This is an introduction for students and practitioners of medicine and science who have difficulty in understanding cardiac electrophysiology and pharmacology. Relating these to cardiac mechanics and therapy, the book integrates the basic sciences with clinical medicine.

1. Functional Anatomy of the Heart; 2. Mechanical Events During the Cardiac Cycle; 3. The Excitatory Pathway; 4. Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology: Ventricle and Atrium; 5. Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology: Pacemaking and Conducting Tissue; 6. The Electrocardiogram; 7. Arrhythmias: Electrophysiological basis; 8. Antiarrhythmic Drugs 9. Arrhythmias: Clinical considerations; 10. Excitation-Contraction Coupling and Mechanoelectrical Feedback; 11. Functional Aspects of Cardiac Muscle Contraction; 12. The Nervous Control of Heart Rate and Force; 13. Measurement of Cardiac Output; 14. The Cardiac Environment: Effects of Altered Ion Concentrations on the Heart; 15. Coronary Flow and Coronary Thrombosis; 16. Drugs used to Treat Ischaemic Heart Disease; 17. Cardiac Failure; 18. Drugs Used for Cardiac Failure; 19. Molecular Biology of Cardiac Ion Channels; 20. Growing Points in Cardiac Research; Further Reading; Index

Physiology and Pharmacology of the heart is an ideal introduction for students and practitioners of medicine and science who have difficulty: * understanding cardiac electrophysiology and pharmacology * relating these to cardiac mechanics and therapy Thsi difficult subject often leaves experts baffled, so the aim of this book is to introduce these topics in a clear, concise and medically relevant way. Physiology and Pharmacology of the heart integrates the basic sciences with clinical medicine. The book is heavily illustrated to clarify the concepts, and contains a glossary of terms and a brief listing of the important drugs.