The Heart of the Matter
Preface
Cardiac disease claims over 600,000 lives each year. As death is the natural sequence of coronary artery disease, it is my intent to acquaint the patient and his family with the inevitable consequences this diagnosis carries. Unfortunately, most of its victims remain unaware of its high mortality rate, or that they can indeed reduce the risk of becoming another statistic. An obligation to discuss this matter for the benefit of the patient and his family has arisen and I hope to meet the challenge.
Through this book, I hope to provide the patient and his family with a concrete description that will incorporate the most recent medical information available with a realistic and humane approach to coping with the disease.
I hope to educate those patients who are not familiar with coronary artery disease with the disease process itself, as well as provide a realistic estimation of what medicine can do and what the patient himself can do.
In those patients who have some, though perhaps inadequate, prior knowledge or experience I intend to dispel the vague preconceived notions that often develop through hearsay or misinformation. Hopefully, this book will find the gaps that can lead to misunderstanding, confusion and false expectancy or despondency.
For those patients who may be intimidated by the difficult technical terms associated with coronary artery disease, I will strive to simplify and clarify information.
The scope of this book is strictly limited to the experience of the in-hospital myocardial infarction patient. Furthermore, it deals solely with the disease process that leads up to the hospitalization, what occurred during hospitalization, and how to cope with problems encountered during this time.
It cannot be overemphasized enough that the writing of this book is not intended as a guide for the physician or as a standard for the practice of clinical cardiology. Nor is this material assigned to set criteria for the treatment of the cardiac patient. This book is a personal expression of what I feel is vital information for the patient.
Tien Chu Cheng, M.D. Libertyville, Illinois
About the Author
Dr. Tien Chu Cheng, a native of Taiwan, comes from a long line of physicians. He practiced medicine in Taiwan for three years before coming to Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He subsequently underwent training in cardiology at the University of Illinois. He has been in active practice in cardiology in the northern Chicago suburban area, where he has been instrumental in developing advanced techniques and programs in cardiology in the local hospital and writes a medical column in the Waukegan News Sun entitled “Heartbeat.”
Dr. Cheng is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of the American College of Physicians. He has served on several committees for the Chicago Heart Association and Lake County Heart Association and is a past president of Cardiac Charities of Lake County.
Dr. Cheng and his wife, May, have four daughters.
Posted in 2015/08
