PART I: Further evolution of a literature database: The international use of a common software structure and methodology for the establishment of national consultation/liaison databases

Every day there are 6000-7000 papers published in science. Since the C-L ps ychiatrist may be asked to consult on a patient with any menicnl illness, a nd who may be on any medical drug, methods need to be developed to review t he recent literature and have an awareness of current findings. Ar the same time, teachers need to develop a current listing of seminal papers for tra inees and practitioners of this subspecialty of psychiatry. Experts chosen because of their writings and acknowledged contributions to their subspecia lty interests have sifted through thousands of articles to select the ones they regard as the most important for trainees in C-L psychiatry. In additi on, certain countries--Spain, Portugal, Germany, Mexico, Australia and Braz il are developing national databases of C-L literature not only for their o wn use, but also to bring them to the attention of other parts Of the world . This fifth iteration of the C-L literature database has especially target ed the period of 1996-1999-the millennium issue--in order to have easier ac cess to contemporary essential studies our common problems. Part II of this issue describes the seminal cardiac drug-psychotropic drug interactions th at the C-L psychiatrist may encounter in the most common medical disease in the United States--coronary heart disease--with advise to the practitioner as to their management . The use of the Internet and institutional Intrane ts is described. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.