MED2011

Cardiovascular and respiratory medicine

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Cardiovascular medicine

Professor C L Gibbs (Physiology) and Associate Professor B McGrath (Medicine)

Objectives At the completion of this unit, students should have a good working knowledge of the cardiovascular system and be able to describe: the normal development of the heart and vascular system; pump function and the electrical activity of the heart; the peripheral circulation and its role in venous return; arterial blood pressure and its regulation; cardiovascular reflex responses to physiological stimuli; the properties of commonly prescribed cardiovascular pharmacological agents; and have an understanding of the importance of working from basic principles.

Synopsis Students will develop an understanding of the embryology, anatomy, physiology and pharmacology of the cardiovascular system. Topics to be covered include the development of the heart and its conducting system and the development of the arterial, venous and lymphatic systems. The haemodynamics of the circulation and the electrical properties of the heart and the electrical basis of the ECG will be explained. The performance of the heart as a pump and the regulation of cardiac output by intrinsic and extrinsic factors will be covered. Important topics that will be dealt with include arterial blood pressure and its control, the role of the microcirculation, the physiology of venous return and special circulations such as the coronary, fetal and cutaneous circulations. The rationale for the treatment of angina pectoris, congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias will be explained. Basic clinical examples and case presentations will be used to highlight the relevance of the medical sciences to the practice of medicine.

Assessment Examinations (held in conjunction with respiratory medicine) 3 hours: 80% · Viva voce in anatomy: 20%

Prescribed texts

Berne R M and Levy M N Physiology 4th edn, Mosby, 1998
or
West J B Physiological basis of medical practice 12th edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1990
Cormack D H Essential histology 2nd edn, Lippincott, 1992
or
Ross M H and others Histology: A text and atlas 3rd edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1995
Moore K L Clinically orientated anatomy 3rd edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1992
or
Snell R S Clinical anatomy for medical students 4th edn, Little Brown, 1992
Moore K L and Persaud T U N The developing human 5th edn, Saunders, 1993
or
Sadler T W Langman's 'Medical embryology' 6th edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1990
or
Larsen W J Human embryology 2nd edn, Churchill Livingstone, 1997
Sauerland E K Grant's 'Dissector' 11th edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1994
Katzung B G Basic and clinical pharmacology 6th edn, Appleton and Lange, 1995
Gillman A G and others Goodman and Gillman's 'The pharmacological basis of therapeutics' 9th edn, Pergamon, 1996

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Respiratory medicine

Dr R Rajan (Physiology) and Dr C Hunter (Anatomy)

Objectives This unit aims to provide students with an ability to understand (a) the structural and functional basis of normal respiratory function, (b) the causes of respiratory dysfunction and tests that can be used to assess respiratory function, and (c) the basis for clinical management of respiratory dysfunction.

Synopsis This unit describes the structure, function and basic pharmacology of the respiratory system. It will provide a basis for an understanding of respiratory medicine, provide core material in the morphology, physiology and pharmacology of the respiratory system and to introduce concepts relevant to disordered respiratory function. Topic areas covered will include anatomy, embryology and histology of the thoracic wall and diaphragm, upper and lower airways, lungs and associated structures; gas laws and the physical principles of gas flow; lung volumes and mechanics; airflow and work of breathing; gas exchange and transport; ventilation-perfusion relationships; regulation of ventilation; changes in respiration during sleep, exercise and hypobaric and hyperbaric environments; acid-base balance and alterations in ventilation; transition from fetal to neonatal life; and introduction to the clinical identification, using lung function tests, of common respiratory diseases, eg obstructive airways disease and restrictive lung disease, and the basic pharmacology of agents used in these diseases.

Prescribed texts

Berne R M and Levy M N Physiology 4th edn, Mosby, 1998
or
West J B Best and Taylor's 'Physiological basics of medical practice' 12th edn, Mosby, 1990
Cormack D H Essential histology Lippincott, 1993
or
Ross M H and others Histology: A text and atlas 3rd edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1995
Moore K L Clinically oriented anatomy 3rd edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1992
or
Snell R S Clinical anatomy for medical students 4th edn, Little Brown, 1992
Moore K L and Persaud T U NThe developing human 5th edn, Saunders, 1993
or
Sadler T W Langman's 'Medical embryology' 6th edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1990
or
Larsen W J Human embryology 2nd edn, Churchill Livingstone, 1997
Sauerland E K Grant's 'Dissector' 11th edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1994

Recommended texts

Agure A M R Grant's 'Atlas of anatomy' 9th edn, Williams and Wilkins, 1991
Clemente C D Anatomy: A regional atlas of the human body 3rd edn, Urban and Schwarzenberg, 1987
Kane J W and Sternheim M M Physics 3rd edn, Wiley, 1988
McMinn R M H Last's 'Anatomy': Regional and applied 8th edn, Churchill Livingstone, 1990
Mines A H Respiratory physiology Raven Press
Rohan J W and Yokochi C Colour atlas of anatomy Igaku-Shoin, 1983
Staub N C Basic respiratory physiology Churchill Livingstone, 1991
Taylor A and others Clinical respiratory physiology Saunders, 1989
West J B Respiratory physiology: The essentials 5th edn, Williams and Wilkins

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