Introducing Pharmacology

Book excerpt: This third edition of Introducing Pharmacology provides an accessible and engaging introduction to the subject of pharmacology for nursing and healthcare students – and anyone needing to refresh their knowledge of this important area. The third edition recognises that many nursing and healthcare courses are now requiring students to engage with the subject of pharmacology at a higher level. Accordingly, this edition has been reinforced with more advanced pharmacology that will help these students, but without losing the clarity and accessibility of earlier editions. This popular text includes: • Clear explanations of how drugs work in the human body • The underlying physiology and pathophysiology necessary for an understanding of the action of drugs • Coverage of the common drug groups that nurses and other healthcare professionals are likely to encounter in practice • Case-studies, relating pharmacological theory to clinical practice • An extensive glossary of key terms and definitions New to this edition: A new ‘beyond the basics’ feature, providing a deeper explanation of the mechanism of action of key drugs, supporting students studying at a more advanced level A new section covering drugs for the treatment of nausea and labyrinthine disorders An expanded chapter on drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics Enhanced and more detailed illustrations Updated content that reflects latest guidelines and recently licensed drugs