Medical Science Books Medical Book Review:    

The editors of this volume intended to provide a resource for both the generalist physician as well as the specialist caring for patients with Diabetes or patients whom might be highly prone to the disease.  They have assimilated decades worth of research into this volume which highlights the link between diabetes and the subsequent development of heart disease.  More than simply reporting this link in an epidemiological treatise and leaving the clinician wondering what they might do in their daily practice to help ameliorate this phenomenon, "Medical Management of Diabetes and Heart Disease" goes beyond and offers highly relevant clinical information that can be used in identifying patients at risk. 

     The text does an exceptional job at discussing "Syndrome X" which, as a manifestation of insulin resistance and obesity, is highly relevant amidst the obesity epidemic in many developed countries of the world.  The mechanisms by which "Syndrome X" might aid in the development of cardiovascular disease are still early in their discovery but these are also discussed within the text along with other novel markers of disease and possible targets of treatment.

     In addition to being a valuable source of information to the aforementioned groups of physicians in the clinic, this book also would be an excellent text for those interested in preventative medicine and the epidemiology of heart disease.  The book is highly focused on identification and intervention with patients that are at high risk of developing heart disease as a result of diabetes and in the secondary treatment of diabetics with heart disease.

Ratings (1-4 , 4 being the highest):

Organization of information: 3   

Usefulness of book:  3   

Suitable for intended audience:  4 

Author’s objectives met:      4

Significant number of illustrations/Figures:     2

Quality of illustrations/Figures:   2 

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1.     Causal Connections

Chapter 2.     Types of Diabetes and Their Implications Regarding Heart and Vascular Disease

Chapter 3.     Recognition and Assessment of Insulin Resistance

Chapter 4.     Hypertension, Diabetes, and the Heart

Chapter 5.     Hyperlipidemia, Diabetes, and the Heart

Chapter 6.     The Coagulation and Fibrinolytic Systems, Diabetes, and the Heart: Therapeutic Implications

Chapter 7.     Insulin Resistance, Compensatory Hyperinsulinemia, and Coronary Heart Disease: Syndrome X

Chapter 8.     Detection and Diagnosis of Syndromes of Insulin Resistance and of Diabetes Mellitus

Chapter 9.     Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Insulin Resistance, and Cardiovascular Disease

Chapter 10.   Detection and Diagnosis of Heart Disease in Diabetic and Prediabetic Subjects

Chapter 11.    Treatment of Diabetes: Implications for Heart Disease

Chapter 12.    Management of Patients with Diabetes and Coronary Artery Disease

Chapter 13.    Pathophysiology and Management of Congestive Heart Failure in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Chapter 14.    Special Therapeutic Considerations: Coronary Interventions and Coronary Surgery

Chapter 15.    Nonpharmacological Reduction of Cardiovascular Risk

Chapter 16.    Future Directions: Elucidation of Mechanisms as Targets for Therapy