Gerry Coghlan

High pressure in the lungs, or pulmonary hypertension, is most commonly due to smoking-related lung disease and conditions affecting the left heart, for example, high blood pressure in the arteries, faulty heart valves, and a weakened heart muscle. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is a rare and complex disease, associated with many different medical conditions, which is caused by a growth of cells lining the inside of the lung arteries, resulting in high pressure in areas of the body. Both conditions lead to strain and potential failure of the right heart, and therefore awareness and early diagnosis of the condition is needed to lead to better outcomes: however this depends on education of all specialists and primary care clinicians about PAH. This practical handbook covers both PH and PAH, providing information required by the wide range of clinicians who will encounter these conditions, including cardiologists, respiratory physicians, rheumatologists, specialists in liver and AIDS medicine, and haematologists. It covers what it is, who it is likely to affect, how it is diagnosed, including the pitfalls of the various diagnostic tests, the different and evolving forms of treatment, long term management of this often devastating chronic disease, and the crucial role of multidisciplinary management in optimizing clinical care of these patients who usually have multi-system diseases. It also covers the up new classification for both PH and PAH, and new drugs that have recently become available.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the world. It is largely preventable, and can certainly be delayed by attention to established risk factors. Primary care is the natural and most appropriate location for cardiovascular prevention. This accessible and practical reference and everyday manual covers the organisation of prevention services, estimating risk and using guidelines, and examines each key area with extensive use of clinical case studies. It provides the information necessary to answer the concerns of patients on areas such as cholesterol, diet, exercise, alcohol, smoking and medication. General practitioners, practice nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians and pharmacists will find this book to be an essential aid to their daily work.

Clive Handler and Gerry Coghlan have written a book that will become essential reading for the primary care physician managing cardiac problems in the new age of medical practice. In it they give clear, concise and readable information on diagnosis, management and treatment priorities in this most important field of medicine. The book uses current evidence and follows current guidelines to direct the clinician in treating conditions seen every day in general practice. It builds confidence in understanding the role and responsibility in commissioning cardiology specialist care.The narrative is peppered with real patient problems and sections giving advice to patients in layman's language. This book will not only promote the primary care physician's ability to manage problems in-house but also guide the commissioning clinician on putting in place appropriate and efficient specialist services. An excellent text that will be a valuable addition to the libraries of all general practices. Buy more than one copy - clinicians from practice nurses, students and registrars to the most senior doctors will all find it essential reading.