Physics for Anesthesiologists and Intensivists

Book excerpt: This book, now in its 2nd edition, discusses, explains and provides detailed, up-to-date information on physics applied to clinical practice in anesthesiology and critical care medicine, with the aid of simple examples from daily life. Almost everything that happens around us, including in the operating room and intensive care units, can be explained by physical laws. An awareness and understanding of relatively simple laws such as the Hagen-Poiseuille equation, or of slightly more complex topics such as harmonic motion and electromagnetism, to name just a few, offer anesthesiologists and intensivists fascinating insights into why they do what they do. After an introductory chapter that brushes up on all the (few) mathematics the reader will need to face the book, with many practical examples and clinical applications, each of the following 20 chapters deals with some everyday phenomena, explains them with one or more physical laws, and shows why these laws are important in anesthesia and critical care practice. Many illustrations are included for extra clarity. This enriched and updated edition of Physics for Anesthesiologists is intended for anesthesiologists, intensivists, anesthesia and intensive care medicine teachers and trainees, as well as medical students.