Ramin Manshadi

This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaway

In The wisdom of heart health, cardiologist Ramin Manshadi had written about the heart and everything you need to know about keeping it healthy for the average patient. In English for regular folks (and not medicalese), he explains how the heart works, diseases including high cholesterol and high blood pressure, treatments (drugs and surgery) and other things you should know. There are 46 very short chapters filled with basic information, sometimes mentioned in more than one place, especially if the facts are very important. And there are many no-brainers: don’t smoke or quit, eat a sensible diet to avoid being overweight, exercise and see your doctor for anything that is not quite right. After seeing your doctor, follow directions for the best results.

I found the most interesting chapters for me were the ones explaining medicines. I now understand the difference between accupril and cardizem and why I take both as well as my problems with certain statins. Also helpful were the descriptions of tests and procedures, medical devices, and what to expect in the cardiologist’s office if your primary-care doctor feels you need to be there. Dr. Manshadi states when it is necessary to seek medical help and, when in doubt, do call your doctor. Along with chewing a full strength aspirin if you think you are having a heart attack, there are other suggestions that can save your life. He is on a crusade to have defibrillators in every high school in California to protect student athletes. (Not only young athletes are affected. A friend who is a school nurse had to use one in middle school for a girl who collapsed in the classroom.) His chapter on why women have different heart issues than men clearly explained the issues. Since more women die of heart related problems than cancer, this is something everyone, not just women, needs to know.

The book has an excellent index and many good illustrations and photos. Missing were drawings of the heart and how it works. (Pictures are sometimes worth more than text and clearer!) I would hope that this be added in subsequent editions. Also missing was an material for further reading. Dr. Manshadi has tried to make this a patient friendly book without footnotes but, for the ones who want good quality information, a bibliography of popular works as well as scholarly material would be valuable, both books and journal articles as well as websites.

Read this book – it could save your life or the life of someone you know. Since all proceeds from this book will fund defibrillators for high schools, you will also be helping in this worthy endeavor.… (plus d'informations)