The Only Guide to Heart Health You'll Ever Need
December 19, 2011
Cardiac surgeon Gillinov and cardiologist Nissen, both of Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, efficiently render an overwhelming array of symptoms, tests, diagnoses, treatment options, diet, and exercise recommendations, drugs and supplements, and prognoses associated with the nation’s top cause of death into an easy-to-use guide to preventing heart disease. The key to prevention, they state, is recognizing and reducing risk factors, many of which (e.g., migraines, gum disease, stress, negative emotions, and sleep apnea) are hidden. They consider the impact of excess weight, high cholesterol, and blood pressure, suggesting lifestyle and pharmaceutical interventions to bring ranges back to normal, and address particular concerns and links with heart disease for women (pregnancy, menopause, and HRT), men (erectile dysfunction; prostate cancer), and children (obesity). Much of their advice downplays the efficacy of media-touted “superfoods” like blueberries and miracle supplements like B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and coQ10. They caution readers to take their time and do their research before committing to care that may be limited because of where they live or their physician’s knowledge. Gillinov and Nissen criticize physicians for suggesting stents to open blockages far more than necessary. This superior effort ends with an encouraging look at technological advances on the horizon, which may eliminate the need for invasive surgeries and drugs with dangerous side effects.
December 1, 2011
Preventative care for your cardiac plumbing, and steps to rectify what has gone amiss, from heart surgeon Gillinov and cardiologist Nissen. With an affable thoroughness, the authors inform readers about the world of coronary heart disease. Their desire is to communicate effectively, and they convey a come-check-this-out enthusiasm that will pique readers' curiosity. They start by pointing a finger at the standard causes of problems: toxic diets, lack of exercise, dangerous prescription combinations, emotional stress, high blood pressure, smoking, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a family history of such disease. They authors leisurely investigate all manner of heart issues: The judge the quality of late-breaking medical advice coming through the media; provide a deep profile of cholesterol; chart the factor of obesity in coronary heart disease; and highlight unfamiliar risk factors like rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease ("people who rarely or never brushed their teeth faced a 70 percent increase in their risk of suffering a heart attack or other serious cardiac event over an eight-year period. We suspect they also had really bad breath"). The authors examine diet and exercise; anger, anxiety and the physiology of stress; the extended family of heart-rhythm problems; the known benefits in the turbid world of vitamins and supplements; and the notion that a "healthy sex life correlates with a healthy heart." They also discuss basic heart tests, advanced surgery and warning signs, and suggest how to choose a doctor or a hospital. The text is designed so readers can either drop in on a specific topic or extend their understanding by reading the entire chapter to gain the broad, contextual picture. This book is like the doctor of old--white coat, black bag, stethoscope--ready to counsel from broad experience. So listen and act.
(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)
March 1, 2012
According to the Center for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. In this informative manual for heart health, cardiac surgeon Gillinov and cardiologist Nissen (both, Cleveland Clinic) emphasize prevention and answer questions regarding smoking, drinking red wine, diet, exercise, fads, and medication. The extremely useful section "How To Tell Fact from Fiction" explains the difference between various types of studies and which ones should be taken seriously. For those who have suffered or are suffering from heart disease, Gillinov and Nissen explain the most common tests and procedures and advise on whether they are helpful or unnecessary, depending on the patient's condition. This combination of case studies, historic information on treatments, and explanations of subjects including stress, diet pills, and drugs is a surprisingly engaging read. VERDICT This book is a good choice for anyone with a heart; essential for those with heart conditions.--Susanne Caro, Univ. of Montana Lib., Missoula
Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2012
In this empowering, lifesaving primer, cardiac surgeon Gillinov and cardiologist Nissen, who between the two of them have cared for more than 10,000 cardiac patients, authoritatively lay out what Americans must do to lessen their risk of dying of heart disease, the nation's number-one killer. For starters, don't get fat, and don't smoke. But the authors also mix in surprises. For example, they say cold weather can increase the risk of heart attack, while more education can lower it, and too much alcohol can increase the risk of high blood pressure (and breast cancer); and they explain why, medically speaking, husbands should stay faithful. Gillinov and Nissen also cover the warning signs of heart attacks and early symptoms of heart disease. The book is full of interesting asides (for example, in 1900, pneumonia was the leading cause of U.S. deaths, and the average life expectancy was 47), but impatient patients can skip to the end of chapters, which typically end with an Rx summary. In sum, an understandable and definitive guide by two top heart docs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)