The Hands-on Guide to Practical Prescribingis a concise, easy-to-use guide to the practical aspects of pharmacology for medical students and junior doctors who are making the transition from studying pharmacology to prescribing drugs for the first time.

This new addition to 'The hands-on guide' series brings together the core pharmacological knowledge required by house officers, structured in a way to address the very hands-on, practical aspects of prescribing. This book is not designed to replace the factual drug information in the BNF, but to complement and build upon it, so that The Hands-on Guide to Practical Prescribing provides junior doctors with a solid guide to prescribing in the clinical setting.

Beginning with the general principles of prescribing and basics of writing a prescription form, the book guides you through topics such as using the BNF, drug interactions and monitoring toxicity, before moving on to cover both surgical and medical topics such as preoperative and postoperative patients, prophylaxis, organ failure and diabetes.

The Hands-on Guide to Practical Prescribingis a problem-based book that covers the common problems and questions a house officer might encounter, and will be an invaluable guide to life on the wards. The authors are specialist registrars in medicine and surgery, have undertaken SHO and registrar posts in the major specialities and also write and teach regularly on clinical pharmacology.

Pre-publication quote

‘Clinical pharmacology is an area that is very poorly taught at medical schools and in many cases not taught at all. Therefore it would seem to make sense to have a book that addresses these deficiencies. [It] covers the most important areas as far as the house officer is concerned.’ SHO, Leeds

"I am not aware of a similar book on the market and such a book (if it is pocket-sized) will be invaluable to a newly qualified house officer."

-- Specialist Registrar

"The sample chapter on pain management is excellent - thorough, well structured and easy to understand and the algorithm is a useful summary."

-- SHO

"Clinical pharmacology is an area that is very poorly taught at medical schools and in many cases not taught at all. Therefore it would seem to make sense to have a book that addresses these deficiencies. [It] covers the most important areas as far as the house officer is concerned."

-- PRHO

1 General introduction, 0.

2 Practical aspects of how to prescribe, 0.

3 How to use the British National Formulary (BNF)and Monthly Index of.

Medical Specialties (MIMS), 0.

4 Drug interactions, 0.

5 Monitoring of drugs, overdose and toxicity, 0.

6 Adverse drug reactions and allergies, 0.

7 Prescribing in children, 00.

8 Prescribing in the elderly, 00.

9 Conception, pregnancy and breast-feeding, 00.

10 Surgical patients: the preoperative stage, 00.

11 Intravenous fluids, 00.

12 Nutrition, 00.

13 Analgesia: management of acute pain, 00.

14 The acute surgical abdomen, 00.

15 Vascular surgical issues: ischaemia (acute, chronic and prevention), 00.

16 Breast problems, 00.

17 Urological problems: benign prostatic hypertrophy, incontinence and.

infections, 00.

18 Deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis and the surgical patient, 00.

19 Antibiotic prophylaxis, 00.

20 Bowel preparation, 00.

21 Wounds and abscesses, including dressings, 00.

22 Anticoagulation, 00.

23 Transfusion of blood products, 00.

24 The patient on steroids, the oral contraceptive pill or hormone replacement.

therapy, 00.

25 Prescribing in organ failure, 00.

26 Drugs acting on the cardiovascular system, 00.

27 Hypertension, 00.

28 Cardiac arrythmias, 00.

29 Airways disease, 00.

30 Oxygen therapy, 00.

31 Musculoskeletal drugs, 00.

32 Movement disorders and epilepsy, 00.

33 Altered conscious level and stroke, 00.

34 Constipation, diarrhoea and bowel disease, 00.

35 Nausea and vomiting, 00.

36 Gastro-oesophageal reflux and peptic ulcer disease, 00.

37 Insomnia, nocturnal confusion and the aggressive patient, 00.

38 Drug dependency syndromes, 00.

39 Palliative care and the management of chronic pain, 00.

40 Diabetes, 00