The seventeenth volume in this popular series continues to fulfill the original editorial goal: to serve as an annual review of the most promising, the most practical and the most pioneering cardiologic literature of the past year. This book is unsurpassed in its ability to provide a comprehensive overview of the current trends in basic and clinical research and in clinical applications both for adult and pediatric cardiology. Dr James T Willerson now heads the world-class Cardiology 1997 contributor team, with Dr William C Roberts, the series' previous leader, continuing to contribute his eminent professional wisdom and editorial acumen. They are ably assisted by Drs Thomas P Graham Jr, Dean T Mason, William W Parmley and Charles E Rackley. All have devoted many hundreds of hours to critically reviewing thousands of papers representing the full spectrum of cardiology research. The work finally included thus truly represents the cream of the crop - conveniently and expertly summarized - with clear references for all full-length articles. Many tables and figures help to further explain and summarize the data. Conveniently organized into 12 topical sections, this remarkable compendium represents the definitive guide to the most recent advances in this rapidly evolving field. As such, it is a superbly practical and efficient way for any