The Hands-on Guide to Clinical Pharmacology (eBook)

Dr Sukhdev Chatu is Registrar in gastroenterology at the Mayday Hospital in Croydon.

Preface to the third edition vi

Acknowledgements vii

Abbreviations viii

1. Cardiovascular System 1

2. Respiratory System 41

3. Gastrointestinal System 53

4. Neurological System 81

5. Psychiatry 95

6. Musculoskeletal System 111

7. Diabetes and Endocrine System 125

8. Dermatology 137

9. Pain Management 143

10. Infection 153

11. Immunization 183

12. Obstetrics and Gynaecology 197

13. Anaesthesia 207

14. Poisoning and Overdose 217

15. Cancer Therapy 221

Index 225

"The book is most suitable for practitioners who need rapid
information on medications for their day-to-day activities . . .
This is an excellent resource for practitioners who prefer pocket
manuals over electronic devices as a quick reference during their
busy day." (Doody's, 19 August 2011)

Since the publication of the Oxford Handbook of Clinical
Medicine in 1985, a plethora of similar pocket-sized guides to
a wide variety of medical specialities has appeared in the white
coats of both medical students and junior doctors. The popularity
of these books can be attributed to the concise and well-structured
'page per topic' format introduced by the original
handbook and employed almost universally by subsequent authors.
This slim volume applies the same successful formula to the subject
of Clinical Pharmacology, aiming to provide a concise source of
relevant information on commonly used drugs. The authors
(themselves medical undergraduates) have written their book as both
a revision guide for medical students and as an aide-memoire for
junior doctors, but have they been successful?

The book certainly passes the first test, fitting easily into a
white coat pocket. Approximately 100 drugs are described, grouped
into chapters by organ system in a similar fashion to the British
National Formulary. One page is devoted to each drug, the
information presented in consistent tabular format. Indications,
mechanism of action, adverse effects, contra-indications and
interactions are listed, although drug doses have not been
included. The authors have coped well with the limitation of space
imposed by the 'pocket' format, including only the most
clinically relevant information. Although most major drug classes
are dealt with in adequate depth, future editions may need to find
room for pages describing the newer anticonvulsants and
antiplatelet agents. Some extra space could be found with the
omission of the guides to management of common conditions, which
have been presented at the beginning of each chapter in heavily
truncated bullet point format. These are too brief to be of
practical use and are much better addressed by the more general
medical handbooks.

The Hands-on Guide to Clinical Pharmacology will prove
popular among medical students as it provides answers to commonly
asked questions in a format that is concise and easy to use. The
omission of drug doses renders it rather less attractive to junior
medical staff whom I suspect will continue to rely upon the British
National Formulary. (British Journal of Clinical
Pharmacology)