Hrudaya Bene Mattu Hrudayaaghatha (Heart Ailments and Heart Attack), a book by Dr V Parameshwar is a reflection of the author's experience as a consulting cardiologist. In fact, he has acknowledged in the preface of the book the role that his patients have played by asking questions, which too have been answered in the book.
The author has simplified medical jargon for the common man to understand. Having many books on healthcare and medicine to his credit, he has used simple language with English translations in brackets, perhaps keeping in mind that most people are likely to be familiar with these terms in English.
So even those who are not proficient in Kannada can sail through the book with little difficulty.
The labelled visual representations only make it easier for readers to follow. Though an informative read, facts that one has learnt at school, such as the heart beats 72 times a minute in a healthy adult, the heart rate of an infant is higher or that heartbeat quickens with panic, stress or physical exertion have also found their way into the book.
Starting off with the description of the heart and symptoms of heart disease in the first couple of chapters, the author proceeds to tackle topics ranging from coronary heart disease - along with symptoms and risk factors - to heart attacks, cardiac arrest, cardiac rehabilitation and the role of technological developments in the field of cardiology. In the penultimate chapter, Coronary Risk Factors and Nutrition Suppliments, the doctor recommends foods and suppliments that those at risk consume, including a high fibre diet, fish and fish oil, herbal agents, garlic and tea.
On the whole an interesting read for the medically inclined, the 159-page book broken into 25 chapters can jog your memory of your school science lessons as well as teach you some more.