cardiology

Discusses the history of the only organ that can move itself, the heart.

A history of the heart in medicine, covering the first dissection of cadavers, the first heart surgeries which had to be completed in three minutes, and on to transplants and the latest medical efforts to prolong the heart's life.

Hundreds of applicants from all over the world compete to be accepted into the Cardiovascular Disease Training Fellowship at Johns Hopkins. The competition is intense because only nine doctors are chosen each year. This is the story of one doctor who was accepted. The training is intense, arduous, and often unforgiving. Those who survive the pressures and relentlessly push themselves, reach the top ranks of American medicine.

Provides information about the normal function of the heart, what can go wrong with it, how heart disease can be evaluated and treated, and how people can maintain their cardiovascular health.

The author describes how she decided to become a doctor and the work she does as a cardiologist.

Looks at the how the heart works and the ways it can be affected by disease; examines several causes of heart disease; discusses diagnosis and treatment; and explains how to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle.