Current Concepts in Cardiovascular Physiology

Book excerpt: Current Concepts in Cardiovascular Physiology examines seven different areas related to the field of cardiac physiology. In addition to the biochemistry and receptor pharmacology of the heart, this book explores coronary physiology, cardiovascular function, and neural and reflex control of the circulation. The electrophysiology and biophysics of cardiac excitation are also considered, along with humoral control of the circulation. This monograph consists of seven chapters and opens with an overview of the biochemistry of the heart, with emphasis on cardiac energy metabolism and the ways in which metabolism and the biochemical pathways are controlled. The mechanisms whereby physiological events influence biochemical activities and vice versa are also discussed. The following chapters look at the chemistry and physiology of myocardial receptors; the complex interplay between the nervous and cardiovascular systems; and the chemical and hormonal factors that regulate, modify, and modulate the cardiovascular system. The influence of humoral, neural, intrinsic, vascular, and myocardial factors on coronary blood flow is also examined, along with muscle mechanics; the biochemical basis of contraction; cardiac function; and the factors determining the heart's electrophysiologic behavior. This text is directed primarily at clinical cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, and trainees in their disciplines, as well as internists, medical students, and house officers.