Sometimes doctors have to use calculus to figure out the right dosage of a drug. Calculus is the study of how changing variables affect a system. In the human body, the kidney processes medicine. Doctors can designate the kidney as a changing function in a calculus equation known as the Cockroft-Gault equation. When a doctor administers radiation therapy to a cancer patient, the radiation beams have to cross each other at specific angles, so that they harm the cancerous tumor without harming the surrounding healthy tissue.
The precise numbers for these angles must be calculated mathematically. Calculus is the study of both the infinitesimally small and the infinitely large. Differential calculus studies the very small; derivatives look at the behavior of a function at two points that are very close to each other and how that function changes between those two points or more simply, derivatives are a way to represent a rate of change.
This forces one to consider what kinds of changes happen on an infinitesimally small scale. These kinds of changes are common in biology and medicine; tiny changes in medicine such as pH, drug concentration, etc.
Integral calculus and the more general field of infinite series is concerned with the very large; integrals are based on adding up an infinite number of small pieces to yield a bigger picture. In medicine, this leads to the ability to think of the body as the sum of many smaller pieces—namely the different systems, organs, tissues, etc.
Overall, the study of variations and how different variables changing can change an overall system has useful applications in medicine. This is exactly the function of calculus. For example, calculus was used to develop the Cockroft-Gault equation, which determines the appropriate drug dosage for patients with certain kidney diseases based on the level of creatinine in their blood.
Equations like this are invaluable to physicians and could not exist without an understanding of calculus. In addition to Calculus I and II, there are many higher-level math classes that are useful in the study of medicine, especially to those who wish to conduct medical research. Two of these are multivariate calculus and differential equations. Multivariate calculus called Calculus III here at UAB studies the application of derivatives and integrals to functions of more than one variable.
The dependent variable, z, can depend on two independent variables, x and y but this can be easily expanded to a function that depends on any number of variables. For example, one could study the stability of a novel drug delivery system dependent variable, z changes in response to variations in pH and temperature independent variables, x and y.
Multivariate equations are more representative of reality, and they force one to consider the effects of many different variables on a variable of interest. It is rare in medicine to find a factor that depends solely on a single variable.
To consider a practical application of this manner of thinking, it has been shown that high stress in individuals can weaken the immune system. So, stressed individuals can be more likely to get sick. These drug calculations will require the application of some basic mathematics such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Bachelor in Nursing Sciences or equivalent or a degree and comprehensive diploma. Diplomas in nursing and midwifery….
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In some cases, you may also need a First Aid Certificate. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Essay How is mathematics used in the medical field?
Ben Davis April 30, How is mathematics used in the medical field? What is the role of mathematics in health? Is there maths in medicine? What are mathematical applications? Do I need maths to study medicine? Can I become a doctor without maths? Do doctors use math? Is maths important to become a doctor? They provide measurements of health, which can be warning signs of infection, illness, or disease.
Your BMI is equal to your weight in pounds, times This method is not always accurate for people with very high muscle mass because the weight of muscle is greater than the weight of fat. In this case, the calculated BMI measurement may be misleading. This is a normal Body Mass Index. A normal BMI is less than A BMI between 25 and The image below is a BMI table that gives an approximation of health and unhealthy body mass indexes.
One of the more advanced ways that medical professionals use mathematics is in the use of CAT scans. A regular x-ray can only provide a two-dimensional view of a particular part of the body.
Then, if a smaller bone is hidden between the x-ray machine and a larger bone, the smaller bone cannot be seen. It is like a shadow. CAT scans allow doctors to see inside the brain, or another body organ, with a three dimensional image. In a CAT scan, the x-ray machine moves around the body scanning the brain or whichever body part is being scanned from hundreds of different angles.
Then, a computer takes all the scans together and creates a three dimensional image. Each time the x-ray machine makes a full revolution around the brain, the machine is producing an image of a thin slice of the brain, starting at the top of the head and moving down toward the neck.
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