Each year, a million Americans experience acute myocardial infarctions. Despite improvements in the treatment of malignant arrhythmias, which complicate myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease persists as a leading cause of death in the United States.
Recognizing the importance of this medical problem, Drs Karliner and Gregoratos and coauthors have compiled a detailed treatise of contemporary acute coronary care. The textbook discusses the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of uncomplicated and complicated acute myocardial infarction, the organization and operation of the coronary care unit, monitoring and diagnostic techniques, principles of equipment maintenance, and problems with electrical hazards. The treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiogenic shock and the use of the intra-aortic balloon pump and vasodilator drug therapy are discussed in separate chapters in an attempt to be comprehensive, although these topics overlap and should be combined.
Detailed discussions are presented on unstable and variant angina; pharmacology, including analgesics, antiarrhythmic agents, and