Provides a comprehensive but easily readable account of all of the information required by the FRCA Primary examination candidate.

The second edition of Fundamentals of Anaesthesia builds upon the success of the first edition, and encapsulates the modern practice of anaesthesia in a single volume. Written and edited by a team of expert contributors, it provides a comprehensive but easily readable account of all of the information required by the FRCA Primary examination candidate and has been expanded to include more detail on all topics and to include new topics now covered in the examination. As with the previous edition, presentation of information is clear and concise, with the use of lists, tables, summary boxes and line illustrations where necessary to highlght important information and aid the understanding of complex topics. Great care has been taken to ensure an unrivalled consistency of style and presentation throughout.

Part I. Clinical Anaesthesia: 1. Pre-operative management
2. Induction of anaesthesia
3. Intra-operative management
4. Postoperative management
5. Special patient circumstances
6. The surgical insult
7. Regional anaesthesia and analgesia
8. Principles of resuscitation
9. Major trauma
10. Clinical anatomy
Part II. Physiology: 11. Cellular physiology
12. Body fluids
13. Haematology and immunology
14. Muscle physiology
15. Cardiac physiology
16. Physiology of the circulation
17. Renal physiology
18. Respiratory physiology
19. Physiology of the nervous system
20. Gastro-intestinal physiology
21. Metabolism and temperature regulation
22. Endocrinology
23. Physiology of pregnancy
24. Foetal and newborn physiology
Part III. Pharmacology: 25. Physical chemistry
26. Mechanisms of drug action
27. Pharmacodynamics
28. Pharmacokinetics
29. Anaesthetic gases and vapours
30. Hypnotics and intravenous anaesthetic agents
31. Analgesic drugs
32. Neuromuscular blocking agents
33. Local anaesthetic agents
34. Central nervous system pharmacology
35. Autonomic nervous system pharmacology
36. Cardiovascular pharmacology
37. Respiratory pharmacology
38. Endocrine pharmacology
39. Gastro-intestinal pharmacology
40. Intravenous fluids
41. Pharmacology of haemostasis
42. Antimicrobial therapy
43. Clinical trials - design and evaluation
Part IV. Physics, Clinical Measurement and Statistics: 44. Applied physics
45. Clinical measurement
46. Anaesthetic equipment
47. Basic statistics.