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Book Review Indian Pediatrics 1999;36: 1077 |
Pediatric Cardiology _ An Introduction, |
| Authors:
N. Archer and M. Burch. Chapman and Hall, Medical Imprint of Lippincott Raven Publishers,
London, 1998; Pages 222, Price Pound 45 (Hard Bound).
Cardiovascular disorders in children are common enough to present to pediatricians and the general practitioners. In the recent years, there are few specialities that have advanced at as rapid a pace as Pediatric Cardiology. To understand modern cardiology now _ one has to be aware as to how to decode an electro-cardiogram, have adequate knowledge about echocardiography and color Doppler, which used to be a specialists' domain about a decade ago. Without a sound theoretical background knowledge of the subject_a student would be at a loss when asked to examine a cardiac patient. This book has presented Pediatric Cardiology in an integrated manner including the intricacies of examining a child with cardiac problems, the details of history taking and physical examination and also the essential features of x-ray chest and electrocardiography, echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. There are informative chaptes on genetics, interventions, cardiac problems in infancy and older child, arrhythmias and lastly on specific lesions in congenital heart disease. The authors understand the areas which have to be emphasized for pediatricians, for example, when a cyanosed newborn needs prostaglandins to keep the duct patent and when the consultants have to decide to transfer a sick baby to a regional intensive care unit. This is a good book with instructions for nurses and residents on how to recognise the signs of cardiac de-compensation and arrhythmias. Apart from everything also, the book has been written very simply in plain English, is immensely readable and very easy to understand. The quality of the production is good with a hard bound cover. This book is recommended for pediatricians and nurses dealing with children with cardiac disorders, for residents at undergraduate and postgraduate level. It would also be a useful guide for physicians and general practitioners who are interested in pediatric cardiology
Anita Khalil,
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