Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs : An Interactive Approach to Self-Care

Editor in chief Berardi (pharmacy, U. of Michigan College of Pharmacy) presents the new edition of a reference text that aims to assist practitioners and health care students in developing knowledge and problem-solving skills for assessing a patient's health status, medical problems, and current practice of self-treatment including nonprescription and prescription medications, dietary supplements and other self-care measures; determine whether self-care and/or self-testing and monitoring are appropriate; and recommend safe and effective self-care measures. Disease oriented chapters provide information on nonprescription medications including indications, dosages, interactions, efficacy and safety evidence, medical conditions or symptoms amenable to self treatment, prescription-to-nonprescription reclassifications, and nonprescription drug withdrawals from the market. They also include algorithms outlining triage and treatment, discussion of controversies in self-care therapeutics, self-care treatment and prevention guidelines, and information on new nonprescription medications and dietary supplements. Also included are chapters on patient assessment and consultation, multicultural aspects of self-care, legal and regulatory issues in self-care pharmacy practice, home testing and monitoring devices, and common complementary and alternative medicine health systems. The first edition is cited in the Guide to Reference Books. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)