Handbook of Pediatric Cardiology, a practical well-illustrated introductory text for medical students, pediatricians, and general practitioners, offers a concise and accurate summary of the subject. It will be particularly helpful to the noncardiologist approaching the differential diagnosis and treatment of a new patient.
Beginning with chapters on anatomy and embryology, Drs Krovetz, Gessner, and Schiebler progress through a description of various congenital heart defects and a survey of acquired heart disease. The chapter on congestive heart failure not only details the most frequent causes in various age groups but contains a useful "how to do it" section on therapy. There is also a chapter entitled "How to Diagnose Congenital Heart Disease in One Easy Lesson," which presents a schema for the diagnosis of congenital heart defects in children older than 1 year.
To be sure, some important subjects such as arrhythmias and pericardial diseases are handled somewhat superficially, but that