4th Edition
How Drugs Work Basic Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition
This fourth edition of How Drugs Work equips readers with a set of clear concepts for matching the pharmacology to the diagnosis, and has been completely revised and updated to reflect the latest knowledge and terminology. Rather than providing overwhelmingly comprehensive information, it condenses the aspects of pharmacology directly relevant to everyday practice into a concise, accessible volume, including material on the half life of drugs, patient non-compliance and severe chronic inflammation.
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 Signalling
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
Biography
Hugh McGavock