How Drugs Work
Basic Pharmacology for Healthcare Professionals, 3rd Edition
3rd Edition
Published on 30. October 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
204 pages
978-1-84619-478-8 (ISBN)
Description
Maximising the benefits and minimising the risks of powerful modern drugs requires a firm scientific understanding of basic pharmacology. This Third Edition of How Drugs Work equips readers with a set of clear concepts for matching the pharmacology to the diagnosis. Instead of providing overwhelmingly comprehensive information, it condenses the aspects of pharmacology directly relevant to everyday practice into a concise, accessible volume, including new material on the half life of drugs, patient non-compliance and severe chronic inflammation, as well as revisions and updates to reflect the latest knowledge and terminology. The book remains indispensable for those with prescribing responsibilities such as nurse prescribers, general practitioners, pharmacists and dentists in mid-career who wish to update their knowledge, nurses who require an understanding of drug actions and interactions, and pharmaceutical industry representatives. Medical students will also find this a useful introductory text. From reviews of previous editions: 'Practical, easy to read and with an excellent format, offering clear information boxes and clear points. Recommended.' JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY NURSING 'Useful to nurses on supplementary and independent prescribing courses, nursing students and qualified health professionals who may need an aide-memoire.' NURSING STANDARD 'A must for any healthcare professional.' COMMUNITY PRACTITIONER
More details
Edition
3rd New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Edition type
New edition
Weight
476 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84619-478-8 (9781846194788)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Former Professor of Prescribing Science, Department of Nursing Studies, University of Ulster and Course Organiser, GP Continuing Clinical Education Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency
Content
Getting a drug into the body: absorption. Getting a drug to its site of action: distribution. Inactivating drugs: phase 1 drug metabolism. Phase 2 drug metabolism and methods of excretion. Drug's half-life. Receptor function and intercellular signaling. The central role of receptors in drug action. Drugs that block enzymes: understanding NSAID therapy in inflammation. The principal targets for drug action. Calcium ion for the prescriber. Drugs and the Central Nervous System. Introduction to drugs in the central nervous system. Drugs whose action is (a) understood, (b) unknown/speculative. The actions of drugs used to treat anxiety, insomnia and life-threatening status epilepticus. Drugs used to treat Parkinsonism. Pain analgesics. How anti-emetic drugs work. Antipsychotic drugs. Antidepressant drugs. Anti-epileptic drugs. Drugs of abuse: hallucinogens and CNS stimulants. Alzheimer's disease. Drug topics of special importance. Severe chronic inflammation. The scientific basis of prescribing for the elderly. Antibacterial action and bacterial resistance. How to prevent adverse drug interactions - ADIs. How to predict and avoid adverse drug reactions to single drugs - ADRs. Getting new drugs to market: licensing medicines for human use. Preventable prescription-related illness caused by patient non-compliance.