The concepts of acute coronary care are changing so rapidly that it is appropriate that the volume ACUTE CORONARY CARE: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE, published early in 1985, would have yearly updates. The process of rapid production of camera-ready manuscripts has added new capability to the exchange of information. ACUTE CORONARY CARE 1986 is the first of a series of yearly updates in this important area of cardiology. Materials published during the fall of 1984, including abstracts for the November American Heart Association meetings were reviewed by the editors to identify the areas of new information and the authors making important contri butions. Manuscripts were completed and edited during the spring of 1985 and the final camera-ready versions were delivered to Martinus Nijhoff by mid-July. The broad area of coronary care is divided into its five time sectors: Pre-hospital, Post-admission, Coronary Care Unit, Pre-discharge, and Conva lescent. As patients are more frequently encountered in the pre-hospital phase, it has become evident that alterations in the autonomic nervous system have a great impact on the clinical situation. The chapter by Ron Victor emphasizes the important interactions between the nervous system and the cardiovascular system in this critical situation.