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Overview
Stress is an integral part of life. But what is it, how does it affect the body, and what roles do stress and catecholamines play in acute and chronic manifestations of cardiovascular diseases? This book provides a comprehensive, science-based analysis of these issues. Scientific medicine attempts to explain diseases in terms of theories that observation or experimentation can test. The starting point for understanding the roles of stress and catecholamines in cardiovascular disorders is a theory defining stress. This book presents a new homeostatic theory of stress and distress and applies this theory to explain the important roles of endogenous catecholamines—norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine—and other effector systems in maintaining the internal environment during stress. The theory proposes coordinated activation of the body's several stress systems in primitively specific patterns during exposure to various stressors. Comparator "homeostats" interpret afferent information about specific physiological or chemical monitored variables and regulate the operations of effector systems. Via a hierarchical mosaic of central neural cell clusters, the brain constantly redefines homeostasis by resetting homeostats, especially during stress. The presentation summarizes difficult and complex literature about central neural mechanisms participating in sympathoadrenal responses to stress and analyzes theories about the roles of catecholamines in the brain. Clinical methods to assess sympathoadrenal activity are described, including the latest tracer-kinetic and nuclear scanning techniques. The possibly pathophysiologic effects of the derangement of catecholaminergic function in cardiovascular diseases receive particular attention. Attempting to separate fact from opinion, the book considers objectively several prevalent and controversial theories -inking stress and cardiovascular disease. The book concludes with the proposal of a new discipline in clinical medicine: neurocardiology.
The book contains black-and-white illustrations.
Editorials
From The Critics
Reviewer: David E. Euler, PhD(Loyola University Medical Center)Description: This new book provides a factual and theoretical framework to examine the role of the stress and catecholamines in the acute and chronic manifestations of cardiovascular diseases.
Purpose: The purpose is to use a multidisciplinary approach to examine the way in which different types of stress alter symapthoadrenal activity and cardiovascular function. An additional purpose is to examine the mechanisms by which adaptive, homeostatic responses to stress become pathologic.
Audience: The book is targeted for cardiovascular scientists and researchers. Those without some background in the field will find the text cumbersome because of the detailed theoretical constructs and the extensive review of the literature.
Features: The first chapter presents a new homeostatic theory of stress and distress. Subsequent chapters explore the sensory pathways, the central integration, and the effector mechanisms by which stress alters catecholamine release and cardiovascular function. One chapter presents the clinical methods used to assess symapthoadrenal activity, including the latest tracer-kinetic and nuclear scanning techniques. The final chapter presents avenues for future investigation. The book includes numerous diagrams and flow charts that illustrate the organization of the homeostatic defenses that an organism uses to respond to different types of stress.
Assessment: The book is a useful contribution to the medical literature. The author is a recognized expert in the field and provides an extensive review of current investigations as well as his own viewpoints. Although most topics are covered in adequate detail, there are some important omissions. The use of heart rate variability as a noninvasive index of autonomic tone was mentioned only in passing, and there was no mention of the effect of catecholamines on the formation of oxygen-derived free radicals.
David E. Euler
This new book provides a factual and theoretical framework to examine the role of the stress and catecholamines in the acute and chronic manifestations of cardiovascular diseases. "The purpose is to use a multidisciplinary approach to examine the way in which different types of stress alter symapthoadrenal activity and cardiovascular function. An additional purpose is to examine the mechanisms by which adaptive, homeostatic responses to stress become pathologic. "The book is targeted for cardiovascular scientists and researchers. Those without some background in the field will find the text cumbersome because of the detailed theoretical constructs and the extensive review of the literature. "The first chapter presents a new homeostatic theory of stress and distress. Subsequent chapters explore the sensory pathways, the central integration, and the effector mechanisms by which stress alters catecholamine release and cardiovascular function. One chapter presents the clinical methods used to assess symapthoadrenal activity, including the latest tracer-kinetic and nuclear scanning techniques. The final chapter presents avenues for future investigation. The book includes numerous diagrams and flow charts that illustrate the organization of the homeostatic defenses that an organism uses to respond to different types of stress. "The book is a useful contribution to the medical literature. The author is a recognized expert in the field and provides an extensive review of current investigations as well as his own viewpoints. Although most topics are covered in adequate detail, there are some important omissions. The use of heart rate variability as a noninvasive index of autonomic tone wasmentioned only in passing, and there was no mention of the effect of catecholamines on the formation of oxygen-derived free radicals.3 Stars from Doody