Book excerpt: In this greatly enlarged and thoroughly updated edition of his much praised Cardiac Markers, Alan Wu and his contributors focus on the use of markers in the practice of cardiology and-for the first time-on the use of natriuretic peptides for congestive heart failure. Here, leading international authorities in clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine, cardiology, emergency medicine, and the in vitro diagnostics industry describe the state-of-the-art uses of cardiac markers when treating coronary artery disease, and discuss in detail how they may be optimally used in a clinical setting. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Cardiac Markers, Second Edition offers physicians a complete guide to the use of cardiac markers in clinical practice and clinical laboratorians a close-up view of the new markers now becoming standard.