The Only Ekg Book You'll Ever Need

Rating:
Summary: Brief, to the point but complete
Review: A colleague recommended this book to me after I lamented that Dubin's competing text was amusing and easy to understand, but didn't really foster any permanent functional understanding of EKGs. Like Dubin's text, Thaler's EKG Book takes a leisurely approach to deconstructing the EKG. However, Thaler's text is a much more functional guide, offering better explanations in a more comprehensive approach to interpreting EKGs. Thaler's text works not only because it is easy to understand, but also because it provides more clinical scenarios, and has a more complete discussion of a wide variety of abnormal EKGs. This book is far superior to Dubin's. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: The title doesn't lie!
Review: A colleague recommended this book to me after I lamented that Dubin's competing text was amusing and easy to understand, but didn't really foster any permanent functional understanding of EKGs. Like Dubin's text, Thaler's EKG Book takes a leisurely approach to deconstructing the EKG. However, Thaler's text is a much more functional guide, offering better explanations in a more comprehensive approach to interpreting EKGs. Thaler's text works not only because it is easy to understand, but also because it provides more clinical scenarios, and has a more complete discussion of a wide variety of abnormal EKGs. This book is far superior to Dubin's. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Brief, to the point but complete
Review: As a med student this book is a great intro text to understanding EKG's. Its written simple and to the point, and re-highlights key points, such as the 5 key malignancies in PVC's to detect. I doubt it would be sufficient for a cardiologist, but for med student/basic IM residency should suffice.

Rating:
Summary: The title says it all
Review: As a resident with many years of medical training behind me, I've used my share of ECG textbooks. The two best books for the beginner medical student/intern to use when learning the ECG are Thaler's book (this one) and Dubin's Rapid Interpretation. Both explain the EKG very well, but in my opinion the clarity and simplicity of the physiological and EKG explanations in Thaler's book are unsurpassed.

Despite being a rather slim volume, it is remarkably comprehensive. There is even a chapter towards the end on rare, non cardiac diseases with EKG manifestations. With due respect, the reviewer who said Thaler's book lacks sufficient information doesn't have a clue. Its really very complete, for everyone except Cardiologists and Cardiac fellows, who will definitely prefer Marriot's.

For everyone else, The Only Ekg Book You'll Ever Need is the only Ekg book you'll ever need.

Rating:
Summary: The name of the book says it all !
Review: Easier to understand than Dubin's ; and funny, too

Rating:
Summary: Too superficiel for people, who wants to master ECG's
Review: I have read this book, its not the worst book on the market, but is most definitely not the best!
It merely gives you a first hand approach to basic ECG interpretation!
But it's ok as an introduction to ECG's, but don't expect that you are a ECG wiz after you read it!

Rating:
Summary: Drop that Dull Dubin!
Review: It's well worth the time and expense to read this book in addition to the assigned Dubin. Thaler's text is clearly written, cleanly laid out, and easy to follow (no cutesy fill-in-the-blanks here). The publisher deserves a lot of credit for careful editing and an elegant, logical layout.

Thaler presents each topic in a concise paragraph or two, with lots of white space for notes. Criteria are given in straightworward lists, and are far easier to learn this way.

Dubin is an authority on EKG interpretation, but his plodding teaching style just didn't work for me. Both authors present reliable information in their EKG texts, but this is a perfect example of two books that use completely different teaching styles. I'm glad I found Thaler's direct, detailed, concise text to learn this essential skill.

Rating:
Summary: Cover over-rates a very weak book
Review: The information in this text seems vaguely correct, but is disorganized and difficult to follow. This very superficial ECG book has a title that is masked in hyperbole. The hand-drawn ECG simulations are a giant leap from true ECG tracings. Intelligent readers would do well by perusing an ECG book's content and ignoring its unrealistic, seductive title before making a purchase.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect for medical students
Review: This book is well organized, easy to follow and superbly written. Thaler makes EKG easy. His wit also shows through: the title is actually fun to read.

Thaler is the de facto EKG book among students at my medical school. Some people favor Dubin (for reasons that baffle me) but the vast majority of us use (and love) Thaler.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT INTRODUCTION TO EKG'S
Review: This book was awesome!! I started with Dubin's, which was okay, but it just wasn't giving me the basics. This book was very helpful in understanding the basics of EKG's and really helped me on my exams. Easy to read- I read a few chapters between study sessions and I found it is a great reference book to supplement classes.