Adverse Syndromes and Psychiatric Drugs: A Clinical Guide (Oxford Medical Publications)

Pharmacotherapy is an important part of the treatment of most major psychiatric disorders. Although psychiatric drugs can have immense benefits for patients, adverse syndromes are common, causing significant distress for patients. Some side-effects are potentially life threatening if not detected and treated appropriately. Despite the importance of this subject there is a great shortage of practical advice on this topic.
This book will help psychiatrists, GPs, pharmacists and nurses prevent, recognize, and manage adverse syndromes associated with psychiatric drugs. It provides an easily readable account of most almost all the adverse syndromes that clinicians will ever encounter.
Each section is written by an authority in the area, with each syndrome clearly laid out to include the following information: Clinical features, Pharmacological basis, Differential diagnosis, Management, Risk factors and prevention.
Summary tables are also provided, along with key references for further reading. Clearly written and authoritative, this book will be of enormous practical value to all clinicians managing patients who have been prescribed psychiatric drugs.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Michael Joel Schrift, D.O., M.A.(University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)
Description:This is an excellent new book covering the most common and troublesome psychiatric medication adverse effects. Written and edited by clinician-researchers, this book is an outstanding contribution to psychiatry and to the patient suffering from psychiatric illnesses.
Purpose:The purpose, as stated by the editors, is to develop a book to be an easily accessible text that will help psychiatrists, GPs, pharmacists, and nurses prevent, recognize, and manage common adverse syndromes associated with psychiatric drugs. Indeed the editors and chapter authors have put together an absolutely helpful book for psychiatric clinicians in the practice of psychopharmacology.
Audience:The intended audience includes psychiatrists, primary care physicians, and allied health professionals. Psychiatric residents would benefit greatly by knowing this material.
Features:Topics covered in the book's 16 chapters include extrapyramidal syndromes, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, serotonin syndrome, Torsade de pointes and sudden death, hyperprolactinemia, lithium associated adverse effects, sexual dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, teratogenic syndromes, antidepressant discontinuation syndromes, antipsychotic discontinuation syndromes, blood dyscrasias, benzodiazepine dependence, syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion, dermatological syndromes, anticholinergic toxicity, clozapine toxicity, MAOI hypertensive crises. Each chapter ends with relevant and up-to-date references. These are very relevant problems encountered in a psychiatric practice and the editors/authors explain the management of each syndrome in a clear and concise format.
Assessment:This is an outstanding and extremely useful book on psychiatric medication adverse side effects. All physicians who prescribe psychotropic medications should buy this book. The public welfare would be much enhanced.