Focus on Nursing Pharmacology

Fully adapted for the UK, this text presents essential pharmacology concepts in a streamlined, user-friendly fashion. Organized by body system, the book explains the rationale for each drug class's therapeutic actions, contraindications, and adverse effects, using the British National Formulary as its reference guide. Each chapter opens with learning objectives and ends with questions to reinforce learning. Illustrations, tables, side bars, and boxes summarize concepts and focus attention on critical thinking, patient safety, evidence-based practice, lifespan issues, patient teaching, and case study-based critical thinking exercises. Focus on Nursing Pharmacology is organized following a "simple to complex" approach, and is divided into four parts: Part I begins with an overview of basic nursing pharmacology. Each of the other parts begins with a review of the physiology of the system affected by the specific drugs being discussed. This review refreshes the information for the student and provides a quick and easy reference when reading about drug actions. Part II explains most basic element of human physiology, the cell; providing students with the background information required to understand the mechanism of action of chemotherapeutic drugs described in the subsequent chapters. Part III focuses on drugs affecting the immune system. Research knowledge in this area has expanded over recent years allowing pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs that target the immune system. Parts IV and V of the text address drugs that affect the nervous system, the basic functioning system of the body. Following the nervous system, and closely linked with it in Part VI, is the endocrine system. The sequence of these parts introduces students to the concept of control, teaches them about the interrelatedness of these two systems, and prepares them for understanding many aspects of shared physiological function and the linking of the two systems into one: the neuroendocrine system. Parts VII, VIII and IX discuss drugs affecting the reproductive, cardiovascular and renal systems, respectively. The sequencing of cardiovascular and renal drugs is logical because most of the augmenting cardiovascular drugs (such as diuretics) affect the renal system. Part X covers drugs that act on the respiratory system, a logical progression from the cardiovascular system. Part XI addresses drugs acting on the gastrointestinal system. The gastrointestinal system stands alone; it does not share any actions with any other system.

PART I: Introduction to Nursing Pharmacology, 1 1 Introduction to Drugs 2 Drugs and the Body 3 Toxic Effects of Drugs 4 Nursing Management, 5 Dosage Calculations 6 Drug Therapy in the 21st Century PART II: Chemotherapeutic Agents 7 Introduction to Cell Physiology 8 Anti-infective Agents 9 Antibiotics 10 Antiviral Agents 11 Antifungal Agents 12 Antiprotozoal Agents 13 Anthelmintic Agents 14 Antineoplastic Agents PART III: Drugs Acting on the Immune System 15 Introduction to the Immune Response and Inflammation 16 Anti-inflammatory Agents 17 Immune Modulators 18 Vaccines and Sera PART IV: Drugs Acting on the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems 19 Introduction to Nerves and the Nervous System 20 Anxiolytic and Hypnotic Agents 21 Antidepressant Agents 22 Psychotherapeutic Agents 23 Antiepileptic Agents 24 Antiparkinsonism Agents 25 Muscle Relaxants 26 Narcotics and Antimigraine Agents 27 General and Local Anesthetic Agents 28 Neuromuscular Junction BlockingAgents PART V: Drugs Acting on the Autonomic Nervous System 29 Introduction to the Autonomic Nervous System 30 Adrenergic Agents 31 Adrenergic Blocking Agents 32 Cholinergic Agents 33 Anticholinergic Agents PART VI: Drugs Acting on the Endocrine System 34 Introduction to the Endocrine System 35 Hypothalamic and Pituitary Agents 36 Adrenocortical Agents 37 Thyroid and Parathyroid Agents 38 Antidiabetic Agents PART VII: Drugs Acting on the Reproductive System 39 Introduction to the Reproductive System 40 Drugs Affecting the Female Reproductive System 41 Drugs Affecting the Male Reproductive System PART VIII: Drugs Acting on the Cardiovascular System 42 Introduction to the Cardiovascular System 43 Drugs Affecting Blood Pressure 44 Cardiotonic Agents 45 Antiarrhythmic Agents 46 Antianginal Agents 47 Lipid-Lowering Agents 48 Drugs Affecting Blood Coagulation 49 Drugs Used to Treat Anemias PART IX: Drugs Acting on the Renal System 50 Introduction to the Kidneys and the Urinary Tract 51 Diuretic Agents 52 Drugs Affecting the Urinary Tract and the Bladder PART X: Drugs Acting on the Respiratory System 53 Introduction to the Respiratory System 54 Drugs Acting on the Upper Respiratory Tract 55 Drugs Used to Treat Obstructive Pulmonary Disorders PART XI: Drugs Acting on the Gastrointestinal System 56 Introduction to the Gastrointestinal System 57 Drugs Affecting Gastrointestinal Secretions 58 Laxative and Antidiarrheal Agents 59 Emetic and Antiemetic Agents Glossary Answer Key Appendices