February 2001, Vol 23, No. 2
Internet

What’s in the web for family physicians: cardiology sites

Alfred KY Tang 鄧權恩

1. 12-lead ECG Library Homepage
http://homepages.enterprise.net/djenkins/ecghome.html

This is a comprehensive collection of 12-lead ECG tracings. Brief clinical history is provided with each ECG tracing followed by positive ECG findings and explanations of abnormalities. The page on ‘related site contains a vast list of other ECG sites on Internet.

2. Electrocardiogram Tutorial
http://home.wish.net/~gallardo/ecgtutorial/navigate.htm

This is an online tutorial on ECG interpretations divided into 11 chapters including electrophysiology, arrhythmias, conduction disorders, infarction changes, heart chamber enlargements, and sick sinus patterns with detailed explanation. Although the quality of tracing has room for improvement, the explanatory notes are useful and educational.

3. Online Journal of Cardiology – Medical Teaching
http://www.mmip.mcgill.ca/heart/medt.html

The section on medical teaching of Online Journal of Cardiology features EKG Encyclopaedia, Echo and X-Ray images, Video teachings, and Virtual Stethoscopes. All of which are nicely designed educat i o n a l t o o l s . The Quizzes on EKG Encyclopaedia. And Virtual Stethoscope are particularly recommended for those who wish to refresh their EKG intepretations and auscultation techniques.

4. Pulse Online – Heart Disease Management Center
http://www.pulseonline.org/

This is a cardiology web site with valuable resources and it serves as a forum to discuss the latest trends and issues in cardiovascular disease. Regular sections include ‘CV news’, ‘Journal Resources’ and ‘Professional Education’. The section on Professional Education includes Slide Show, Tutorials, Case Studies and Clinical Trials.

5. ESC Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Heart Disease
Note: (Guidelines available in full texts are in PDF format)
http://www.escardio.org/scinfo/guidelines.htm

The European Society of Cardiology supports the distribution of knowledge on prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In order to improve clinical practice, the Society produces recommendations and guidelines for clinical practice published as Task Forces Reports or other Study Groups. These recommendations and guidelines by expert s , clarifying areas of consensus and disagreement, allow distribution of the best possible guidance to the practising physicians.

6. Cardiology CME
http://www.kumc.edu/instruction/medicine/cont-ed/infotech/car-main.htm

The CME section on Cardiology of University of Kansas website consists of Atlas of Electrocardiograms, Atlas of Heart murmurs and Atlas of Echocardiograms. A library of EKG tracings, good q u a l i t y h e a r t s o u n d files and images of echocardiogram (some in full-motion) are available online.

7. Basic Heart Murmurs & Heart Sounds
http://www.wices.com/icesmurmur.htm

This is a list of sound files of normal and abnormal heart sounds of various cardiac conditions including Regurgitation and Stenosis of Mitral, Tricuspid, Aortic and Pulmonic valvular problems. Heart sounds files of ASD and PDA are also included.


Alfred KY Tang, MBBS (HK), MFM (Monash)
Family Physician in Private Practice

Correspondence to: Dr Alfred KY Tang, Shop 3A, 2/F, Hsin Kuang Shopping Centre, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.

E-mail: alfredtang@hkma.org