The Heart — An Elegant Pump: Its Origins and Partners

Our  hearts have evolved to be extremely efficient, long-lasting pumps that  exquisitely match the needs of our bodies. This book is about how the  heart does this; how can a heart pump the blood for up to 100 years  while the best Formula 1 racing engine has a working life measured in  hours? Why is the heart so efficient, and how are worn out parts  replaced while working? How does it generate the force to act as a pump,  how is it controlled electrically, and how can it repair itself?

This  book addresses these questions from physiological and molecular  perspectives in language that aims to be accessible to all interested in  biology and with liberal illustrations.

The story of how the heart works is presented in the context of its origins:

The  book begins with a discussion of why the word heart is universally used  as a metaphor for reason and emotion and traces its origins in modern  and ancient languages. The last chapter offers advice on how to preserve  the heart by matching our lifestyles more closely to how it evolved.

Contents:

• Not Just a Pump: Giving Life to Emotion
• Origins of the Heart
• Molecular Motors
• An Intelligent Pump
• A Pump for Life: In Good Times and in Bad
• Broken Hearts: Repair and Recovery
• Roots and Branches
• Intelligent Tubes
• Heart and Blood: Co-evolved Intimate Partners
• Preserving the Heart

Readership: Graduate and undergraduate students, researchers, technicians, nurses  and clinicians in the fields of biology, zoology and cardiovascular  medicine; Scientists in other scientific fields (e.g., mathematicians,  physicists, chemists, bioengineers) involved in collaborative research  will find it both comprehensible and invaluable; Non professionals with  an interest in science.