Description

PREFACE

Clinical pharmacology is the science of medicine discovery, development, regulation and utilisation in the context of the effects of drugs on humans. As
such, some knowledge of clinical pharmacology is essential for all professionals involved in the treatment of patients with medicines. We live in an era of intensive research which drives new discoveries and maintains the field of therapeutics in a state of constant evolution: keeping this knowledge up to date can be a challenge. The discovery of new medicines increases the complexity of drug treatment regimens, and the ability to use drugs in a safe, appropriate and effective fashion needs to be taught and maintained.

The pace of change and the growing recognition of the challenges of safe prescribing are reflected in the eighth edition of Lecture Notes:

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. This edition sees very significant changes to the content and structure of the text. Each chapter has been
revised, updated and in some cases re-written, with particular focus upon the clinical relevance of the subject matter. New clinical chapters covering the
treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the management of urological disease have been added, together with an overview of medicines regulation. In each chapter we have moved away from more abstract concepts and placed greater emphasis upon the practical aspects of clinical pharmacology and the application of the knowledge this book contains. We have also restructured the sections to strengthen the links between the basic principles of clinical pharmacology and their use in a clinical context. Although many aspects of
the book have changed, our overall goal remains as stated in the preface to the first edition: ‘to describe with brevity and clarity the scientific background of rational prescribing while giving an insight into practical aspects of therapeutics’.
In the pursuit of this goal we have sought to equip the reader with skills essential for the modern healthcare professional. We hope to encourage a thoughtful and holistic approach to drug prescribing, incorporating consideration and clear understanding of the principles of the pathophysiology of disease, the molecular mechanisms of drug action in humans and an appreciation of
drug therapy in the context of overall health care.

We have taken steps in this edition further to instill a sense of familiarity with the emerging concepts of pharmacogenetics and personalised medicine.