Preface

The 11th edition of this companion to Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach is designed to provide practitioners and students with critical information that can be used to guide medication decision-making in collaborative, interprofessional healthcare settings. To ensure brevity, clarity, and portability, the bulleted format provides essential textual information, key tables and figures, and treatment algorithms.

Corresponding to the major sections in the Pharmacotherapy textbook, medical conditions are alphabetized within the following sections: Bone and Joint Disorders; Cardiovascular Disorders; Dermatologic Disorders; Endocrinologic Disorders; Gastrointestinal Disorders; Gynecologic and Obstetric Disorders; Hematologic Disorders; Infectious Diseases; Neurologic Disorders; Nutrition Support; Oncologic Disorders; Ophthalmic Disorders; Psychiatric Disorders; Renal Disorders; Respiratory Disorders; and Urologic Disorders. The Handbook includes nine tabular appendices (four more than the 10th edition) involving pediatric pharmacotherapy, nutrition, and neonatal critical care; geriatric assessment and pharmacotherapy; critical care patient assessment and pharmacotherapy; drug allergy; drug-induced hematologic disorders; drug-induced liver disease; drug-induced pulmonary disease; drug-induced kidney disease; and drug-induced ophthalmic disorders. This edition also includes new chapters on the pharmacists’ patient care process, opioid use disorder, and superficial fungal infections.

Each chapter is organized in a consistent format:

• Disease State Definition

• Pathophysiology

• Clinical Presentation

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

• Evaluation of Therapeutic Outcomes

The Treatment section may include goals of treatment, general approach to treatment, nonpharmacologic therapy, drug selection guidelines, dosing recommendations, adverse effects, pharmacokinetic considerations, and important drug-drug interactions. When more in-depth information is required, the reader is encouraged to refer to the corresponding chapter in the primary textbook, Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, 11th edition. These chapters now provide guidance on application of the pharmacists’ patient care process for specific conditions.

The authors gratefully acknowledge Barbara G. Wells, PharmD, FASHP, FCCP, retired Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, for her substantial contributions to the creation, design, and production of all previous editions of this work. Her vision, insight, and passion for the provision of patient-centered medication therapy are evident throughout the pages of the Handbook. In addition, this edition of the Handbook is dedicated to the memory of her late husband, Richard M. Wells: pharmacist, colleague, and friend.

It is our hope that students and practitioners find this book to be helpful on their daily journey to provide the highest quality individualized, patient-centered care. We invite your comments on how we may improve subsequent editions of this work.