Comparative Diagnostic Pharmacology

Book excerpt: Comparative Diagnostic Pharmacology: Clinical and Research Applications in Living-System Models is the first evidence-based reference text devoted exclusively to the subject of applying pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical agents as diagnostic probes in clinical medicine and investigative research.This unique and groundbreaking book is a versatile guide for clinicians and researchers interested in using pharmacologic agents to: Diagnose disease Assess physiological processes Identify the appropriateness of a therapeutic agent Determine appropriate dosing for therapeutic use. Extensively referenced and organized by major body systems, individual topics are listed in an evidence-based format according to specific disease processes or physiological processes of interest. Each entry also includes information on the mechanism of action, administration, and diagnostic interpretation. Descriptions have been provided for the application of diagnostic pharmaceuticals to assess a wide spectrum of diseases and physiological processes relevant to the fields of veterinary and human medicine. Comparative Diagnostic Pharmacology is useful not merely for pharmaceutical-oriented research investigations, but it will also prove invaluable for the monitoring and evaluation of physiological responses and disease processes in animal models.