Textbook of Medical Physiology, 10e (Guyton Physiology) [Textbook Binding]

Arthur C. Guyton (Author), John E. Hall (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 072168677X | ISBN-13: 978-0721686776 | Publication Date: August 15, 2000 | Edition: 10

This is a comprehensive yet concise edition geared toward medical and dental students enrolled in physiology courses. The textbook also serves as a review resource for physiology instructors. It offers specific discussions of pathophysiology in most clinical areas of medicine.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. John E. Hall DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AND B 2500 N STATE ST JACKSON, MS 39216 601-984-1810 [e-mail]

Product Details

• Textbook Binding: 1064 pages
• Publisher: Saunders; 10 edition (August 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 072168677X
• ISBN-13: 978-0721686776
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #551,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars being non-concise makes it an easy reader, July 8, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Textbook of Medical Physiology, 10e (Guyton Physiology) (Textbook Binding)

I agree with the previous review that this book is quite long and is not at all concise. Concepts repeat themselves everywhere. However, not all students are so bright that they can remember everything in just one go. I am a medical student myself, and I find it frustrating to not being able to understand some important concepts in the later part of a course just because no one reminded me of one or two simple things taught before that I have forgotten. Te secret of the Guyton lies here. Information is repeated continuously, so giving the book consistency throughout the text, as it travels through different areas of physiology. The secret of its lucid explanations lies here too: Guyton likes to hear himself talk. Remember, THIS BOOK IS RECITED. Guyton couldn't write! That's why his text is so similar to a teacher with a voice. You are reading his lecture scripts.
Anyway, I love the book for its explanations where every concept is explained from the very first principles, even though they were taught before in just the page before.
Yes, it is quite a physiology for dummies, but there isn't a lot of students who are not dummies. Being a "dummy" does not mean you are stupid, a "dummy" is just a person who can't memorise and digest everything in one go and needs some reminders here and there to facilitate learning. If you've got a camera memory, don't get this book, or you will feel bored.
However, it's really a long text, so I read it as if it's a leisure book and memorize as much as I can. Don't push yourself!

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very complete, but best used as a reference, May 9, 2004

By 

D. A Flory (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Textbook of Medical Physiology, 10e (Guyton Physiology) (Textbook Binding)

You can't really go too wrong with this text, especially as a reference.

My main problem with Guyton is that the writing style is often soporific, tedious, and rambling. Parts of the section on heart action almost sounded like a parody of a really awful college lecture.

For anyone planning to study physiology systematically, I would strongly recommend Berne and Levy's *Physiology* over Guyton. The Berne book is equally comprehensive but has much better layout and genuinely good writing.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still a great physiology book for medical students., April 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Textbook of Medical Physiology, 10e (Guyton Physiology) (Textbook Binding)

Guyton remains one of the best physiology books for the medical student with its clear elucidation of fundamental physiological concepts and its pathophysiological correlations.

I want to address some of the criticisms of this book. One reviewer claims that it is missing trivia that professors love like the so called ENaC channels. Well, it does mention these channels on pg 304 as the special channels through which sodium diffuses into P-cells. Any medical student who has studied pharmacology or medicine knows that these are the channels that are inhibited by potassium sparing diuretics (amiloride and triamterine). Till recently they were called amiloride inhibitible sodium channels. Since they are found on other epithelial cells, they are now called ENaCs (epithelial sodium channels). There may be many more such trivial points you may find missing in Guyton, but if it is physiology you want to learn (rather than get into trivial pursuit) this is the book for you. No book is perfect and no book can contain EVERY single detail. Even Ganong, while being a very good book is lacking in the explanation of many fundamental concepts which it states but does not explain, for example it just tells you that high protein diets raise the GFR, but only Guyton tells you why. The chapters on cells and immunity etc could use updating, but these are topics covered in great detail in other courses--cell bio, molecular bio, biochem, immunology.

Another criticism is about lack of diagrams. I found that the diagrams in the book were of a functional nature--good enough to explain the concepts being discussed. If it is comic books you are looking for, buy an atlas.

Thirdly, the so called verbiosity. Yes, the explanations are detailed, but many first time readers would find that a positive point. It is hardly physiology for dummies.

In conclusion, although all the above criticisms are justified to an extent, if you want to learn the hows and whys of physiology, Guyton still remains a good book that covers pretty much everything a med student needs to know for physiology for courses and the usmle.