doi: 10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.108.812909
Book Reviews |
Cardiovascular Genetics and Genomics for the Cardiologist
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, Mass, Cardiology Section and Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass
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Introduction |
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Victor J. Dzau, Choong-Chin Liew, eds.
308 pp., illustrated. Malden, Mass: Blackwell Futura; 2007. $144.95. ISBN 978–1-4051–3394-4.
Given the rapidly growing knowledge in the field of genetics and genomics and the furious pace of translational research, the average cardiologist today is faced with information overload and a discipline that is changing in fundamental ways. The challenges are further magnified by the fact that training curricula for cardiologists have not yet bridged the gap between conventional practice of cardiovascular medicine and the futuristic trends in the discipline. In this context, this book fills a unique void, and is a must read for cardiologists, including fellows and faculty.
The book is organized into three parts preceded by an introductory chapter. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the history of gene in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and contains a very basic primer on genetics and genomics. The text traces a course from monogenic disorders to multifactorial disease to the role of genetics in therapy of cardiovascular disease. The first part consists of 4 chapters that discuss monogenic cardiovascular disease: hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies, hypercholesterolemia and the long QT syndrome. The second part focuses on polygenic disorders, and includes 3 chapters: atherosclerosis, heart failure and hypertension. The third and final part comprises of chapters on gene therapy, stem cell therapy, pharmacogenetics and blood-based gene profiling. The presentation style of each chapter is attractive, the language clear, the content concise, the figure and tables are well organized, and the bibliography adequate. The molecular basis of disorders discussed in each chapter is elegantly presented and explained. The contents section, and the index at the end of the book are succinct. The editors and authors have managed to strike a balance between providing key information while keeping the size of the chapters and the book of a manageable size.
Given that genetics is a rapidly changing field and this review appears a year after the book was released, it is not surprising that parts of the content are not up to date. Thus, genome-wide association studies for cardiovascular traits, HapMap, and concepts such as systems biology and the other components of the OMICS tool box that complement genomics are either not mentioned or mentioned in passing in the introductory primer. It would have been advantageous to have a CD-ROM or an e-copy of the book with a facility for online updates, in view of the nature of the rapidly changing field. A chapter on genetics of congenital heart disease would appeal to pediatric cardiology colleagues. Future editions could also consider a chapter that discusses genetic screening, counseling, and the related ethical, social, legal, and public health issues.
Overall, the size and weight of the book are such that it can be easily carried in your brief case or bag. The lucid and easy writing style across different chapters permits one to read on seamlessly from one chapter to another. The book is attractively printed, the color plates superb, and the print of the text easy on the eyes. I would strongly recommend this book to cardiology fellows and faculty.
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None.
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Footnotes |
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The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the editors or of the American Heart Association.
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