Clinical phonocardiography and external pulse recording

Clinical phonocardiography and external pulse recording - Morton E.Tavel

Phonocardiography and external pulse recording are important for several reasons including diagnosis, teaching, patient followup, and research. Careful correlation of these surface-recorded phenomena simultaneously with cardiac catheterization, or retrospectively with surgical findings, has led toward a precise understanding of their significance. The physician can infer quite accurately the nature and degree of hemodynamic changes by these means. But these techniques have added new terminology which might discourage the practicing physician or the medical student.

Dr. Tavel has written a concise, accurate little book of "pearls" which should not only clarify terminology but should add to the joy of bedside physical diagnosis. The clarity of presentation and careful correlation of clinical and physiological phenomena make this book valuable and a pleasure to read. The diagrams are excellent. Dr. Tavel avoids reminiscences about specific patients which in other textbooks is distracting and occasionally obscures the central theme. One finds no significant fault