ECGs continue to play an essential role in the diagnosis of many cardiac conditions and even in various medical problems. However, many physicians no longer feel comfortable in reading the ECG as they have not developed the necessary skills or an effective approach for accurate analysis. Most of the current textbooks available for teaching ECG analysis are based on pattern recognition and memorization of facts, rather than learning important basic electrophysiological properties and clinical concepts that can be applied to the individual ECG tracing. Moreover, the physician is not trained on looking carefully at the entire ECG, focusing on identification of important waveforms.

In this set of workbooks, Podrid’s Real-World ECG--A Master’s Approach to the Art and Practice of Clinical ECG Interpretation, we hope to teach the art of ECG analysis by careful analysis of specific examples. Each ECG is taken from a real clinical case, and incorporates a discussion of not only important diagnostic findings but also emphasizes essential electrophysiologic mechanisms as well as clinical management decisions. The purpose of these workbooks is to provide readers -- both cardiologists and non-cardiologists alike -- with a systematic approach to ECGs interpretation using a concise, case-based format.

The Podrid’s Real-World ECG--A Master’s Approach to the Art and Practice of Clinical ECG Interpretation will prepare physicians and students for the spectrum of routine-to-challenging ECGs they will encounter in their own clinical practice.

Philip Podrid, MD; Professor of Medicine, Professor of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Attending Physician- West Roxbury VA Hospital, West Roxbury, Massachusetts

Rajeev Malhotra, MD, MS; Cardiology Fellow, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston

Rahul Kakkar, MD; Cardiology Fellow, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston

Peter A. Noseworthy, MD; Cardiology Fellow, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston