Clinical Manual of Drug Interaction Principles for Medical Practice

Drug interactions have become a significant iatrogenic
complication, with as many as 5% of hospitalizations and 7,000 deaths
annually attributable to drug-drug interactions in the United States. There
are several reasons these numbers have increased. First, many new
medications have been brought to market in recent years. Second, advances in
medical care have resulted in increased longevity and more elderly patients
than ever before-patients who are more likely to be following polypharmacy
regimens. Population patterns in the U.S. have amplified this trend, with
aging baby boomers swelling the patient pool and demanding treatment with
medications advertised on television and in print.

Fortunately, drug
interactions can be prevented with access to current, comprehensive,
reliable information, and the Clinical Manual of Drug Interaction
Principles for Medical Practice provides just that in a
user-friendly format psychiatry clinicians (including residents and nurses)
and forensics experts will find indispensable. With this new edition, the
book has evolved from "Concise Guide" to "Clinical Manual" and offers the
expanded coverage and features healthcare providers need to keep up with
this critical field.

The book is well organized, with major sections
on metabolism; cytochrome P450 enzymes; drug interactions by medical
specialty; and practical matters, such as the medicolegal implications of
drug-drug interactions and how to retrieve and review the literature. In the
section on P450 enzymes, each chapter addresses what the individual enzyme
does and where, its polymorphisms, and drugs that inhibit or induce
activity. Each chapter also includes extensive references and study cases to
help the reader understand and contextualize the information. A number of
additional features enhance the book's scope and utility:


* The book boasts the very latest information in the area of drug
metabolism, transport, and interaction.
* The chapter on P-glycoprotein
(a drug transporter) was expanded from the last edition to include a broader
array of transport mechanisms.
* The highest ethical standard was
adhered to in the development of this volume, which was not supported in any
way by pharmaceutical makers or distributors.

All eight contributors
to this excellent resource are experts in the fields they have addressed,
and clinicians can trust that the information contained in the Manual
reflects the very latest research. This exceptionally practical manual is
essential to maintaining the highest standard of care.