Life threatening cardiovascular conditions constitute up to fifty per cent of emergency admissions to hospital. Immediate and appropriate management is crucial. This authoritative text provides up to date guidance for cardiologists and general physicians faced with patients in a critical condition. Based on Oxford cardiologists' wide clinical experience, the individual chapters address the practical issues of managing patients during the acute phase, combining both evidence based and practical approaches. Chapters include:

• Diagnosis of acute chest pain
• Acute coronary syndromes - pathogenesis
• Acute coronary syndromes - myocardial infarction with ST elevation
• Acute coronary syndromes - chest pain or a normal ECG
• Pulmonary oedema
• Cardiogenic shock
• Aortic dissection and related syndromes
• Pulmonary embolism
• Acute atrial fibrillation
• Narrow complex tachycardia
• Broad complex tachycardia
• Syncope, bradyarrhythmias, and cardiac pacing
• Cardiac arrest
• Practical procedures
• CCU Drug Protocols

The text is enhanced with schematic illustrations and real examples, boxed summaries, and tables, making the book easy to use on the wards as well as being a reference for more detailed study.