Fundamentals of Pharmacology, 9th edition

Published by Pearson (June 2, 2022) © 2022

  • Shane Bullock Monash University
  • Elizabeth Manias Melbourne University , The University of Melbourne
Products list
Products list
Products list

For undergraduate and postgraduate students in the health science disciplines

Request a digital sample - for educators

It is designed to establish a foundational knowledge of pharmacology - the study of drug and medication actions and interactions. Students of other health disciplines whose roles involve pharmacological therapy (such as pharmacy, podiatry, optometry, paramedic and physiotherapy), as well as those studying basic science, should find much of the material relevant to their studies. Qualified health professionals may also find this textbook useful as a part of their continuing professional education and postgraduate studies.

Philosophically, our goal is to empower health professionals through an understanding of the fundamental scientific principles of pharmacology that inform clinical practice. To promote understanding, we believe that the effects of medicines on physiological and pathophysiological processes have to be clearly explained. We have included a small amount of chemistry and biochemistry where appropriate to facilitate this understanding. With a greater appreciation of the action of medicines and their target tissues, the reader should be able to deduce what therapeutic and adverse effects to expect, as well as the precautions and contraindications to consider. We have sought to balance the pharmacology content with considerations associated with clinical practice in the most readable way.

Where possible, we have tended to describe the important characteristics of medicine groupings rather than focus on individual agents. We have used prototypes and common generics as examples. The rationale for this approach is that new medicines are regularly entering the market while older agents are removed. The average practitioner cannot possibly keep up with all these changes. However, if a student knows which grouping a new agent belongs to, the principal characteristics of the medicine can be easily deduced.

Samples

Download the table of contents >

Preview sample pages from Fundamentals of Pharmacology >

  • SECTION I AN INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS, LAW AND ETHICS
  • 1 Sociocultural aspects
  • 2 Health professionals and the law
  • 3 Ethical issues in health care
  • SECTION II MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
  • 4 Medicine formulations, storage and routes of administration
  • 5 The clinical decision-making process
  • 6 Medicine administration strategies and documentation
  • 7 Medication errors
  • SECTION III GENERAL ASPECTS OF PHARMACOLOGY
  • 8 Drug nomenclature
  • 9 Pharmacokinetics
  • 10 Pharmacodynamics
  • 11 Pharmacogenetics
  • 12 Drug interactions
  • 13 Pharmacokinetic factors that modify drug action
  • 14 Paediatric and geriatric pharmacology
  • SECTION IV TOXICOLOGY
  • 15 Poisoning and envenomation
  • 16 The management of acute clinical overdose
  • 17 Contemporary substances of abuse
  • 18 Medicine safety
  • SECTION V AUTONOMIC PHARMACOLOGY
  • 19 General aspects of neuropharmacology
  • 20 Adrenergic pharmacology
  • 21 Cholinergic pharmacology
  • SECTION VI NEUROPHARMACOLOGY
  • 22 Antipsychotic agents
  • 23 Anxiolytics and hypnotics
  • 24 Antidepressants and mood stabilisers
  • 25 Neurodegenerative disorders
  • 26 Antiseizure agents and muscle relaxants
  • 27 Central nervous system stimulants
  • SECTION VII PAIN AND ANAESTHESIA
  • 28 Analgesics
  • 29 Migraine and other headaches
  • 30 General anaesthesia
  • 31 Local anaesthesia
  • SECTION VIII INFLAMMATION, IMMUNITY AND CANCER
  • 32 Anti-inflammatory agents
  • 33 Antigout medicines
  • 34 Antihistamines
  • 35 Immunomodulating agents
  • 36 Cancer chemotherapy
  • SECTION IX CARDIOVASCULAR AND RESPIRATORY PHARMACOLOGY
  • 37 Dyslipidaemia
  • 38 Antihypertensive agents
  • 39 Antianginal agents
  • 40 Anticoagulant, antiplatelet, fibrinolytic and haemostatic agents
  • 41 Diuretics and other renal medicines
  • 42 Heart failure
  • 43 Antidysrhythmic agents
  • 44 Fluid and potassium imbalances
  • 45 Anti-anaemic agents
  • 46 Medicines used in obstructive and restrictive lung
  • SECTION X THE MODULATION OF GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION
  • 47 Coughs, colds and respiratory allergy medicines
  • 48 Gastrointestinal tract medicine
  • 49 Antiemetic agents
  • 50 Enteral and parenteral nutrition
  • SECTION XI ENDOCRINE AND METABOLIC PHARMACOLOGY
  • 51 Pituitary conditions
  • 52 Thyroid conditions
  • 53 Diabetes mellitus and blood glucose management
  • 54 Adrenal cortex conditions
  • 55 Gonadal conditions
  • 56 Bone disorders
  • 57 Obesity
  • SECTION XII ANTIMICROBIAL PHARMACOLOGY
  • 58 Introduction to antimicrobial therapy
  • 59 Antibacterial agents
  • 60 Antituberculotic and antileprotic agents
  • 61Antiseptics and disinfectants
  • 62 Antiparasitic agents
  • 63 Antiviral agents
  • 64 Antifungal agents
  • SECTION XIII SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHARMACOLOGY
  • 65 Skin conditions
  • 66 Ophthalmic medicines
  • 67 Herbal medicines
  • APPENDICES 
  • A Common prescription terminology
  • B SI units
  • C Medicine calculations
  • D Common symbols used in medication charts
  • E Important herbal medicine interactions

Need help? Get in touch