Welcome to an Old Friend

Welcome to an Old FriendIf you are a long-time reader of this journal, you may rememberthe photographs of authors that once gracedthe cover of every issue of Consultant.The May 1979issue of Consultant featured the picture of Donald Vidtyou see here; for that issue, Dr Vidt wrote "FiveMajor Vasodilators: How They Work" and advised readersabout the cardiovascular and renal hemodynamics ofhydralazine, prazosin, diazoxide, nitroprusside, and (atthat time the investigational agent) minoxidil. A quarter of a century later, Dr Vidt is still writing on the treatment of hypertension for readers of this journal--and it is with real pleasure that we introduce him here as a member of our editorial board.It would be difficult to overstate Dr Vidt's many contributions to nephrology in general--and to the science of diagnosing and managing hypertension in particular. Dr Vidt joined the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in 1964 after graduation from Ohio State University School of Medicine, where he is now professor of medicine. For nearly 40 years, he has devoted himself to an active consulting practice in hypertension and renal disease. He chaired the departmentof nephrology/hypertension at the Cleveland Clinic and is a pastpresident of the Ohio Society of Internal Medicine and the American Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.Dr Vidt lectures extensively and has chaired or served as a member ofthe education committees of the Cleveland Academy of Medicine, The Inter-American Society of Hypertension, The American Heart Association Council for High Blood Pressure Research, and the American College of Chest Physicians. He has served on the Coordinating Committee of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program and has chaired or co-chaired 3 nationalhigh blood pressure conferences. He is coauthor of 5 reports of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure.Dr Vidt's research interests have focused primarily on the clinical development of antihypertensive therapies, renal failure, and renovascular hypertension. He is the author of more than 250 articles and book chapters. He has been named Hypertension Man of the Year in Cleveland and has been awarded the Ohio State University Alumni Achievement Award, the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association Special Achievement Award--and the Donald G. Vidt, MD, Endowed Chair in Preventive Medicine.We are delighted to bring Dr Vidt's expertise to the pages of Consultant, and invite you to review the column he writes, "Hypertension Q&A" (see page 1296 of this issue). He will play a key role in making sure everything you read about hypertension in Consultant is authoritative, fresh--and compelling. His knowledge and enthusiasm strengthen our efforts to keep Consultant squarelyfocused on bringing you a journal that can help you provide your patients with the best possible care.---- Susan Kweskin Lotstein
Group Editor