Physiology
143 written of 143 topics · 24 entries (derived from exam corpus)
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Concepts
Tier 1frequently tested
Hepatic and GI physiology
Iron and haem physiology
Respiratory physiology
🔒 A-a gradient interpretation and response to supplemental oxygen3🔒 Determinants of DLCO (haemoglobin, altitude, haemorrhage, shunt)6🔒 Flow-volume loop interpretation (fixed vs variable, intrathoracic vs extrathoracic obstruction)2🔒 High-altitude/cabin pressure physiology - equivalent FiO2🔒 Hormonal control of ventilation1🔒 Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension - pathophysiology (angioproliferative changes)1🔒 Interpreting DLCO and DLCO/VA in restrictive lung disease patterns2🔒 Lung volumes and capacities - definitions and age-related changes2🔒 Mechanical ventilation - PEEP effect on FRC and oxygenation2🔒 Neuromuscular respiratory failure monitoring (FVC in Guillain-Barré syndrome)1🔒 Obstructive sleep apnoea - mechanism of associated hypertension2🔒 Oxygen delivery determinants - content vs saturation (anaemia, CO poisoning, methaemoglobinaemia)2🔒 Oxygen-haemoglobin dissociation curve - factors shifting left/right4🔒 Physiologic dead space - definition and determinants🔒 Pneumoconiosis pathology (silicosis, macrophage-mediated granuloma formation)🔒 Pulmonary vascular resistance vs lung volume relationship2🔒 Pulsus paradoxus - mechanism and causes5🔒 Respiratory muscles of forced expiration vs quiet breathing2🔒 Spirometry pattern classification (obstructive vs restrictive vs mixed) from FEV1/FVC and lung volumes1
Renal physiology
🔒 Acute tubular necrosis - pathophysiology (pre-renal vs ischaemic vs nephrotoxic)4🔒 Antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin) - physiology and site of action6🔒 Contrast-induced nephropathy - mechanism2🔒 Diabetic nephropathy - early physiological changes (hyperfiltration)🔒 Enteric hyperoxaluria - mechanism (fat malabsorption and calcium-oxalate binding)🔒 Erythropoietin production - stimulus and site1🔒 Fanconi syndrome - causes (drugs, genetic, paraprotein)5🔒 Glomerular filtration barrier and podocyte injury in nephrotic syndrome1🔒 Inherited renal tubulopathies - clinical/biochemical pattern recognition (Gitelman, Bartter, Liddle, Gordon)1🔒 Prognostic markers in haemodialysis patients (albumin, phosphate, PTH)1🔒 Renal blood flow autoregulation - mechanism and site1🔒 Renal clearance physiology - GFR vs effective renal plasma flow markers (inulin vs PAH)1🔒 Renal tubular acidosis - types and causes (type 1, 2, 4)8🔒 Renal tubule segment function - reabsorption/secretion site mapping (drugs, hormones, electrolytes)6🔒 Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system - components and physiological effects2🔒 Solute clearance by molecular weight in dialysis🔒 Urinalysis and dipstick testing - limitations and interpretation2
Cardiovascular and receptor physiology
Neuroendocrine physiology
🔒 Appetite-regulating hormones (leptin, ghrelin, NPY, AgRP)4🔒 Growth hormone axis regulation🔒 Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation🔒 Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis regulation1🔒 Hypothalamic-pituitary hormone regulation (tonic inhibition)🔒 Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis regulation🔒 Hypothalamic regulation of appetite and satiety3🔒 Melatonin physiology (secretion pattern, receptors, lipid solubility)🔒 Posterior pituitary hormones🔒 Prolactin regulation and dopaminergic control1
Haematology physiology
🔒 ABO blood group compatibility (universal donor/recipient)1🔒 Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia - warm (IgG) vs cold (IgM) mechanisms🔒 Coagulation cascade - factor roles4🔒 Coagulation screening test interpretation - mixing studies (factor deficiency vs inhibitor)🔒 G6PD deficiency - mechanism (NADPH and glutathione regeneration)🔒 Inherited thrombophilias - relative risk stratification3🔒 Markers of intravascular haemolysis2🔒 Microcytic anaemia differential - red cell indices interpretation🔒 Platelet disorders - glycoprotein defects (Glanzmann's, Bernard-Soulier) vs von Willebrand disease2🔒 Thrombopoietin physiology (megakaryocyte differentiation, source, regulation)🔒 Thrombotic microangiopathy - TTP vs HUS mechanism (ADAMTS13 deficiency)3
Neurology physiology
🔒 Alzheimer's disease - neuropathological hallmarks (amyloid plaques, tau tangles)5🔒 CSF biomarkers in neurodegenerative disease (14-3-3 and tau in CJD)1🔒 Determinants of intracranial pressure (hypercarbia, hyponatraemia, cerebral blood flow)🔒 Evoked potentials - effect of demyelination (latency vs amplitude)🔒 Nerve fibre classification and clinical correlates (large myelinated vs small unmyelinated)8🔒 Neurodegenerative disease classification by protein aggregate (synucleinopathies vs tauopathies)🔒 Neuromuscular junction physiology and electrodiagnostic testing (repetitive nerve stimulation)1🔒 Neuronal excitability - excitatory vs inhibitory ion channel/receptor mechanisms3🔒 Orexin (hypocretin) deficiency in type 1 narcolepsy3🔒 Uhthoff phenomenon (heat-sensitive conduction block in demyelination)
Cardiovascular physiology
🔒 Atherosclerosis pathophysiology - vessel wall layers involved🔒 BNP physiology and factors affecting levels (obesity, renal function, age, gender)1🔒 Cardiac troponin - biomarker specificity and kinetics🔒 Determinants of blood pressure and cardiac output (preload, afterload, contractility, heart rate)2🔒 Diabetic autonomic neuropathy and silent myocardial ischaemia2🔒 Echocardiographic assessment of diastolic function (mitral inflow E/A ratio)1🔒 Estimating pulmonary artery pressure by echocardiography (modified Bernoulli equation)🔒 Intra-aortic balloon pump - physiological effects (afterload reduction, diastolic augmentation)🔒 JVP waveform interpretation (cannon waves, a/v waves, x/y descents)2🔒 Physiological adaptations of pregnancy (cardiovascular, haematological, respiratory)1🔒 Preload-independent measures of cardiac contractility2🔒 Right heart catheterisation interpretation (PAWP, PVR, cardiac index) in HFpEF vs pulmonary hypertension1🔒 Sources of error in non-invasive blood pressure measurement2🔒 Starling forces and capillary fluid exchange4🔒 Universal classification of myocardial infarction (types 1-5)🔒 Vasovagal syncope - autonomic mechanism (parasympathetic surge, sympathetic withdrawal)2
Endocrine physiology
🔒 Adrenal gland zonation and hormone production (zona glomerulosa/fasciculata/reticularis, medulla)4🔒 Calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) mutations - FHH vs familial hypocalcaemia2🔒 Congenital adrenal hyperplasia - steroidogenesis pathway blocks (21-hydroxylase, 11-hydroxylase)1🔒 Counter-regulatory hormone response to hypoglycaemia (glucagon, adrenaline, cortisol, GH)1🔒 Cushing syndrome - biochemical localisation (ACTH-dependent vs independent, Nelson's, Sheehan's)1🔒 Diagnostic testing for adrenal insufficiency (short Synacthen test, ACTH)🔒 Growth hormone deficiency - diagnostic testing (insulin tolerance test, IGF-1)3🔒 HbA1c interpretation pitfalls (pregnancy, haemolysis, CKD)🔒 Hormone-binding globulins and total vs free hormone levels (CBG, SHBG, TBG)2🔒 Insulin receptor signalling mechanism (tyrosine kinase)3🔒 Insulin resistance pathophysiology in type 2 diabetes🔒 Intravenous iron-induced hypophosphataemia (FGF23-mediated mechanism)1🔒 Parathyroid hormone physiology and calcium-phosphate regulation6🔒 Sick euthyroid syndrome - thyroid function test pattern and mechanism🔒 Testosterone metabolism - active metabolites (DHT, oestradiol) and Leydig cell production🔒 Vitamin D metabolism (hepatic 25-hydroxylation, renal 1-alpha-hydroxylation)1
Ageing physiology
Gastrointestinal physiology
🔒 B12 absorption and transport physiology (intrinsic factor, transcobalamin, terminal ileum)5🔒 Carbohydrate digestion - disaccharidase products (lactose, sucrose)1🔒 Enterohepatic circulation and bile acid reabsorption (terminal ileum)2🔒 Faecal calprotectin as marker of intestinal inflammation2🔒 Gastrointestinal hormones - source, trigger, and effect (GLP-1, CCK, gastrin, secretin, PYY, ghrelin)2🔒 Hydrogen breath testing - substrate and mechanism (SIBO diagnosis)🔒 Site-specific nutrient absorption sites in small bowel🔒 Watershed vascular territories susceptible to ischaemia (splenic flexure, rectosigmoid)2
Metabolic physiology
🔒 Copper metabolism (absorption site, biliary excretion, Wilson disease)🔒 Obesity as a metabolic/endocrine risk factor for malignancy1🔒 Porphyria - enzyme defects and accumulated metabolites by type2🔒 Purine metabolism and dietary/drug effects on uric acid3🔒 Refeeding syndrome - pathophysiology and electrolyte pattern3🔒 Vitamin B12 deficiency - biochemical consequences (elevated MMA, homocysteine; subacute combined degeneration)
Acid-base physiology
Lipid metabolism
Oncology-adjacent physiology
Bone metabolism
Musculoskeletal physiology
Tier 2tested occasionally
Tumour and metabolic physiology
Cardiac electrophysiology
Autonomic nervous system physiology
Fluid and electrolyte physiology
Reproductive endocrine physiology