The Novartis Foundation Series is a popular collection of the proceedings from Novartis Foundation Symposia, in which groups of leading scientists from a range of topics across biology, chemistry and medicine assembled to present papers and discuss results. The Novartis Foundation, originally known as the Ciba Foundation, is well known to scientists and clinicians around the world.

The story told in this book begins in about 1700, when the first attempts were made to study the diseased heart in life (the subject matter of cardiology), as distinct from its appearance after death; it ends, rather arbitrarily, in 1970. The account of the development of knowledge of heart disease is mainly chronological with emphasis on the fruitful consequences of the cross-fertilization of clinical practice with pathological anatomy at the beginning of the nineteenth century and with physiology at the end. In addition, shorter chapters deals with such topics as specific disease entities, methods of investigation, cardiac surgery and the work of two individuals - Peter Latham, an example of a physician practising with today's clinical skills but a very imperfect knowledge of the pathogenesis of heart disease and Etienne Marey, an early exponent of the clinical physiology which would, in time, throw light on that pathogenesis.

Dr. Arnold Katz's internationally acclaimed classic, Physiology of the Heart, is now in its thoroughly revised Fifth Edition, incorporating the latest molecular biology research and extensively exploring the clinical applications of these findings. In the single authored, expert voice that is this book's unique strength, Dr. Katz provides a comprehensive overview of the physiological and biophysical basis of cardiac function, beginning with structure and proceeding to biochemistry, biophysics, and pathophysiology in arrhythmias, ischemia, and heart failure. Emphasis is on the interrelationships of basic processes among the cell, cardiac muscle function, and the biophysics of contractile and electrical behavior. This edition includes new material on cell signaling and molecular biology.

The premier single-volume reference in the field of anesthesia, Clinical Anesthesia is now in its Sixth Edition, with thoroughly updated coverage, a new full-color design, and a revamped art program featuring 880 full-color illustrations. More than 80 leading experts cover every aspect of contemporary perioperative medicine in one comprehensive, clinically focused, clear, concise, and accessible volume. Two new editors, Michael Cahalan, MD and M. Christine Stock, MD, join Drs. Barash, Cullen, and Stoelting for this edition. A companion Website will offer the fully searchable text, plus access to enhanced podcasts that can be viewed on your desktop or downloaded to most Apple and BlackBerry devices.

This extensively revised second edition traces the development of the basic concepts in cardiovascular physiology in light of the accumulated experimental and clinical evidence. It considers the early embryonic circulation, where blood circulation suggests the existence of a motive force, tightly coupled to the metabolic demands of the tissues. It proposes that rather than being an organ of propulsion, the heart, serves as an organ of control, generating pressure by rhythmically impeding blood flow. New and expanded chapters cover the arterial pulse, circulation in the upright posture, microcirculation and functional heart morphology. Heart and Circulation offers a new perspective for deeper understanding of the human cardiovascular system. It is therefore a thought-provoking resource for cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and trainees interested in models of human circulation.