Book review

Book review

2000 | Kathleen Parfitt
The 32nd edition of *Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference* has been updated and renamed from *The Extra Pharmacopoeia*. Each of the 5000 monographs now includes a section on Interactions, making this information more accessible. Certain chapters have been consolidated to better reflect therapeutic practices, such as combining all asthma treatments into one chapter. The book maintains its alphabetical order, starting with Adverse effects and their management, followed by Interactions and Pharmacokinetics, and ending with Uses. This structure may seem counterintuitive to clinicians, who might prefer a more clinical focus. However, the book is primarily aimed at pharmacists, who often need information on unwanted effects and precautionary advice rather than treatment methods. The review questions where clinical pharmacologists turn for comprehensive and up-to-date information on drug selection and usage, especially for conditions they do not frequently encounter. While textbooks like Dollery and Meyler are valuable for specific drug details and adverse reaction diagnosis, they may not be as practical for general treatment guidance. Avery’s *Drug Treatment* is thorough but less frequently updated compared to Martindale. Martindale, despite its extensive detail, remains the most reliable and complete source for drug-related information, though it may be overwhelming for those seeking a broader understanding of knowledge rather than just information.The 32nd edition of *Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference* has been updated and renamed from *The Extra Pharmacopoeia*. Each of the 5000 monographs now includes a section on Interactions, making this information more accessible. Certain chapters have been consolidated to better reflect therapeutic practices, such as combining all asthma treatments into one chapter. The book maintains its alphabetical order, starting with Adverse effects and their management, followed by Interactions and Pharmacokinetics, and ending with Uses. This structure may seem counterintuitive to clinicians, who might prefer a more clinical focus. However, the book is primarily aimed at pharmacists, who often need information on unwanted effects and precautionary advice rather than treatment methods. The review questions where clinical pharmacologists turn for comprehensive and up-to-date information on drug selection and usage, especially for conditions they do not frequently encounter. While textbooks like Dollery and Meyler are valuable for specific drug details and adverse reaction diagnosis, they may not be as practical for general treatment guidance. Avery’s *Drug Treatment* is thorough but less frequently updated compared to Martindale. Martindale, despite its extensive detail, remains the most reliable and complete source for drug-related information, though it may be overwhelming for those seeking a broader understanding of knowledge rather than just information.
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