ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Abook of this nature requires many hands on deck.

First, I would like to give special thanks to my creative collaborator, Greg Ptacek, for captaining the book from proposal to final manuscript and navigating it through the ever-changing shoals of today’s publishing world. I also am grateful to my editor, Suzanne I. Staszak-Silva, for initially believing in the project and then providing the book safe harbor at Rowman & Littlefield.

I wish to thank my former partners and fellow cardiologists, as well as the entire staff, at the Cardiology Medical Group of Southern California and my former academic colleagues at UCLA School of Medicine. Their professionalism and dedication to the profession of medicine always allowed me to do my job better.

Also, I wish express sincere gratitude to the thousands of patients whom I have treated as a doctor over the past seven decades. As this book illustrates, so much has changed in cardiology since I first began practicing medicine; however, the eternal bond between physician and patient remains constant. The dedication of my professional life to helping those in need has been a privilege.

And last but never least, I wish to express love and thanks for the support from my beautiful wife, Molinda, along with my son David, daughter Laura, and grandchildren Kai-Lilly, Huston, and Benny.