Page 41 - Fundamentals of anatomy physiology
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Clinical Case
Using A&P to Save a Life “How long has he been down?”
questions the nurse. “Less than
The emergency medical technician (EMT) is on the a half hour. We intubated him
way to the emergency room with a young victim [inserted a breathing tube] and
of street violence. A knife with a 6-inch blade had been found started a large bore IV as soon as
next to the bleeding, unconscious man. we got there. We are 10 minutes
“We have a young male with multiple stab wounds. He has out now.”“Keep the fluids going
lost a lot of blood and we can barely get a blood pressure,” the wide open, keep pressure on the
EMT radioes to the triage nurse in the emergency room as the thigh, and take him directly to
ambulance squeals through traffic. “We started an IV and Trauma Room 1,” come the instruc-
we are pouring in fluid as fast as we can.” tions. Meanwhile the nurse orders the trauma team to Trauma
“Where are the wounds?” asks the receiving nurse. “He has Room 1, orders x-ray to be on stand-by in the room, and re-
a deep wound in his right upper quadrant, just inferior to the quests 4 units of type O n egative whole blood—the universal
diaphragm. I can see bruising from the hub of the knife around donor blood—from the blood bank. Will the team be ready
the wound, and there is another wound in his anterior right
thigh. His pulse is 120 and thready [weak]. His blood pressure to save this young man? To find out, turn to the Clinical
is 60 over 30.”
Case Wrap-Up on p. 51.
An Introduction to Studying There are obvious structural and functional similarities
the Human Body
among vertebrates.
In this textbook we will introduce you to the inner workings
of your body, giving information about both its structure Form determines function.
(anatomy) and its function (physiology). Many students who
use this book are preparing for jobs in health-related fields— In this chapter we explore the structural and functional
but regardless of your career choice, you will find the informa- characteristics of living things. We look at the levels of organi-
tion within these pages relevant to your future. You do, after zation that anatomical structures and physiological processes
all, live in a human body! As a human, you are most likely display. We also introduce homeostasis, the state of balance
very curious, and few subjects arouse so much curiosity as our within the body, which is the goal of physiological regulation
own bodies. The study of anatomy and physiology will provide and the key to survival in a changing environment.
answers to many questions about the way your body works in
both health and disease. 1-1 Anatomy and physiology
We will focus on the human body, but the principles you directly affect your life
will learn apply to other living things as well. Our world con-
tains an enormous diversity of living organisms. They vary Learning Outcome Explain the importance of studying anatomy
widely in appearance and lifestyle. One aim of biology—the and physiology.
science of life—is to discover the unity and the patterns that
underlie this diversity, and in this way shed light on what we Welcome to the field of anatomy and physiology! Anatomy
have in common with other living things. is the study of body structures and physiology is the study of
body functions. You will discover how your body works under
We can classify animals according to the characteristics normal and abnormal conditions. This knowledge will serve as
that they share. Birds, fish, and humans are placed in a group the foundation for understanding all other basic life sciences,
called the vertebrates, characterized by a segmented vertebral and for making common sense decisions about your own life.
column. Their shared characteristics and organizational pat- Basic knowledge of normal physiological function, for exam-
terns are clues about how these animals have evolved over ple, will prove useful whenever you or a friend or relative be-
time. Many of the complex structures and functions of the comes ill. We will explain how the body responds to normal
human body that we discuss in this book have distant evolu- and abnormal conditions and maintains homeostasis. As we
tionary origins. When we compare human beings with other proceed, you will see how your body copes with injury, dis-
creatures, we find two important principles: ease, or anything that threatens homeostasis.
28 Anatomy is the oldest medical science. Egyptian drawings
from 1600 BCE illustrated basic knowledge of blood vessels.
