Discussing the use of various types of drugs in the treatment of psychiatric patients, this volume covers such topics as anti-depressants, mood stabilizers, hypnotics and anti-psychotics drugs. It also looks at combination treatments and pharmacotherapy of chemical dependence.

Manual of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Nurses offers a holistic approach to psychopharmacological prescribing from a nursing perspective and is the only text designed especially for Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (P.M.H.-A.P.R.N.s). The Manual is grounded in the belief that given their nursing background and their personalized approach to the individual, P.M.H.-A.P.R.N.s are uniquely qualified to offer symptom-based treatment within the context of an individual's medical and psychological care. A comprehensive resource for advanced practice nurses, mental health practitioners, general practitioners, and consumers, this book possesses many useful features, including the following: A logical, easy-to-use format that guides the reader through the most common psychiatric conditions, presenting the diagnostic criteria and neurobiology of the relevant disorder, pharmacological choices and recommendations on monitoring, side effects to consider, and treatment of special populations, including those with medical illnesses. A special chapter devoted to culturally sensitive psychopharmacology that offers information on the role of culture in mental health, wellness, and illness and provides culturally sensitive assessment techniques and other treatment strategies PMH nurses can use to minimize stigma; address health care disparities; and improve patient adherence, satisfaction, and outcomes. A chapter that addresses complementary and alternative pharmacotherapies -- vital because a significant percentage of patients may be using herbal preparations, which present serious implications for the prescribing clinician. Appendices covering drug dosing equivalencies, pharmacogenetics, psychiatric rating scales, and other helpful resources. The core philosophy of the advanced practice nursing field is that health care should be individualized, focusing not only on patients' conditions but also on the effects those conditions have on patients' lives and the lives of their families. The Manual of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Nurses offers readers the most current information on psychopharmacological treatment in an accessible, easy-to-use format grounded in the principles and practices of holistic nursing.

Praise for Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Psychologists "Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Psychologists is a remarkably thorough introductory textbook for integrating psychotropic drug prescribing into psychological practices. It covers basic concepts in physiology, neurology, and pharmacology in easily understood language. Not only is this book a requirement for any psychologist seeking to gain prescriptive authority, but it is also helpful for any mental health clinician who collaborates with prescribers of any discipline. I recommend it highly." Daniel Carlat, MD, Editor in Chief of The Carlat Psychiatry Report "An important resource for any psychologist who is preparing to become a prescribing psychologist or for any psychologist who wants to be informed about the practice of medical psychology." Joseph E. Comaty, PhD, MP, coauthor of A Primer of Drug Action "Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Psychologists is an excellent treatise written by psychologists for psychologists." From the Foreword by Patrick H. DeLeon, PhD, and Jack G. Wiggins, PhD, former presidents of the American Psychological Association An essential and practical guide to integrating psychopharmacology into clinical practice Edited by medical psychologists with contributions by notable experts in their respective specialties, Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Psychologists covers key topics including: Ethics, standards of care, laws, and regulations relevant to clinical psychopharmacology Disorders of the nervous system, with particular relevance to psychopharmacology Use of comprehensive diagnostic strategies to establish differential diagnoses among possible medical and psychological symptoms Integration of pharmacotherapy with psychotherapy This essential book also provides an introduction to the qualifying exam for psychologists seeking specialty training in psychopharmacology, the Psychopharmacology Exam for Psychologists (PEP). The PEP-like practice test is available on the companion CD-ROM.

Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists has become the go-to resource for mental health clinicians looking for clear, reliable information about the treatment of mental health issues. Organized by disorder and, within each disorder, by medication, this book is designed to familiarize clinicians and students with the basic terminology and models of pharmacokinetics. This updated seventh edition provides essential information on new medications and treatment options and includes the latest research on side effects, contraindications, and efficacy of all major medications prescribed for mental health disorders. The book also features an important new chapter on the effects of withdrawing from psychopharmacological medications. This handbook makes it simple to: Get the facts about drug interactions and side effects Find out how medications affect adults, children, and adolescents differently Learn how different cultures view medical treatment, vital information for anyone who treats clients from a variety of backgrounds Discontinue medication safely when needed

This third edition of Essentials of Psychopharmacology is, like its predecessors, based on the premier textbook in the field, The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychopharmacology, now in its fourth edition. The Essentials format is designed to deliver core knowledge to the busy trainee or practitioner in a succinct and accessible manner. Essentials of Psychopharmacology provides a complete overview of clinically focused pharmacotherapeutic principles of vital interest to psychiatry residents, primary care physicians, and other health care professionals. Updated with the latest research findings since the publishing of the fourth edition, Essentials features new chapters on recently introduced medications and updated chapters on others. The book is divided into two parts: Classes of Psychiatric Treatments, which systematically reviews psychotropic medications within each drug class (e.g., antidepressants and anxiolytics, antipsychotics), and Psychopharmacological Treatment, which outlines current pharmacotherapeutic approaches in the major psychiatric disorders as well as in specific patient populations. Although the latter part has been streamlined in this new edition, coverage of critical information such as approved indications, drug interactions, side effects, and other prescribing factors remains comprehensive. Clinicians seeking a reliable reference and guide to the core knowledge base and practice of clinical psychopharmacology can do no better than this new edition of Essentials of Psychopharmacology.

"Most books about psychopharmacology focus heavily on the basic science involved and describe the currently available medications, including brief rationales for their use as well as their dosages and their side effects. Others are more for the general public, intended to help them understand how psychopharmacology might be helpful. This book is different. The goal is to teach the reader what medicines are available and what their characteristics are as well as teach very valuable skills: how to think thoroughly and methodically when assessing a patient, when reviewing research data (both basic and clinical), and when thinking through, developing, and monitoring the most effective clinical recommendations for patients. Rather than a lesson in elementary patient assessment, this book is an attempt to help readers identify weaknesses in their practice style and improve them where psychopharmacology is involved"--