Based on extensive participant observation research, a life-history model is presented to explain why very few of those who come into contact with narcotics become problematic consumers; that is make drugs one of the most central elements in their lives. The model covers four stages in the deviant career; two preceding and two subsequent to the individual's narcotics debut. Prohibition and harm reduction as models for intervention are presented, and the implications for drug policy of the life-history model are discussed.
Praised by practitioners, students and instructors for its engaging approach to teaching a very complex subject, Demystifying Opioid Conversion Calculations: A Guide for Effective Dosing, has long been the go-to guide for learning how to calculate opioid conversions. Now in its second edition, this reference is a must-have for clinicians involved in pain management at all levels. Written by pain management expert Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, MA, MDE, BCPS, CPE, Demystifying Opioid Conversion Calculations focuses on the calculations that practitioners use in actual practice, providing realistic scenarios for decision making. The revised edition covers the entire spectrum of opioid analgesics used to manage patients with moderate-to-severe pain and serious life-limiting illnesses.
Chronic kidney disease affects approximately 10% of adults in the United States or approximately 20 million individuals. Further, recent studies have shown that improper dosing in patients with renal dysfunction occurs over 20% of the time. ASHP’s Demystifying Drug Dosing in Renal Dysfunction addresses the persistent and challenging problem of dosing medications for patients with renal insufficiency and dysfunction.
With Demystifying Drug Dosing in Obese Patients, that resource you need is here, delivering: Fully-referenced dosing recommendations for specific drugs Dedicated chapters on antimicrobial dosing, anticoagulants and antiplatelets, antiepileptics, analgesics, antineoplastic medicines, and more Guidance on immunosuppression and medication absorption in bariatric surgery Tips for adult, pediatric, ambulatory, acute, and critical care Pharmacokinetic parameters in obese patients
The Science and Business of Drug Discovery is written for those who want to learn about the biopharmaceutical industry and its products whatever their level of technical knowledge. Its aim is to demystify the jargon used in drug development, but in a way that avoids over simplification and the resulting loss of key information. Each of the nineteen chapters is illustrated with figures and tables which clarify some of the more technical points being made. Also included is a drug discovery case history which draws the relevant material together into a single chapter. In recognizing that it is difficult to navigate through the many external resources dealing with drug development, the book has been written to guide the reader towards the most appropriate information sources, including those listed in the two appendices. The following topics are covered: Different types of drugs: from small molecules to stem cells Background to chemistry of small and large molecules Historical background to drug discovery, pharmacology and biotechnology The drug discovery pipeline: from target discovery to marketed medicine Commercial aspects of drug discovery Challenges to the biopharmaceutical industry and its responses Material of specific interest to technology transfer executives, recruiters and pharmaceutical translators.
A creature of Jewish mythology, a golem is an animated being made by man from clay and water who knows neither his own strength nor the extent of his ignorance. Like science and technology, the subjects of Harry Collins and Trevor Pinch's previous volumes, medicine is also a golem, and this Dr. Golem should not be blamed for its mistakes - they ...
“Hart’s argument that we need to drastically revise our current view of illegal drugs is both powerful and timely . . . when it comes to the legacy of this country’s war on drugs, we should all share his outrage.” —The New York Times Book Review From one of the world's foremost experts on the subject, a powerful argument that the greatest damage from drugs flows from their being illegal, and a hopeful reckoning with the possibility of their use as part of a responsible and happy life Dr. Carl L. Hart, Ziff Professor at Columbia University and former chair of the Department of Psychology, is one of the world's preeminent experts on the effects of so-called recreational drugs on the human mind and body. Dr. Hart is open about the fact that he uses drugs himself, in a happy balance with the rest of his full and productive life as a researcher and professor, husband, father, and friend. In Drug Use for Grown-Ups, he draws on decades of research and his own personal experience to argue definitively that the criminalization and demonization of drug use--not drugs themselves--have been a tremendous scourge on America, not least in reinforcing this country's enduring structural racism. Dr. Hart did not always have this view. He came of age in one of Miami's most troubled neighborhoods at a time when many ills were being laid at the door of crack cocaine. His initial work as a researcher was aimed at proving that drug use caused bad outcomes. But one problem kept cropping up: the evidence from his research did not support his hypothesis. From inside the massively well-funded research arm of the American war on drugs, he saw how the facts did not support the ideology. The truth was dismissed and distorted in order to keep fear and outrage stoked, the funds rolling in, and Black and brown bodies behind bars. Drug Use for Grown-Ups will be controversial, to be sure: the propaganda war, Dr. Hart argues, has been tremendously effective. Imagine if the only subject of any discussion about driving automobiles was fatal car crashes. Drug Use for Grown-Ups offers a radically different vision: when used responsibly, drugs can enrich and enhance our lives. We have a long way to go, but the vital conversation this book will generate is an extraordinarily important step.
Authoritative, portable, and up to date, Opie’s Cardiovascular Drugs, 9th Edition, is the definitive reference for quick access to frequently used drugs in all phases of care for cardiac patients. Now a part of the Braunwald family of renowned cardiology references, this compact title provides crucial information in an easily accessible format—ideal for cardiologists, residents, cardiology fellows, medical students, nurses, and other cardiac care providers. Updated to include the latest guidelines and evidence-based implications, it offers clear and concise explanations and pertinent clinical facts for all classes of cardiac drugs, as well as all the latest clinical trial results and evidence for the pharmacologic treatment of heart disease. Uses a new, consistent format for each drug class: overview and guidelines for use, mechanisms of action, differences among drugs in class, data for use, side effects, and drug interactions. Covers key topics such as new ESC and NLA guidelines, advances in lipid-lowering therapy, new diabetes drugs that improve cardiovascular outcomes, obesity drugs and cardiovascular and metabolic effects, drugs targeting inflammation, and combinations of antithrombotic therapies with analysis of risk-benefit. Provides guidance on how to effectively manage comorbid diseases. Contains dozens of unique “Opiegram diagrams that demystify complex mechanisms of action and other drug processes—many updated to reflect current pathologic understanding of mechanisms.
Whether drinking Red Bull, relieving chronic pain with oxycodone, or experimenting with Ecstasy, Americans participate in a culture of self-medication, using psychoactive substances to enhance or manage our moods. A “drug-free America” seems to be a fantasyland that most people don’t want to inhabit. High: Drugs, Desire, and a Nation of Users asks fundamental questions about US drug policies and social norms. Why do we endorse the use of some drugs and criminalize others? Why do we accept the necessity of a doctor-prescribed opiate but not the same thing bought off the street? This divided approach shapes public policy, the justice system, research, social services, and health care. And despite the decades-old war on drugs, drug use remains relatively unchanged. Ingrid Walker speaks to the silencing effects of both criminalization and medicalization, incorporating first-person narratives to show a wide variety of user experiences with drugs. By challenging current thinking about drugs and users, Walker calls for a next wave of drug policy reform in the United States, beginning with recognizing the full spectrum of drug use practices.
