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This book is the 4th in a series of Acute Care books written with the aim to address the NEEDS of health care providers when handling the acutely ill patients. Globally it has become apparent that the study of pharmacology and subsequent clinical training has not always adequately equipped young doctors with the ability to administer drugs to their patients safely and confidently, particularly in the critically ill patient. Compounding this issue is the lack of resource material related to these pharmacological concepts contained in one book that can help health care providers to understand and manage drug therapy in the acute situation. In spite of progressively newer and more developed protocols, guidelines, algorithms and many other books addressing the technical aspects of what needs to be done, most health care providers still find it difficult to grasp the basic pharmacological knowledge and rationally deliver the CARE that is required in the acute phase of patient management.
The editors/authors have therefore aimed for a book that highlights topics and pharmacological issues pertinent to management of patients in their hour of need. This is a multi-author book but the style has been guided by 3 editors.
The editors have used a different perspective - that of normalizing abnormal physiological processes with pharmacological agents - to address the GAPS in a bedside to bench approach. The details are pared down but important principles/concepts are emphasized.
List of contents
Preface.- I General Principles of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics.- Why drugs are administered.- Drug administration.- Drug absorption and bioavailability.- Drug distribution.- Drug elimination.- Steady-state principles.- Dose-response relationship.- Pharmaceutical aspects of drugs. - Dosage forms, dose calculations and prescriptions.- Drug interactions. II Pharmacology of the various body systems.- Drugs and the cardiovascular system.- Drugs and the respiratory system.- Drugs and the central nervous system.- Drugs and the liver/ gastrointestinal system.- Drugs and the renal system.- Drugs and the endocrine system.- Drugs and the neuromuscular system.- Drugs for the management of pain.- III Pharmacology in special circumstances.- The patient in pain.- The pediatric patient.- The elderly patient.- The obstetric patient.- The obese patient.- The bleeding patient.- The septic patient.- The allergic patient.- The poisoned patient.- IV Pharmacology of special drugs.- Oxygen as a drug.- Fluids as drugs.- V Safety issues in pharmacology.- Medication Errors. Index.
Report
From the book reviews:
"This is a summary of pharmacological principles designed for providers of acute care, including emergency medicine practitioners, acute care surgeons, and intensivists. ... Students in disciplines providing acute care and critical care pharmacy students are an appropriate audience for this work. ... This is a worthwhile introduction for students beginning study of acute care medicine or allied health professionals needing an overview of pharmacological considerations." (David J. Dries, Doody's Book Reviews, March, 2015)
