Save Animals – Use Yourself: Teaching Cardiovascular Pathophysiology without Lab Animals

Abstract Historically was education of physiology and pathophysiology associated with demonstration of organism's function or basic pathological process on lab animals. This was partly due to the fact that many functions were able to be recorded only invasively i.e. encroaching on investigated object's integrity. But educational trends have significantly changed in last two decades. All of the students, legislation and pressure of non-governmental organizations led to minimizing of using lab animals in lessons of many Faculties of Medicine and Faculties of Veterinary Medicine. Didactic films were used in first phase and animated multimedia presentations prevail recently. Teaching of biomedical subjects without using living organism is possible but students aren’t acquiring any new skills by passive monitoring of virtual information. Students also don’t have a chance to perceive organism's reaction in other than by sight or audition. This way of teaching lacks emotions that accompany every doctor-patient contact. It is not associated with its stress and tactile and odor perceptions are also missing.