The practice of anaesthesia, including intensive care medicine and pain management, requires a considerable understanding of normal and abnormal physiology. This is reflected in postgraduate examinations in anaesthesia where candidates are questioned in depth about many aspects of physiology. The second edition of this well-received textbook continues to provide candidates with a 'tailor-made' alternative to more general physiology textbooks, delivering information designed and written specifically with the trainee anaesthetist in mind. The authors bring their extensive experience of teaching physiology to the book in order to improve the understanding of the fundamentals of human physiology in relation to the work of the anaesthetist. The content covers the physiology of all the major organ systems, with specific emphasis on the nervous, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. In addition, there are special sections on the physiology of pain, the physiology of ageing and the physiological effects of specific environments, all highly relevant to anaesthetic practice. Diagrams throughout, praised in reviews of the first edition, are used to support the text and to aid understanding of difficult concepts. The second edition also incorporates a number of new features - learning objectives, areas for reflection and a handy summary of physiological equations. It will remain an invaluable reference throughout anaesthetic training and beyond, and a useful revision aid.

About the Author

Ian Power, Professor of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, University of Edinburgh, The Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK Peter Kam, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia

Table of Contents

1. Physiology of excitable cells 2. Physiology of the nervous system 3. Respiratory physiology 4. Cardiovascular physiology 5. Gastrointestinal physiology 6. Liver physiology 7. Renal physiology 8. Acid-base physiology 9. Physiology of blood 10. Physiology of the immune system 11. Endocrine physiology 12. Metabolism, nutrition, exercise and temperature regulation 13. Physiology of pain 14. Maternal and neonatal physiology 15. Physiology of ageing 16. Special environments

Reviews

"I can highly recommend this book to the intended audience and also to all anaesthetists as a quick reference text. It is well written and focused directly at the knowledge needed by our profession. The reflections and equations section alone would justify this book's inclusion in one's library." -- Anaesthesia Intensive Care, Vol. 36, No. 3, May 2008 "... a very useful textbook for anaesthetists. The second edition includes important recent developments in the understanding of physiology and I will certainly recommend this textbook to my trainees." -- British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2008 101(2):287