Electrocardiography and Cardiac Drug Therapy

This book is a comprehensive overview of electrocardiography and the major effects of current cardiac pharmacological therapy on electrocardiography. The text is based on work presented at the International Symposium on Non-invasive Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy, held in May, 1987 at the University of Cologne. The theme of the book is to review, in broad clinical perspective the current state-of-the-art of electrocardiography as it pertains to standard electrocar- diograms, exercise testing, ambulatory electrocardiography, electrocardiographic telemetry, and high resolution electrocardiography. Furthermore, advance!, in cardiac drug therapy in relation to diuretics, beta blocking drugs, antiarrhythmic agents and thrombolytic agents are reviewed. The emphasis of the conference and this book is to review the clinical state-of-the-art information and applications in this regard. In the initial section on electrocardiography, Dr. Spodick reviews our present day physiologic and pathophysiologic understanding of systolic time intervals, and how they are affected by a variety of cardiac disease states and pharmacologic agents. Dr. Ellestad examines problems and provides pragmatic tips on exercise testing in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, and advances in exercise scores and computer analysis. Dr. Graboys reviews the value of exercise testing in the diagnosis and management of patients with serious ventricular arrhythmias. Dr. Kellermann presents the complimentary role that exercise testing plays in com- prehensive follow-up therapy of the cardiac patient, and the use of exercise for work and physical training. Detailed information concerning the interaction of cardiac rehabilitation and ventricular arrhythmias are examined.