Humana Cardiovascular Biomarkers: Pathophysiology and Disease Management (Contemporary Cardiology)

In the four pages committed to a discussion of myocardial infarction in the first edition of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, published in 1950, there was no mention of use of the laboratory for management of patients. Thirty years later, when the first edition of Braunwald’s Heart Disease, A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine was published, 2 out of the 1943 pages in the text contained a discussion of the laboratory examinations in acute myocardial infarction. Our knowledge base of the multitude of ways that physicians can and should use the clinical chemistry laboratory has expanded dramatically since these classic texts were published. The nomenclature has changed: terms such as “cardiac enzymes” have given way to “cardiac biomarkers. ” The number of assays has multiplied, and the operating characteristics of available assays are impr- ing at a gratifying but dizzying rate. We now use biomarkers to diagnose cardiovascular diseases and also to frame our treatment strategies. Thus, there is a clear need for a scholarly compilation of the state of the art of cardiac biomarkers. Dr. David Morrow has expertly edited an authoritative book that answers this need. The 34 chapters in Cardiovascular Biomarkers: Pathophysiology and Disease Mana- ment were written by a group of individuals who are internationally recognized thought leaders and experts in clinical and laboratory medicine. Review From the Foreword..."...readers of this text will find it an invaluable resource regardless of their familiarity with the subject." From the reviews: "This book provides a clear presentation of the use of biomarkers in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. … The author seeks to provide clinicians with an authoritative book on the current state-of-the art in cardiovascular biomarkers. … It is aimed at practicing cardiologists and does an excellent job of defining the development and use of the current set of cardiovascular biomarkers as well as providing insight into the future directions of the field." (Cooper Woods, Doody’s Review Service, March, 2008) From the Back Cover So rapidly has the number of cardiac assays available grown, and then improved, that current biomarkers not only diagnose cardiovascular disease, but also frame treatment strategies. In Cardiovascular Biomarkers: Pathophysiology and Disease Management, a distinguished panel of internationally recognized opinion makers and experts in clinical and laboratory medicine synthesize the latest developments in the use of cardiac biomarkers by the practicing physician. The authors focus on integrating biomarkers into the contemporary clinical management of patients with cardiovascular disease, emphasizing clinical studies, evidence-based diagnostic algorithms, and critical pathways for triage and therapy, whenever available. They also illuminate the connections between specific biomarkers and the basic pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease, explain the analytical properties of the assays relevant to clinical practice, and highlight emerging biomarkers and novel directions for biomarker development. Numerous figures, illustrations, and tables make key evidence and practical guidelines easily accessible.State-of-the-art and highly practical, Cardiovascular Biomarkers: Pathophysiology and Disease Management makes clear to today's busy cardiologists, emergency room physicians, and internists how the various assays perform, which ones they should order when evaluating their patients, and how the results of a biomarker assay can guide their therapeutic approaches.