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The sinoatrial pacemaker of the heart
Bookreviews
STROKEREHABILITATION-A GuidetotheRehabilitation of an Adult Patient Following a Stroke. By Harry T. Zankel, M.D., Springfield, Ill., 1971, Charles C Thomas, Publisher, 284 pp. Price $15.75. Stroke rehabilitation is an extremely important subject in medicine at the present time. Zankel presents rehabilitation primarily from the physical point of view. The book contains many good photographs of patients receiving various forms of physiotherapy. The text is rather loosely w-ritten, however, and lacks adequately detailed information. For example, on page 138 no specific data are presented as to the type of drug, dosage, etc., that should be used for thalamic pain. The management of the shoulder-hand syndrome is also lacking in specific details which are needed by the practicing physician. lllthough rehabilitation of the patient with a stroke is important, this book is not very helpful because it de,& with sener,llities. ECG DIAGNOSIS: SELF-ASSESSMENT. Chung, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.C., Chung, M.D., Hagerstown, 1972, ment, Harper & Row, Publishers, Price $12.95.
By Edward K. and Donald K. Medical DepartInc., 221 pages.
In this atlas, clear illustrations of a wide variety of electrocardiograms are presented in a fashion to test the reader’s ability to interpret ECGs. The authors present each tracing with a very brief clinical summary along with the ECG on one page and the interpretation on the reverse side. This manner of presentation allows the student to make his interpretations and then check them with the authors’. The 200 ECGs are fairly common ones. However, some are seldom encountered even in a busy internist’s practice. A reader who can interpret these tracings properly would have a good knowledge of electrocardiography. This is a very good manual. CIRCCLATOKY EFFECTS~D CLINICAL USESOF BETAADRENEKGIC BLOCKING DRUGS. Editedby Donald C. Harrison, M.D., Amsterdam, 1971, Excerpta Medica, 147 pp, Price $12.50. The
use of beta-adrenergic blocking drugs is increasing constantly. It is therefore necessary that the physician be thoroughly acquainted with the mechanism of action of these drugs as well as their indications and value in various cardiac disease states. Harrison and his associates review the action of these drugs and their uses in 9 brief chapters. They discuss in about 140 pages the
432
pharmacology, circulatory effects, and use of these drugs in angina pectoris, in arrhythmias, myocardial infarctions, hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, and other diseases. The contraindications and limitations are also presented. Unfortunately, their discussions of the use of these drugs in the various clinical states emphasize the drugs themselves but fail to indicate strongly the importance of integrating the administration of the drugs along with other important therapeutic measures such as diet, smoking, caffeine intake, digitalis, antiarrhythmic agents, and rest. The experienced clinician will find this short book more helpful than the beginner. The latter, of course, will learn much about these drugs in Harrison’s book but he must realize they represent only one cardiac agent. The publication is a coed one. THE SINOAIRIAL PACEMMER OF IHE HESW. By Chandler XIcC. Brooks, and Hsin-Hsinng Lu, Springfield, Ill., 1972, Charles C Thomas, Publisher, 179 pp. Price $15.50. This important short monograph should interest all students of medicine and physiology, but especially cardiologists and other ph>-sicians a-ho have a special interest in cardiology. Brooks and his associates have had an interest in pacemakers of the heart for many years. The sinoatrial node is of special importance. The authors, in less than 150 pages, review the anatomy of the S-A node, development of the impulse, the electrophysiologic properties of the node and its response to various factors including pathologic states and arrhythmias. A good bibliography is included. Some of the historical comments are interesting, especially the role of Keith and Flack in the discovery of the S-A node. The illustrations are good and the discussion of action potential traces as influenced by various factors such as electrolyte concentrations are all recent important contributions. This is a very good and important book. It is especially timely in view of the relatively intense interest in electrophysiologic phenomena of the heart and the diagnosis and management of cardiac arrhythmias. ACLWE CORONARY CARE. By Gerald H. M.D., et al., Boston, 1972, Little, Brown pany, 383 pp. Price $14.50.
Whipple, & Com-
Several books and booklets have appeared recently on the CCU and the intensive care of the patient with acute coronary disease. Each one has its own features. This one is fairly extensive. It is
STROKEREHABILITATION-A GuidetotheRehabilitation of an Adult Patient Following a Stroke. By Harry T. Zankel, M.D., Springfield, Ill., 1971, Charles C Thomas, Publisher, 284 pp. Price $15.75. Stroke rehabilitation is an extremely important subject in medicine at the present time. Zankel presents rehabilitation primarily from the physical point of view. The book contains many good photographs of patients receiving various forms of physiotherapy. The text is rather loosely w-ritten, however, and lacks adequately detailed information. For example, on page 138 no specific data are presented as to the type of drug, dosage, etc., that should be used for thalamic pain. The management of the shoulder-hand syndrome is also lacking in specific details which are needed by the practicing physician. lllthough rehabilitation of the patient with a stroke is important, this book is not very helpful because it de,& with sener,llities. ECG DIAGNOSIS: SELF-ASSESSMENT. Chung, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.C., Chung, M.D., Hagerstown, 1972, ment, Harper & Row, Publishers, Price $12.95.
By Edward K. and Donald K. Medical DepartInc., 221 pages.
In this atlas, clear illustrations of a wide variety of electrocardiograms are presented in a fashion to test the reader’s ability to interpret ECGs. The authors present each tracing with a very brief clinical summary along with the ECG on one page and the interpretation on the reverse side. This manner of presentation allows the student to make his interpretations and then check them with the authors’. The 200 ECGs are fairly common ones. However, some are seldom encountered even in a busy internist’s practice. A reader who can interpret these tracings properly would have a good knowledge of electrocardiography. This is a very good manual. CIRCCLATOKY EFFECTS~D CLINICAL USESOF BETAADRENEKGIC BLOCKING DRUGS. Editedby Donald C. Harrison, M.D., Amsterdam, 1971, Excerpta Medica, 147 pp, Price $12.50. The
use of beta-adrenergic blocking drugs is increasing constantly. It is therefore necessary that the physician be thoroughly acquainted with the mechanism of action of these drugs as well as their indications and value in various cardiac disease states. Harrison and his associates review the action of these drugs and their uses in 9 brief chapters. They discuss in about 140 pages the
432
pharmacology, circulatory effects, and use of these drugs in angina pectoris, in arrhythmias, myocardial infarctions, hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, and other diseases. The contraindications and limitations are also presented. Unfortunately, their discussions of the use of these drugs in the various clinical states emphasize the drugs themselves but fail to indicate strongly the importance of integrating the administration of the drugs along with other important therapeutic measures such as diet, smoking, caffeine intake, digitalis, antiarrhythmic agents, and rest. The experienced clinician will find this short book more helpful than the beginner. The latter, of course, will learn much about these drugs in Harrison’s book but he must realize they represent only one cardiac agent. The publication is a coed one. THE SINOAIRIAL PACEMMER OF IHE HESW. By Chandler XIcC. Brooks, and Hsin-Hsinng Lu, Springfield, Ill., 1972, Charles C Thomas, Publisher, 179 pp. Price $15.50. This important short monograph should interest all students of medicine and physiology, but especially cardiologists and other ph>-sicians a-ho have a special interest in cardiology. Brooks and his associates have had an interest in pacemakers of the heart for many years. The sinoatrial node is of special importance. The authors, in less than 150 pages, review the anatomy of the S-A node, development of the impulse, the electrophysiologic properties of the node and its response to various factors including pathologic states and arrhythmias. A good bibliography is included. Some of the historical comments are interesting, especially the role of Keith and Flack in the discovery of the S-A node. The illustrations are good and the discussion of action potential traces as influenced by various factors such as electrolyte concentrations are all recent important contributions. This is a very good and important book. It is especially timely in view of the relatively intense interest in electrophysiologic phenomena of the heart and the diagnosis and management of cardiac arrhythmias. ACLWE CORONARY CARE. By Gerald H. M.D., et al., Boston, 1972, Little, Brown pany, 383 pp. Price $14.50.
Whipple, & Com-
Several books and booklets have appeared recently on the CCU and the intensive care of the patient with acute coronary disease. Each one has its own features. This one is fairly extensive. It is