Reviewer: David R Bell, BS, MS, PhD (Indiana University School of Medicine-Fort Wayne)
Description: Descriptions of the physiology of all organ systems, integrative physiological functions, pathophysiology, and clinical medical correlates are included in this pocket-sized color atlas. This is the seventh edition of a first published in 1979 and is an authorized translation of the eighth German edition published in 2012. This English edition has been updated and expanded with new knowledge about medically related topics in physiology.
Purpose: The intent is to provide an updated, comprehensive, and heavily illustrated overview of medical physiology for medical students. This edition includes new insights into cell and integrative physiology and addresses the growing inclusion of pathophysiology and clinical examples in current medical physiology instruction.
Audience: Topics are covered in detail for the intended audience of medical students. The book is most suitable for medical students after they have completed a course in medical physiology. The sole author is a professor of physiology who has authored the book since its inception.
Features: This atlas uses over 200 beautiful color plates containing multiple annotated figures. The useful format pairs each color page with a text on the opposite page. The text is more descriptive than explanatory, but it is very detailed, comprehensive in all areas of physiology, and doubles as an expanded figure legend. This edition includes updates in the knowledge of cell biology as well as timely topics such as obesity, nutrition, and aging. Descriptions of pathophysiology and clinical medicine are cleverly identified by a shaded stripe over the edge of the print text. Key pathophysiology and clinical terms are printed in color at the bottom of the pages. An extensive technical appendix contains common scientific units and definitions, basics of mathematics, graphical analyses, chemistry, and physics, as well as an extensive set of physiological equations. The book also has an index and a section of suggested readings, but does not list websites or resources.
Assessment: This pocket atlas is a handy reference for medical students who have already completed a course in medical physiology and may wish to review or quickly access particular details of physiology, pathophysiology, and their clinical correlates. The text is comprehensive, but leans heavily on descriptive facts and statements, remaining light on explanations. The illustrations are informative, beautiful, and exquisitely executed. They may be especially helpful for visual learners, although they are often very busy. This book compares in size to Pocket Companion to Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 13th edition, Hall (Elsevier, 2016). However, the Guyton achieves its size by excluding pathophysiology and clinical connections, which are found in the main textbook, while this pocket atlas retains these elements despite the small size by using a small font, small figures, and even smaller figure text. The pathophysiology and clinical key words are not defined and meant solely as related topic locators. Overall, however, most medical students will find this a useful book.
