Full Description
This book provides an overview of the history, manifestations, and treatment of heart disease and heart rhythm disorders. In addition, it covers the effects on the lives of patients, coping mechanisms, and relationships with doctors, family, religion, and death. The book uniquely intersects the fields of medicine, literature, science, and art. Chapters begin by familiarizing the reader with the historical aspects of manifestations and treatment - discussing both scientific and psychological aspects of the disease. Chapters also discuss the evolution of several treatment modalities. Every chapter of the book contains interesting and evocative patient stories and their treatment.
Rhythms of Broken Hearts will be of interest to a wide spectrum of health care practitioners as well as to patients and related family members with interest in understanding their symptoms and disease entity.
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In Rhythm of Broken Hearts, Dr. Gomes distills a multifaceted perspective with a unique story that knits history, physiology, emotion, and wisdom.Jonathan L. Halperin, M.D.
If you ever have a broken heart -- romantic or medical -- you will be totally absorbed in this dazzling multicultural read. Grace Schulman
Dr. Gomes's affinity and empathy for his patients and their stories narrated in this book, make universal the experiences of illness that we all must navigate at some point in our lives.Jeremy N. Ruskin, MD
Contents
Part I: The Mythology of the Human Heart.- Romanticizing the Heart.- The Mysteries of the Age-Old Pulse.- Part II: The Renaissance Period In Heart Rhythm Disorders.- De-Mystifying the Heart.- Understanding Heart Rhythm Disorders: The Birth of Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.- Part III: Galloping Away in the Atrium.- Living with a Galloping Heart.- Radical Ideas: The Road to Conquering Supraventricular Tachycardia.- Atrial Fibrillation: A Macabre Heart Dance.- The Saw-Tooth Rhythm: Atrial Flutter.- Part IV: Abnormal Rhythms Arising from the Ventricles.- The Elusive Extra-beat.- A Catastrophic Event: Sudden Cardiac Death.- Strange Occurrences in Life's Channels.- A Heart Braking Calamity: Sudden Death in the Athlete.- Conquering the Arrhythmic Substrate: The Scalpel and the Source.- A Revolutionary Idea: The Implantable Defibrillator -- A Lifesaver.- To Freeze and not to Fry.- Of Scintillating Lights, Tunnels, and Astral Encounters.- Part V: The Break Down.- The Broken Heart.- Part VI: The Slow Down.- The Ubiquitous faint.- The Stuttering Maestro: Sick Sinus.- Of Disconnected Highways: Heart Blocks.- Part VII: A Brand New Rhythm: A Brand New Heart.- The Artificial Pacemaker—A Life-Giver.- When All Is Said and Done: Waiting for a Heart Transplant.- Part VIII: The Quest to Overcome Heart Attacks.- Of Bypasses and Clot Busters.- A Riveting New Era: The Birth of Interventional Cardiology.- Part IX: Stories of Survival.- A Family Affair.- Cruising through Complications of a Heart Attack.- A Missed Diagnosis: A Lifetime of Endurance.- Old Age: How Long Should We Hope to Live?.- Part X: Some Heart Care Advice to Live By.
