Clinical Biochemistry (eBook)

Dr Simon Walker, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. Dr Geoff Beckett, Reader in Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. Dr Peter Rae, Consultant Clinical Biochemist, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. Dr Peter Ashby, Clinical Biochemist, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.

Preface, vi

List of abbreviations, vii

How to use your textbook, x

About the companion website, xiii

1 Requesting and interpreting tests, 1

2 Disturbances of water, sodium and potassium balance, 13

3 Acid-base balance and oxygen transport, 30

4 Renal disease, 43

5 Disorders of calcium, phosphate and magnesium metabolism,60

6 Diabetes mellitus and hypoglycaemia, 76

7 Disorders of the hypothalamus and pituitary, 89

8 Abnormalities of thyroid function, 102

9 Disorders of the adrenal cortex and medulla, 116

10 Investigation of gonadal function infertility, menstrualirregularities and hirsutism,134

11 Pregnancy and antenatal screening, 152

12 Cardiovascular disorders, 160

13 Liver disease, 174

14 Gastrointestinal tract disease, 188

15 Nutrition, 198

16 Trauma, infl ammation, immunity and malignancy, 213

17 Disorders of iron and porphyrin metabolism, 228

18 Uric acid, gout and purine metabolism, 238

19 Central nervous system and cerebrospinal fl uid, 245

20 Therapeutic drug monitoring and chemical toxicology, 249

21 Clinical biochemistry in paediatrics and the elderly, 261

Index, 278

The advantages of this title are that after the first few chapters which cover the basics of Clinical Biochemistry such as 'Requesting and Interpreting tests' and basic acid-base biochemistry, the rest of the text is dedicated to system disorders. From the first chapter of the book, this is a highly patient orientated title with 4 cases in the first chapter on the basics of tests putting what is said into a clinical context. The rest of the chapters are really useful if you want to get your head around specific conditions such as 'Jaundice' and how they are caused at a biochemistry level or you wish to revise the acid-base balance and how this relates to blood gasses.
The disadvantages of this title are that I would have liked to have seen summaries of the key points at the end of each chapter within the print, though this is not essential as should you wish them, they are in part included in the online extras which have both questions & a few notes available for you to utilise.
In conclusion if you are in the first few years of medical school then I would hazard to say that this is one of the best titles available covering clinical biochemistry as unlike many others that I have read in this area & reviewed, it is not padded out with detail that you would not be expected to know at medical school and includes many useful case examples. I would strongly encourage a medical student to see whether this title is in their university library if they don't want to purchase it straight away or look at the online resources which are freely available for the title to see whether it suites your style. (Medical Student, Lancaster University)