BRS Physiology

by Linda S. Costanzo Ph.D.

Overview

The leading physiology review on the market, BRS Physiology, 8th Edition, delivers a concise, highly efficient review of all essential physiology concepts students encounter in the first and second year of medical school, as well as more than 350 clinical vignette-style, multiple-choice questions to help them prepare for course exams and practice for the USMLE Step 1.
 
This bestselling title in the Board Review Series is preferred by students for its comprehensive yet efficient approach to exam prep and trusted by instructors for author Linda S. Costanzo’s masterful approach, communicating complex physiology concepts in an accessible manner. Extensively updated and incorporating abundant illustrations, flow charts, tables, and a comprehensive practice exam, this 8th Edition equips today’s students with the unparalleled preparation and confidence to excel on exams and beyond.

• Study efficiently with a concise outline format that makes essential information easy to review at a glance.
• Prepare for course and board exams with topical chapter questions and a 100-question Comprehensive Exam, accompanied by complete answers, rationales, and cross-references for efficient remediation.
• More than 260 multiple-choice questions in chapter exams test students’ understanding of chapter content; detailed explanations provide an additional learning tool.
• Build long-term retention with more than 120 full-color illustrations and charts that clarify complex information, as well as 50 detailed tables.
• Reference essential information conveniently with appendices on Key Physiology Topics for the USMLE Step 1, Key Physiology Equations for the USMLE Step I, and Normal Blood Values.
• Create connections between physiology knowledge and clinical medicine with new Clinical Correlation boxes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781975153601
Publisher:	LWW
Publication date:	07/01/2022
Series:	Board Review Series
Edition description:	Eighth, North American Edition
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	361,785
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Preface vi

Acknowledgments vii

1 Cell Physiology 1

I Cell Membranes 1

II Transport Across Cell Membranes 2

III Osmosis 5

IV Diffusion Potential, Resting Membrane Potential, and Action Potential 7

V Neuromuscular and Synaptic Transmission 12

VI Skeletal Muscle 16

VII Smooth Muscle 21

VIII Comparison of Skeletal Muscle, Smooth Muscle, and Cardiac Muscle 22

Review Test 24

2 Neurophysiology 33

I Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) 33

II Organization of the Nervous System 37

III Sensory Systems 38

IV Motor Systems 49

V Higher Functions of the Cerebral Cortex 55

VI Blood-Brain Barrier and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) 56

VII Temperature Regulation 56

Review Test 58

3 Cardiovascular Physiology 65

I Circuitry of the Cardiovascular System 65

II Hemodynamics 65

III Cardiac Electrophysiology 70

IV Cardiac Muscle and Cardiac Output 75

V Cardiac Cycle 84

VI Regulation of Arterial Pressure 86

VII Microcirculation and Lymph 90

VIII Special Circulations 92

IX Integrative Functions of the Cardiovascular System: Gravity, Exercise, Hemorrhage, and Vasovagal Syncope 95

Review Test 100

4 Respiratory Physiology 113

I Lung Volumes and Capacities 113

II Mechanics of Breathing 115

III Gas Exchange 121

IV Oxygen Transport 123

V CO₂ Transport 128

VI Pulmonary Circulation 130

VII V/Q Defects 131

VIII Control of Breathing 133

IX Integrated Responses of the Respiratory System 135

Review Test 137

5 Renal and Acid-Base Physiology 146

I Body Fluids 146

II Renal Clearance, Renal Blood Flow (RBF), and Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) 150

III Reabsorption and Secretion 154

IV NaCl Regulation 157

V Regulation 161

VI Renal Regulation of Urea, Phosphate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Uric Acid 165

VII Concentration and Dilution of Urine 167

VIII Renal Hormones 172

IX Acid-Base Balance 172

X Diuretics 180

XI Integrative Examples 180

Review Test 183

6 Gastrointestinal Physiology 193

I Structure and Innervation of the Gastrointestinal Tract 193

II Regulatory Substances in the Gastrointestinal Tract 194

III Gastrointestinal Motility 198

IV Gastrointestinal Secretion 202

V Digestion and Absorption 212

VI Liver Physiology 216

Review Test 219

7 Endocrine Physiology 224

I Overview of Hormones 224

II Cell Mechanisms and Second Messengers 226

III Pituitary Gland (Hypophysis) 230

IV Thyroid Gland 235

V Adrenal Cortex and Adrenal Medulla 238

VI Endocrine Pancreas-Glucagon and Insulin 244

VII Calcium Metabolism (Parathyroid Hormone, Vitamin D, Calcitonin) 247

VIII Sexual Differentiation 252

IX Male Reproduction 252

X Female Reproduction 255

Review Test 260

Comprehensive Examination 269

Appendix A Key Physiology Topics for USMLE Step 1 290

Appendix B Key Physiology Equations for USMLE Step 1 292

Appendix C Normal Blood Values 293

Index 295

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Thad E. Wilson, PhD (University of Kentucky College of Medicine)
Description: This book covers the discipline of physiology in simple outline format. The website serves as an electronic version of the questions from the end of one particular section of the book. This edition includes additional clinical correlates and several updates to the previous version, which was published in 2019.
Purpose: The purpose of the book is to provide specific review for the USMLE Step 1 and COMLEX Phase 1 exams. Even though these exams have moved from a strict numerical score to a pass/fail system, they are still a very important step in medical training and eventual licensure in the U.S.
Audience: The audience of the book includes North American medical students and international medical trainees who are striving for residency and practice in the U.S. This book is a perennial favorite of medical students and is one of the most cherished texts in physiology. It has lost some of its luster as curricular changes have shifted the presentation style from discipline-based to organ system-based. The book has always hit this mark, with the caveat that it is wonderful for review and retrieval practice but less of an asset for novice learners.
Features: The book covers all pertinent topics for medical board exams. The material is well-organized with some of the clearest writing of all the physiology texts. However, this is also a shortcoming of the book, as physiology is complex and actual concepts require far more nuance and several conditional and clarification statements to understand the concepts. That said, distilling a physiology text into a resource of this size is a feat of brilliance. One of the best features of the book is the questions (chapter questions and comprehensive exam). While not exactly board style, they will aid students in retrieval practice and learning.
Assessment: Several USMLE Step 1 and COMLEX Phase 1 books are available on the market. Some of these take a different approach, such a visual or illustrated perspective, which may be appealing to certain students. The closest text is Big Picture Physiology, 2nd Edition, Kibble (McGraw Hill, 2020), as both of these books are organized in an outline format. Big Picture Physiology takes an educational (teaching) approach with more informative figures, whereas the current book is popular with students as it enables them to transfer bullet points into flashcards.

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