The original articles included in the present book have primarily been taken from papers presented at the International Advanced Course, more precise the Master on Sports Cardiology, held in Rome from November 27 to December 15 1995 at the School of Sport and Institute of Sport Sciences of the Italian National Olympic Committee. The contributions, written by internationally acknowledged scientists, appeared after extensive and careful revision by the Authors, and represent current and highly profitable scientific material. The incentive to publish this work came from Springer-Verlag, a renowned publi­ sher, and the articles have been compiled in Advances in Sports Cardiology. The present volume is an easy-to-consult, comprehensive and up-to-date refe­ rence. Possible future developments in cardiovascular evaluation in athletes have been covered, too. The cardiological evaluation of athletes represents a more than 30 years-old discipline in"Italy, with legal implications, which compel physicians in this field to investigate in each individual athlete the possible, innermost causes of cardiovascular abnormality and to express a circumstantial prognostic asses­ sment. Cardiologists in this field should have an extensive background in phy­ siology but should also be aware of the indications and limits of the instrumen­ tal diagnostic procedures used in clinical practice as well as of the distinction between normal physiological adaptation to exercise and training and a true pathological cardiac process. Hence, sound basis in physiology with a major interest in clinical practice distinguishes sports cardiology as a new and origi­ nal discipline.