Cardiac Function in Health and Disease

Abstract

In a series of gem-like encapsulations, Drs. Marshall and Shepherd have succeeded in producing succinct though remarkably comprehensive coverage of cardiac activity under physiologic and abnormal circumstances. Virtually all important recent work is covered, with adequate consideration of the preceding fruitful decades as well as classic studies. By design, electrophysiology and biochemistry are omitted, as are theory and details of investigative techniques. It is for this reason that the prefatory statement aiming this work at senior students as well as more experienced persons is a trifle over-ambitious. The text is all meat—no fat, but no bones either and one must have a skeleton of knowledge to underpin these truly muscular presentations. Indeed, the writing itself is something of a tour de force—data and concepts are presented in language which achieves both compactness and clarity, with no sacrifice of swift readability. The sections covering the influences on cardiac dynamics of exercise,