[1] The first edition of the book, titled The Heart, was written in 1966 by John Willis Hurst, who had served as the cardiologist of former U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Hurst's the Heart: Manual of Cardiology provides a summary of the clinical content of its larger companion textbook.

It features a streamlined, quick-access presentation designed for use in emergencies and urgent clinical situations.

[2] The book has been described as a "widely read textbook of cardiology",[3] and a "standard reference" work.

[4] According to The New York Times, Hurst's The Heart has become one of the most widely used medical textbooks in the world.