmacology Clinical Sciences Building L&ester Royal Infirmary L&ester, UK
Prof D.B. Barnett