Introduction to Cardiovascular Physiology

A good understanding of the physiology of the cardiovascular system is fundamental to understanding cardiovascular disease processes. Thus cardiovascular physiology is a major component of all undergraduate courses in physiology, biomedical science and medicine as well as postgraduate study programmes for MRCP and FRCA.



The extensively revised fourth edition of this well-respected textbook continues to provide all the information that these students and examination candidates will need. Coverage extends from basic outlines of the fundamental principles of how the cardiovascular system works in health and disease, through to more advanced physiological mechanisms and intracellular transduction pathways. The updated text incorporates the major advances in the field since the first edition of 1990, while retaining the original balance and style without excessive, unwieldy expansion. New sections include the contribution of wave reflection to systolic hypertension and the role of kinases in vascular contraction, while increased coverage of myocardial ischaemia and advances in understanding cardiac failure and arrhythmogenesis enhance the clinical relevance of the text.



Other key features of this fourth edition include:



· Introductory Overviews at the start of many chapters to guide the reader through the material that follows

· New Concept Boxes provide 'at a glance' outlines of key concepts in cardiovascular physiology

· Learning Objectives at the start of every chapter and bulleted Summaries at the end provide invaluable directions for study and helpful aids to revision

· Inclusion of Clinical Cases in a self-assessment format encourages active, problem-based learning and relates the physiology to practical medicine

· Larger format and new page design for enhanced user-friendliness

· Over 250 illustrations, many new to this edition, with all line diagrams redrawn in 2-colour for improved clarity



An Introduction to Cardiovascular Physiology continues to provide an up-to-date, comprehensive but accessible account of the fascinating world of cardiovascular physiology, to be referred to often by the student and lecturer alike.

J. Rodney Levick is Professor of Physiology at St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London, UK