Cardiology 1999 is the 19th volume to be published in this series. It contains more than 700 summaries of reports that appeared in the cardiology literature from November 1997 to October 1998 in major journals such as Circulation, The American Journal of Cardiology, Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, American Heart Journal, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, The New England Journal of Medicine, and The Lancet.
Important topics reviewed in Cardiology 1999 include the association of infections and inflammation with coronary artery disease; interventional procedures used to treat coronary heart disease and peripheral atherosclerosis, including coronary stenting and radiotherapy to prevent restenosis; the important role of homocysteine in promoting atherosclerosis; and new developments in the treatment of congestive heart failure. The book is organized into 10 major subject categories, each of which is subdivided into pertinent topics. The recently published literature is cited as documentation.
Especially fascinating is the appendix, which consists of interviews (originally published in The American Journal of Cardiology) by Dr. William Roberts with leading American cardiovascular surgeons and physicians. This is the 2nd year that such articles have been included in this series, and they add valuable historical records to the book.
In summary, Cardiology 1999 provides a comprehensive compilation of recent articles regarding cardiovascular literature. Its well-organized and easy-to-read format makes this book an excellent tool for a quick review of important topics in cardiology. In my opinion, this resource belongs in the library of every cardiologist, fellow-in-training, and, indeed, every physician who is interested in cardiology.