Stevan Emmett, Nicola Hill and Frederico Dajas-Bailador
Published by the Oxford University Press (October 2019)
ISBN 978-0-19-969493-8
Price £34.99
Clinical pharmacology for prescribing is an excellent tool for those looking to broaden their knowledge of prescribing in clinical practice.
The book is laid out in an organised and logical manner. Body systems are subdivided into their common medical conditions and a holistic explanation of pathophysiology, management and drug classes used in management is provided for each condition.
A noteworthy aspect of the book is the design – it’s obvious that a lot of thought has been put into the layout and readability. Paragraphs are digestible and are interspersed by snippets of key information such as practical prescribing and prescribing warnings for each drug. These are highlighted in blue boxes which give colour to the pages and help to emphasise their importance. The language used throughout is simple and concise, which is what I presume most readers are looking for in a pharmacology book. However, plenty of detail and diagrams are provided throughout, not only on the mechanisms of actions but also in useful introductions to the diseases. For example, in the arrhythmias chapter, ECG examples of various bradyarrhythmias and types of heart block are displayed.
The illustrations of the relevant pathways and drug targets are interesting and a welcome addition after having read several pages of text. The diagrams are detailed and clearly explain how therapies target each individual pathway.
This book would be an excellent revision resource for medical students and junior doctors especially, who are looking to further their understanding of mechanisms of action and other clinically relevant details. The book is comprehensive and covers all aspects of medicines for each medical specialty.
Ben Silberstein
Third year medical student University of Leeds
November 2019
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