A comprehensive text on acute coronary care represents a significant event for those active in the field. At first glance, it would appear that the message of this authoritative book is much delayed. After all, coronary care units (CCUs) have been around for two decades. However, a good book was lacking.
The delay, however, is compensated for by the possibilities we now have to look back and to assess and reassess the value and the limitations of such units, their use and misuse, and the advantages and the limitations of some techniques.
The book is divided into ten sections on these topics: pathophysiology, prediction and prevention of acute myocardial ischemia and infarction, diagnosing and sizing myocardial infarction, monitoring, and coronary care: the prehospital phase, the postadmission phase, the coronary care unit, the coronary care unit phase, the predischarge phase, and the convalescent phase.
Many authors are authorities in their particular