The Boerhaave Courses in Cardiology have been held once or twice a year since 1955. For the greater part they were meant for specialists in Cardiology, Pediatrics, and Internal Medicine, who wished to hear about recent advances in Cardiology and in its anatomical and physical basis. For some time the courses reflected mostly the work in Leiden, especially on congenital heart disease, but soon the highly valuable cooperation of other centres was obtained on subjects in which they had more experience. In later years speakers from abroad were also invited and they con tributed greatly to the wider scope of the courses. It was thus possible to organize detailed discussions on special subjects by panels of experts for an audience of interested clinical specialists. General reviews were also given for widely varying groups including general practioners and health officers. The special courses were usually given in English and were international in character, while the general courses were given in Dutch. This book reports on a course that united both trends. It was held entirely in English mainly because it was combined with a meeting organized by the Dutch Heart Association and because of the support given by the Secretary of Health who opened this meeting personally and by the European branch of the World Health Organization which was represented by Dr. Pisa.

Inhalt
I Aspects of Pathogenesis.- Pathology of ischaemic heart disease.- Anatomy of thrombus formation.- Biochemistry of platelets and thrombus formation.- Biochemical changes in the myocardium during the reparative processes following coronary artery occlusion.- Quantitation of enzyme release from infarcted heart muscle.- Panel discussion on aspects of parthenogenesis.- II The Epidemiological Approach.- Acute coronary heart disease in a community.- Methodology of epidemiological surveys.- Epidemiology of ischaemic heart disease in Finland.- Regional differences in prevalence, incidence and mortality from atherosclerotic ischaemic heart disease.- Panel discussion on epidemiological approach.- III Diagnostic Methods in Ischaemic Heart Disease.- The coordination between coronary disease, demonstrated by selective angiography, and the vectorcardiogram and electrocardiogram (with a note on complications).- Coronary arteriography. Some aspects of clinical and angiographic correlations.- Atrial pacing in angina pectoris.- Determination of maximal contraction velocity as a means of assessing myocardial contractility in patients.- Round table conference on diagnostic methods in ischaemic heart disease.- The place of surgery in the treatment of ischaemic heart disease.- Discussion: Introduction.- IV Ischaemic Heart Disease and Physical Activity.- Central haemodynamic effects of physical training in health and in ischaemic heart disease.- Peripheral hemodynamic effects of physical training in health and in ischaemic heart disease.- Evaluation of exercise tolerance and workload I.- Evaluation of exercise tolerance and workload II.- Panel discussion on ischaemic heart disease and physical activity.- Symposium Held Under the Auspices of the Netherlands Heart Foundation.- V Epidemiology and Primary Prevention.- by R.J.H. Kruisinga, Secretary of State of Social Affairs and Public Health.- Ischaemic heart disease program of the W.H.O. Regional Office for Europe.- Results of the epidemiologic investigation of ischaemic heart disease.- Prevention of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease by change of diet and mode of live.- Panel discussion on epidemiology and primary prevention.- VI Treatment and Secondary Prevention.- Prevention of early death during cardiac infarction.- The dilemma of anticoagulant therapy in ischaemic heart disease.- Exercise therapy in coronary disease. Rehabilitation and secondary prevention.- Panel discussion on treatment and secondary prevention.