Topics in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Dr. Maronde has performed a major service in bringing together a superb array of scholars and clinicians to discuss not only the basic principles in therapeutics and clinical pharmacology but also the application of those principles to a wide range of clinical problems. Inclusion of chapters on adverse drug reactions, drug overdose, nonmedical prescription drug use, physician prescribing patterns, and the pharmaceutical industry makes this a particularly valuable book for clinicians. It is increasingly important that clinicians be well grounded in the principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics because more and more of our patients are aging and cannot be treated as young or middle-aged adults. Elderly patients are liable to either drug overdose or underdose if traditional dosage formulas are followed because of changes in drug metabolism, drug distribution within the body, drug excretion, or changes in receptor site sensitivity. Because the elderly often present with mUltiple chronic diseases and require a variety of medications, they are more prone to medication errors, drug-drug interactions, and adverse drug reactions. The inclusion of three excellent chapters relating to drug-drug interactions, adverse drug reactions, and drug overdose is most welcome and is a valuable addition to this outstanding text on therapeutics and clinical pharmacology. Adverse drug reactions present a potentially serious problem for any patient for whom drugs are prescribed and particularly for those who must take multiple prescriptions.