Introducing Pharmacology

<p>This fourth edition of <i>Introducing Pharmacology</i> provides an accessible and engaging introduction to the subject of pharmacology for nursing and healthcare students – in fact any healthcare professional needing to refresh their knowledge of this important area.</p><p>The fourth edition has been fully updated to include recently introduced drugs and a completely new chapter that takes the reader through the process of drug development and the clinical trials that are required before a drug is licensed for prescribing to patients. Acknowledging the COVID pandemic of 2020/21 a review of the vaccines and drugs used against coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is included in this edition.</p><p>This popular text includes: </p><ul> <li>Clear explanations of how drugs work in the human body </li> <li>The underlying physiology and pathophysiology necessary for an understanding of the action of drugs </li> <li>Coverage of the common drug groups that nurses and other healthcare professionals are likely to encounter in practice </li> <li>Case-studies relating pharmacological theory to clinical practice </li> <li>‘Beyond the basics’. A feature providing an in-depth explanation of the mechanism of action of key drugs. Useful for students studying at a more advanced level </li> </ul><p>New to this edition:</p><ul> <li>A new chapter explaining how drugs are developed and undergo testing in clinical trials. This chapter also includes a section on the critical analysis of clinical trials and a brief explanation of the statistics used to present trial data</li> <li>An expanded chapter on pharmacokinetics including the effect of renal and hepatic insufficiency on drug metabolism and the new science of pharmacogenomics – the matching of drugs to patients based on their individual genetics</li> <li>A new section on common skin complaints psoriasis eczema and the drugs used to treat them</li> <li>An expanded section on post-menopausal problems and the drugs used to alleviate symptoms</li> <li>Updated content that reflects the latest guidelines and recently licensed drugs</li> </ul><p>This textbook is an essential companion for nursing midwifery students and other healthcare professions as well as those on post-registration courses studying to become independent prescribers.</p>