Book excerpt: The Oxford Textbook of Medicine: Cardiovascular Disorders is selected from the cardiology section of the renowned Oxford Textbook of Medicine. An authoritative resource on heart disease and beautifully illustrated in full colour, it is an essential guide to best practice in managing and preventing a wide variety of cardiovascular disorders. Chapters on arrhythmias, acute coronary syndromes and cardiac surgery have been completely revised and updated, together with new chapters on blood vessels and the endotheium, cardiac physiology, syncope and palpitations, and cardio-renal syndrome. Heart failure and heart disease in pregnancy are thoroughly treated, while imaging chapters evaluate the latest techniques and illustrate all clinical features with detailed images. In 46 finely crafted chapters with clear essentials, experts in cardiovascular disease review the essentials of diagnosis, guidelines and practice and provide a wealth of practical advice for use in clinical situations. In addition, background information on epidemiology, pathogenesis and pathophysiology encourages a fuller understanding of conditions, and more than 350 full colour images help with diagnosis. This essential reference tool supports all medical professionals seeking a general outline of treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disorders, and fills the gap between undergraduate teaching texts and specialist texts for cardiologists. Cardiologists and general physicians will find it immensely valuable when diagnosing and managing heart disease in their day-to-day practice. It is also of usefor trainees in cardiology and general medicine, especiallythose interested in applied cardiovascular pathophysiology.