G, University of Bristol

This book provides a good overview of the major topics within the respiratory system. It encompasses many of the essential and fundamental aspects of the field including good descriptions of the structure and function of the respiratory system, chemical and nervous control of breathing and clear explanations of lung function tests. In addition, a useful glossary of clinical terms is provided. Students will find this book to be the perfect introduction to basic scientific principles as well as their clinical relevance. It is a useful text to use as a quick review before exams. I would think that students will enjoy the simple approach to a complex topic. This book covers all essential areas of the respiratory system; and makes it ideal for students encountering this field on the medical course or for biomedical science studies. This book fulfils a worthy objective in presenting information to students in a compact and usable form. Its coverage allows for integration of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and pathophysiology, and relating it to clinical presentations of respiratory disorders.

Posted 1st Jun 2010

George Collins, University College London

This is the fully up to date second edition of “The Respiratory System” by Davies and Moores. Personally, my favourite aspect of the book is the complete integration of the preclinical and clinical sciences. Within the chapter on, for example “Ventilation of the Respiratory System”, the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of a pneumothorax patient is followed in a series of easy to track boxes in parallel with core text regarding physiology of respiratory ventilation. This way students can contextualise what might otherwise seem like simple physiology, into a pathophysiological clinical scenario. This has the benefit of providing an intuitively easy, effective and time-efficient way to understand and remember respiratory system physiology. I would highly recommend it to any pre-clinical or respiratory medicine student.

Posted 31st May 2010

Dominic Haigh, University of Birmingham

The common notation explaining what all the various letters mean is helpfully all in one place near the beginning of the book, so when Va is confused with VA or suchlike it doesn’t take too long to look back and re-read the difference. Although the book is titled The Respiratory System, the non-respiratory functions of the lungs are touched upon. Anatomical diagrams detail features of the lungs and brain, and usefully illustrate circuits such as the inputs into respiratory drive. Unconventionally, control of breathing is covered in two separate chapters. The first details the influence of chemical mediators, and the second neural control. Clinical cases are usefully interspersed with the text. The interpretation of arterial blood gases is taught well, and clearly shows the standard order of looking at test results on an ABG machine. The appendix covers some basic science, including states of matter, the gas laws and surface tension. A glossary provides succinct definitions of specialist terminology used within the book. Overall, the text is a good overview of pre-clinical respiratory physiology with the addition of integrated clinical content.

Posted 26th May 2010