 | Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com | The updated 2nd edition of this accessible and in-depth resource firmly relates molecular and cellular biology to the study of human physiology and disease. Leading physiologists present you with practical, accurate coverage, continually emphasizing the clinical implications of the material. Each chapter explains the principles and organization of each body system, while more than 800 high-quality, full-color line drawings and prominently featured clinical examples clarify every concept. This exceptionally detailed and comprehensive guide to physiology is ideal for a rich, straightforward, state-of-the-art understanding of this essential subject.
- Provides clinical examples of disordered physiology in prominent boxes throughout the text for at-a-glance access to important content.
- Clarifies concepts with the use of 800 color drawings that feature balloon captions explaining key processes.
- Presents material in a consistent style to make the text readable and easy to understand.
- Offers a practical organization by body system for an intuitive and accessible approach to physiology.
- Features access to the complete contents of the book online, plus a full image collection, animations, 150 review questions, and supplemental web notes for more detailed information.
- Keeps you current with updated material, including a new chapter on Physiology of Aging and a new section on hemostasis.
- Offers the latest visual guidance with a revised and updated art program.
Your purchase entitles you to access the web site until the next edition is published, or until the current edition is no longer offered for sale by Elsevier, whichever occurs first. If the next edition is published less than one year after your purchase, you will be entitled to online access for one year from your date of purchase. Elsevier reserves the right to offer a suitable replacement product (such as a downloadable or CD-ROM-based electronic version) should online access to the web site be discontinued. |
Average Customer Rating:   Amazing book that really gets at the "how" of "how your body works"! Like many first-year medical students, I've done a lot of research into figuring out which books to buy for specific subjects. Most of the time, class notes can be simply supplemented with a well-written USMLE-style review book. However, some very broad and important subjects (such as physiology) need much more than that... you NEED a good grounding in physiology to succeed as a physician or other medical professional.
That being said, I had already purchased a couple physiology books: Costanzo (4th edition) for class and BRS Physiology (also written by Costanzo) to review for the boards next year. However, as the class lectures went on, I found myself realizing how much isn't covered in these books - and with good reason; many class details simply aren't "high yield" material. However, if you really want to learn more about the "how and why" to build a better foundation, you need to buy a comprehensive physiology textbook as a reference.
I narrowed it down to three books, all of which I think are very good for medical students and professionals: Berne and Levy, Guyton and Hall, and Boron and Boulpaep. I was able to borrow a friend's Guyton and Hall... and while I think it's an amazing feat that Guyton himself completely wrote the first few editions of the book, it was clear that some sections were more fluid than others (cardiovascular was very strong). In addition, it felt more like a dictation than a textbook: tons of details and snippets of information, but the text seemed more dry and figures weren't nearly as clear, plentiful, or colorful. I also took a short look at Berne and Levy: a great book with lots of details as well...
...but what really drew me specifically into Boron and Boulpaep were its crystal-clear figures and the way it explained "how things work". Simple example: blood pressure. This book best explained how sphygmomanometers (blood pressure cuffs) and other measurement techniques work, complementing the text with very good diagrams of each "blood-pressure taking phase". Several authors contribute to this book (unlike Guyton), though every chapter I've read so far is equally as clear. True, sometimes the authors go into "too much detail" (such as channels-related work), but it does really serve to reinforce certain principles. Because of this level of detail, however, I would say that this book might be more useful for an actual physiologist... and as a topic reference for medical students.
In conclusion, I think this book is a perfect complement to a "review" or "high-yield" book such as Costanzo. Boron and Boulpaep has BY FAR the best figures and diagrams of any book. I was an engineering student in undergrad, and I DOUBLY recommend this book if you are more of a physical science based learner. If you want a book that actually tells you how things work in a more "logical manner" and gives you some (not too complicated) equations to help you drive the point home, this is it. PERIOD! Good, but too much on channels This is a very good book for the med student or the advanced practice nurse. It assumes you have a grasp of basic physiology, so don't use this as your first phys book (I strongly recommend Fox for basic physiolgy texts).
It fell short in it's emphasis on cell membrane channels. This seems to the be research interest of the primary authors, so they directed every channel toward this at the expense of other more relevant issues. Unfortunately, there was little attention to the big questions like how the whole body works together, why are some organs or functions remarkable, etc.
For example, the liver is one of the most remarkable organs for its ability to take virtually any molecule that comes its way in the blood stream, and metabolize it for exretion or to make it less toxic. That's amazing, and interesting from a physiological point of view. How can it do that? The authors didn't say. But the authors did plow into the minutiae of the protein channels ad nauseum in every chapter.
The strongest chapters, in my opinion, were the cardiac and nerve transduction sections. The weakest were the last section on Physiology of Everyday Live. These chapters were well done, but at that point the material had already been covered in all the previous text. Excellent book!!! This is an excellent choice for students who really want to learn the basis of fisiology and not just pretend to learn! awesome medical book I bought this book some years ago while i was studyng medicine and let me tell you if you want to understand medical physiology this is a must have book 5 stars!!! The book that got me an A This book is amazing! I would recommend this book to any A&P student. There are great diagrams, tables and explanations in every section. It is able to answer the "why" questions when my professor can't. |  |
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