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Excerpt
The textbook is firstly intended as an aid for candidates attempting the FRCA examination and it is also useful for junior physicians who are involved in the clinical practice of anaesthesia and critical medical care who want to refresh their pharmacological knowledge.
The book is divided into four sections and 24 chapters. Section 1 covers the basic principles of pharmacology such as drug passage across the cell membrane, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs, drug action and interaction, isomerism and a rather comprehensive overview of the mathematics and pharmacokinetics. Section 2 describes the pharmacology of intravenous and inhaled anaesthetics, analgesics, local anaesthetics and the muscle relaxants. The cardiovascular drugs are discussed in Section 3 and in Section 4 the other drugs mostly applied in the perioperative care of patients are discussed: drugs of central nervous system, antiemetics, drugs acting on the gut, diuretics, drugs affecting coagulation, hypoglycaemic agents, corticosteroids and other hormone preparations. The drugs most commonly used in anaesthesia and intensive care are reviewed in 330 pages. The text is clearly presented and easy to read. The illustrations, figures and tables are simple and they facilitate easy understanding of the relevant discussion. The index is reliable and helpful. Unfortunately the book contains neither any references nor suggestions for further reading at the end of the chapters. The synopsis satisfies readers who are candidates for FRCA examination. The CD-ROM attached to the book is an excellent and helpful tool for self-assessment with 365 multiple-choice questions. The answers to the questions can certainly be found in the text. The book is recommended for trainees as it contains the required basic knowledge of pharmacology for the fellowship examinations.
