(CardioRhythms Inc., St. Louis, 2004)
M.D., professor of medicine and of surgery in the School of Medicine
The ECG in Multiple Myocardial Infarction and the Progression of Ischemic Heart Disease presents a unique view of the use of electrocardiograms (ECG) in diagnosing ischemic heart disease, which is caused by a reduced blood supply to the heart and results in the death of heart tissue.
The ECG, a tracing of the electrical activity of the heart, is the least expensive first-pass test the patient receives, but at present the criteria for interpreting ECGs are relatively insensitive.
Boineau explains that if interpreted correctly, in many patients the ECG can be more useful than ultrasound in predicting the extent and distribution of tissue damage, known as infarction.
He describes new criteria for interpreting ECG tracings that could identify and locate far more infarctions.
“Often ECGs look abnormal, but the reason for the abnormalities isn’t clear,” Boineau said.
“My book explains the mechanisms that cause complex ECG readings in ischemic heart disease and shows how and why the criteria for interpreting them were derived.”
The information, which represents more than 40 years of investigation, is useful for any physicians treating ischemic heart disease. It is especially relevant to physicians and cardiologists who follow patients long-term or care for patients who have had multiple admissions for myocardial infarction, left ventricular dysfunction, congestive heart failure and arrhythmias.
The book is available from CardioRhythm’s Web site, cardiorhythms.com, and will soon be available at the medical school bookstore.
— Gwen Ericson