The Heart and Lung in Obesity

Abstract

are available at the end of each case. Although this CD cannot replace a textbook on echocardiography, it provides relevant information about the interpretation of echocardiograms. For ease of use, the CD-ROM is organized into the following sections: an atlas, echo anatomy, and case studies. The atlas covers diseases of the coronary arteries, the myocardium, the cardiac and pulmonary valves, the pericardium, and the aorta, as well as endocar-ditis, tumors and masses, pulmonary hypertension, and congenital heart disease. The user can activate several screens simultaneously, making it possible to evaluate the pathology of a condition in different views. The text option provides an explanation of each view and highlights the important features. The echo anatomy section provides a user-friendly approach to cardiac structures as viewed by means of 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic imaging. Each case study simulates a real echocardiograph-ic examination. The user can select views, imaging modes, and Doppler interrogation. Each case includes a brief history and ends with a complete report. The CD also offers presentation and self-assessment features. The presentation feature is a superb tool for lecturers, because it enables the user to select and download views for presentation in seminars. Cases can be displayed in different views and at different speeds, and labels can be added to the images. The self-assessment feature, which uses a format similar to that of the presentation feature, presents case studies in random order without re-The Heart and Lung in Obesity provides a very well-organized and comprehensive review of the effects of severe or morbid obesity on the car-diopulmonary system. In an era in which great emphasis is placed on primary prevention, this book is a necessity for anyone who attempts to understand the effects of obesity on the cardiopulmonary system. The book comprises 12 chapters by authors who represent the fields of internal medicine, cardiology, nephrology, pulmonary/critical care, and pharma-cology. Several chapters have been written by the editors, Drs. Alpert and Alexander, whose landmark studies of this subject have been integral to the evo-vealing the diagnosis; this feature enables the user to assess his or her mastery of the materials presented. A "compare" function presents information on differential diagnoses. The CD also offers a "Help and Abbreviations" feature, which guides the user through its different options and features. The loading speed and the frame rate depend on the characteristics of the computer used. For use on a Macintosh computer, the CD requires at least 68040/25 MHz or a PowerMac, and 8 MB of available memory. To use the CD on an IBM-compatible computer, the computer must be running Windows 3.1, Windows 95, or Windows NT 4.0, and have at least 16 MB of memory available; a Pentium-compatible processor is recommended. The program performed adequately when tested on a Pentium 90 MHz computer with 2x-CD and 16 MB RAM. In the self-assessment mode, returning to the main menu was difficult and slow. Other modes performed flawlessly. Futura Publishing Company offers technical support. In general, this CD-ROM is a very useful learning and teaching tool. It focuses mainly on transthoracic examinations, and includes only a few transesoph-ageal images. It is an excellent atlas for computer-generated presentations.