Autonomic Testing

DDisorders associated with dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system are quite common yet frequently unrecognized. The quantitative autonomic testing presented here can be invaluable tool for evaluation of these disorders. This manual fills a gap in the literature and deals mainly with practical aspects of autonomic testing. In accord with the "good picture is worth a thousand words" mantra, signal drawings are heavy used throughout the text to facilitate the readers' knowledge.

Autonomic Testing is the optimal guide for autonomic fellows, residents in neurology, general medicine and other specialties or for everybody that is interested in performing and interpreting autonomic tests. The unique aspect of this book is the use of the skin biopsies for assessment of small autonomic and sensory fibers as a routine part of autonomic testing. Another important feature of this book is the use of continuous cerebral blood flow velocity and end tidal CO2 monitoring in addition to standard heart rate and blood pressure recordings during the testing.

Comprised of 100 unique case studies, each case solves a particular clinical question. The presented cases include neurally mediated syncope, psychogenic pseudosyncope, orthostatic intolerance syndromes, autonomic failure, variety of small fiber neuropathies (with and without autoimmunity), autonomic dysfunction in neurodegenerative and hypermobile disorders.

Peter Novak, MD, PhD is the Chief of the Division of Autonomic Neurology and Director of the Autonomic Laboratory at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Boston and Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. He is a board-certified neurologist and a board-certified autonomic specialist. He is a member of American Academy of Neurology, American Autonomic Society and a member of Autonomic Board of United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS).

He graduated from medical school in Bratislava, Slovakia and completed his neurology residency at the Ohio State University. He also completed postdoctoral studies focusing on cardiovascular and autonomic research at Charles University (Prague), University of Montreal, McGill University (Montreal) and Mayo Clinic. He has special interests in orthostatic intolerance syndromes, small fiber and autonomic neuropathies, and multiple system atrophy. He has written over 70 papers and presented at numerous conferences.