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The neurology of the elderly
119
The Neurology of the Elderly,
Richard Godwin-Austen
a n d J o h n B e n d a l l (Eds.),
Springer-Verlag, L o n d o n , 1990, 148 pages, D M 82.50 This 150-page monograph is devised on a problem-oriented frame, in which the patient because of advanced age should (with even more emphasis than in the case of the younger adult) be spared the stressful application of modern diagnostic procedures, The main problems (dementia and disorientation, imbalance, headaches, impaired vision, incontinence, abnormal movements, impaired consciousness, plegia, and some general medical disorders entailing neurological dysfunction) are set out in concise chapters manifesting the experience of the authors. Recommended reading not only for the geriatric specialist, but also for the neurologist. G.W. BRUYN
Malignant Hyperthermia, Neuromuscular Diseases and Anaesthesia, by
W. M o r t i e r a n d E. B r e u c k i n g (eds.), G e o r g T h i e m e Verlag, Stuttgart, N e w Y o r k , 1990, 100 + x pages, D M 40 (soft c o v e r )
This 100-page, 12 chapter, 26 author monograph contains the proceedings of an international symposium on the subject in Wuppenal, May 1989. The text surveys the diagnostic significance of serum CPK assay, succinylcholine-induced CPK changes in healthy persons, the low predictive value of preoperative CPK assays (!), myalgias and myoglobinuria as symptoms of various neuromuscular diseases, the diagnosis of neuromuscular disease, diagnostic and in vitro tests for verification of disposition for malignant hyperthermia, molecular genetics, sociolegal aspects, anesthesia in these patients and treatment. What the monograph assumes the reader to know fully is an operational definition of the disorder, its symptoms and its course. The clinical diagnosis of NMD based upon careful neurological preoperative examination of the patient, the most important preventive measure, is scarcely dealth with. G.W. BRUYN
Neurological Complications of Renal Disease, by
C . F . B o l t o n a n d G . B . (Eds.), Butterw o r t h s , B o s t o n , M A , 1990, 256 pages, U S $ 6 4 . 9 5 .
The authors of this monograph, two neurologists at the University of Western Ontario, are to be commended for creating a single reference which critically reviews and summarizes the extensive literature on neurologic aspects of renal disease. The book is clearly written and well referenced. It is organized logically into sections dealing with complications resulting directly from acute or chronic renal failure, those due to associated extrarenal disorders and those arising from therapy. The clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, laboratory data and pathology of each clinical entity are reviewed. This format enables each chapter to stand independently but also leads to repetition of some material, especially in sections on basic mechanisms, The last chapter deals with basic pharmaeokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles of drug therapy in renal disease, citing examples of specific agents which are commonly used in patients with kidney disorders. One useful touch is a list of acronyms at the start of each chapter which allows the reader to locate the meaning of a term without having to search for its first appearance in the text. An occasional typographical error escaped the editor's notice, such as autotoxieity instead ofototoxieity and pupillary instead of papillary. The index could also be more complete. For instance, there are four mentions of reduced red blood cell transketolase in the first one hundred pages, only two of which are indexed. However, these are minor criticisms. This volume should prove to be a valuable resource for the neurologist who treats patients with renal failure. DAVID LEFKOWITZ,MD Neurology Bowman Gray School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, U.S.A.
The Neurology of the Elderly,
Richard Godwin-Austen
a n d J o h n B e n d a l l (Eds.),
Springer-Verlag, L o n d o n , 1990, 148 pages, D M 82.50 This 150-page monograph is devised on a problem-oriented frame, in which the patient because of advanced age should (with even more emphasis than in the case of the younger adult) be spared the stressful application of modern diagnostic procedures, The main problems (dementia and disorientation, imbalance, headaches, impaired vision, incontinence, abnormal movements, impaired consciousness, plegia, and some general medical disorders entailing neurological dysfunction) are set out in concise chapters manifesting the experience of the authors. Recommended reading not only for the geriatric specialist, but also for the neurologist. G.W. BRUYN
Malignant Hyperthermia, Neuromuscular Diseases and Anaesthesia, by
W. M o r t i e r a n d E. B r e u c k i n g (eds.), G e o r g T h i e m e Verlag, Stuttgart, N e w Y o r k , 1990, 100 + x pages, D M 40 (soft c o v e r )
This 100-page, 12 chapter, 26 author monograph contains the proceedings of an international symposium on the subject in Wuppenal, May 1989. The text surveys the diagnostic significance of serum CPK assay, succinylcholine-induced CPK changes in healthy persons, the low predictive value of preoperative CPK assays (!), myalgias and myoglobinuria as symptoms of various neuromuscular diseases, the diagnosis of neuromuscular disease, diagnostic and in vitro tests for verification of disposition for malignant hyperthermia, molecular genetics, sociolegal aspects, anesthesia in these patients and treatment. What the monograph assumes the reader to know fully is an operational definition of the disorder, its symptoms and its course. The clinical diagnosis of NMD based upon careful neurological preoperative examination of the patient, the most important preventive measure, is scarcely dealth with. G.W. BRUYN
Neurological Complications of Renal Disease, by
C . F . B o l t o n a n d G . B . (Eds.), Butterw o r t h s , B o s t o n , M A , 1990, 256 pages, U S $ 6 4 . 9 5 .
The authors of this monograph, two neurologists at the University of Western Ontario, are to be commended for creating a single reference which critically reviews and summarizes the extensive literature on neurologic aspects of renal disease. The book is clearly written and well referenced. It is organized logically into sections dealing with complications resulting directly from acute or chronic renal failure, those due to associated extrarenal disorders and those arising from therapy. The clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, laboratory data and pathology of each clinical entity are reviewed. This format enables each chapter to stand independently but also leads to repetition of some material, especially in sections on basic mechanisms, The last chapter deals with basic pharmaeokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles of drug therapy in renal disease, citing examples of specific agents which are commonly used in patients with kidney disorders. One useful touch is a list of acronyms at the start of each chapter which allows the reader to locate the meaning of a term without having to search for its first appearance in the text. An occasional typographical error escaped the editor's notice, such as autotoxieity instead ofototoxieity and pupillary instead of papillary. The index could also be more complete. For instance, there are four mentions of reduced red blood cell transketolase in the first one hundred pages, only two of which are indexed. However, these are minor criticisms. This volume should prove to be a valuable resource for the neurologist who treats patients with renal failure. DAVID LEFKOWITZ,MD Neurology Bowman Gray School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, U.S.A.