An Atlas of Myocardial Infarction and related cardiovascular complications [antikvár]

Fo re word The field of Medicine has made extraordinary advances in the past 20 years. Having said this, there is no discipline that has changed more radically than that of Cardiology. Dr Dymond has successfully traveiled the course and has put together a well-illustrated atlas reflecting the current state of knowledge concerning myocardial infarction. Although ischemic heart disease remains the leading cause of death, there are somé encouraging signs. Since 1985, when the mortality rate was 330 per 100000, this rate progressively feli to 292 per 100000 in 1990. The pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction now concentrates on the importance of plaque rupture with subsequent formation of thrombus at the site of rupture. Dr Dymond amply illustrates this phenomenon with microscopic studies of coronary arteries. The section on diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction is laced wrth wisdom in that the frailties of patients denying their symptoms is highlighted. Once myocardial infarction occurs, a host of complications may follow. Dr Dymond chronicles and illustrates the full spectrum: cardiogenic shock, mitral regurgitation, myocardial rupture, ventricular aneurysms, pericarditis. Current concepts such as myocardial stunning and hibernation are discussed. The text is a good summary of current knowledge of myocardial infarction, but the strength of this book rests with the illustrations. As our understanding of myocardial infarction has increased, so has the rangé of techniques with which we are able to study this disease. The Atlas is richly illustrated with electrocardiograms, angiograms, radionuclide scans, rest and stress echocardiograms, magnetic resonance images, holter monitors, angioscopy, and positron emission tomography images. It is in this section ofthe book that the reader marvels at the array of diagnostic tools that allows the physician to perform his magic. An Atlas of Myocardial Infarction is a strong statement of where we have been and where we currently are as we push the frontiers of science ahead of us. Dr Dymond has done a stellar job of chronicling this journey. Lawrence S. Cohen, MD Deputy Dean Ebenezer K. Hunt Professor of Medicine Yale University School of Medicine