The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7243 p485
5 April 2003

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Thoroughly researched and useful text on paediatric drug therapy

'Problems in pediatric drug therapy', (4th edition), edited by Louis A. Pagliaro and Ann Marie Pagliaro. Pp xviii+829. Price $99. Washington: American Pharmaceutical Association; 2002. ISBN 1 58212 001 3

This is a comprehensive American paediatric reference book aimed at a wide audience of clinicians, general practitioners, paediatricians, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals.

The text is thoroughly researched with more than 3,000 cited references. Each chapter is written by an expert author or authors and reviewed by a multidisciplinary paediatric advisory committee of 25 members, which ensures accuracy and completeness.

This fourth edition builds on the previous edition and is divided into 14 chapters, focusing on key issues in paediatric drug therapy. It includes two new chapters on anti-neoplastic drug therapy and pharmacogenetics, and the remaining 12 chapters have been extensively revised.

The first chapter on drug administration provides a good overview of the different routes of administration, with illustrations of practical aspects of administering drugs to children. The chapter on adverse drug reactions is written in a format which allows the reader to search for an adverse drug reaction either by disease or clinical condition, or by therapeutic class.

It is important to note that the immunisations chapter reflects American practice rather than United Kingdom vaccination schedules and is therefore less relevant. Similarly, the chapter on drug dosing in neonates is less appropriate because of differences in product availability and indications for use. Nevertheless, the drug monographs contain some useful comments on formulations, contraindications and guidance on administration.

The last chapter detailing dosage information in infants, children and adolescents includes a section on dosage adjustment in renal impairment. Mean dosages are used throughout the book.

Two minor criticisms of this text are the small font size of the numerous tables making it difficult to read and the use of USAN drug names rather than the rINN (International non-proprietary names).

Overall, this is a complete and useful text on paediatric drug therapy and provides a valuable information resource for all health care professionals.

John Persaud