Customer Reviews

Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults And Children Fifth Edition

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The book is well organized. There are plenty of pictures and diagrams which supplement the textbook. The book is very visual and colorful which makes it easier to read. It is very comprehensive and an excellent text and reference book for students in this field. I am doing my post-doc in psychopharmacology and find the book extremely helpful. Add a star if you are in the field.

Absolutely wonderful text, with really informative clear, and up to date graphics and visuals that make these difficult concepts much more clear. One of the best graduate level texts I've come across.

I entered a graduate level nursing class with nothing more than high school biology (that was decades ago) and was presented with the daunting task of reading the entire book. I wasn't sure about successfully completing the course until realizing that this textbook was one of the best I've ever come across. The material was well-organized and the text easy to follow. The authors made good use of tables, illustrations, photos, and the like. I really appreciated bold-faced key words in the text. Each chapter concluded with a summary and a list of key terms including page numbers. Had I used another text, I might not have gotten an "A" in the course. Thanks!

This text is not for the faint hearted, and it is definitely a graduate level book. I would not recommend it for undergraduate nursing students, and a fair assumption is that the person reading it has already taken (and has a solid grasp on) basic courses in biology (especially A&P), chemistry, and nursing. I think the book is well organized and thorough. The CD contains nice review questions and there are numerous suggestions for additional reading and other references (e.g., web links). Some of the other reviewers have commented on how the book is "disorganized" and how you have to cross-reference some topics. Well, I think that type of complaint only serves to indicate academic immaturity! Any serious student--especially at the graduate level--understands that you cannot rely on one source of information. Furthermore, authors have different writing styles and layout schemes. Get over it! Learn to gain what you can from one text and consult other sources to supplement your learning. This book offers solid instruction on pathophysiology in preparation for an advanced practice nursing role. And, note the word "nursing." It is not for medical students; it would likely be useful for PAs though. This text is geared towards nurses who are moving into advanced practice roles (e.g., NP). Another nice feature of this particular work is the inclusion of pathophysiology relative to children, which is good for the nurse who is in a Family Nurse Practitioner program. Overall, the book is worth the money and it will help you grasp difficult topics within a rather difficult subject area. Just keep an open mind and be willing to supplement your learning by seeking out other sources as needed.

The book is extremely thorough. Each section (body system) is broken down into chapters - the first of which is usually an A&P review. Then, after the A&P review, you get into disorders of that particular system for adults and children. The book is well illustrated and - depending on the depth you need to study - some topics can be studied and reviewed by the tables and the illustrations alone.

My biggest complaint is the endless abbreviations used oh so frequently throughout the text. It really slows one down to have to stop and recall an abbreviation like "HPT system." When you have 130 pages of pathophysiology to knock out by Monday...you get the idea. (By the way, that would be the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid system.)

As both a student & educator, this is by far the best patho book I've come across. It is also wonderful for review of anatomy & physiology. I love the way the chapters are sequenced with normal A & P of each system, followed by a chapter on patho related to that particular system. Gives you a picture of "this is how it ought to work" and then "this is what happens when it doesn't work properly." This book ought to be on every healthcare students bookshelf regardless of discipline.

If you want to know how fight or flight started in the microscopic detail this is your guide. This book gives you the fine detail on how parts of your body work and they start at the cellular level. Good book!!

This book has a CD, but if your course uses the online modules through WebCT/Blackboard, be prepared to spend an additional $60! It does NOT come with the book, unless there is a package deal somewhere, but the CD in the book is NOT what you need for the online modules through webct. The chapters are very long but the review of info at the end of the chapters are somewhat helpful. The CD inside has about 20 questions on each chapter and some animations. The Study guide would not be a wise investment if your class is using the online modules because there are extensive animations in those and information that is very easy to understand. BUT if you class in not using the online modules, it might be beneficial. But I certainly don;t have time to use my study book, with all the long chapters, and the modules online.

What makes a doctor different?
A doctor is different since he knows the "why" about the health problems and its solution. Anyone can recommend a pill, but the doctor knows its dynamics, hence, the way it is going to affect the body or alter the course of an illness. And this is what McCance is about: understanding the mechanisms of harm in order to make a comprehensive approach to our patients. First, you're going to read the normal physiology of each system, and then, a review of the most common clinical presentations of disease. I'm not giving the 5 stars only because the book lacks some common diseases, for which Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 16/e Value Pack's pathophysiology explanations are quite accurate. All in all, this is a great book; it has to be said that I decided to buy it even if we don't have a Physiopathology course in my Med School, and it has been very helpful for integrating knowledge.

It happens to be the recommended text for one of my courses at school, and even though the campus bookstore had it in stock, it was beyond my budget. I got it from amazon.com for about half of what I would have spent if I'd purchased same from the bookstore. Thanks amazon.com!