PJ Online | Tomorrow's Pharmacist 2001 (Book Reviews)

	Inside Tomorrow's Pharmacist (2001)
Home > Students > Tomorrow's Pharmacist > Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Handbook of Pharmacy Health Education (2nd Edition) [more]

Introduction to pharmaceutical calculations [more]

Pathology and Therapeutics for Pharmacists – A basis for Clinical Pharmacy Practice 2nd Edition [more]

Handbook of Pharmacy Health Education (2nd Edition) reviewed by Andy Christopherson

Handbook of Pharmacy Health Education (2nd Edition)
Edited by Robin J Harman
Price £35.00. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 2001
ISBN 0853694710

The role of the pharmacist, especially in the community, is changing. More and more the pharmacist is seen as a source of advice and information on health education and on leading a healthy lifestyle. But pharmacists and pharmacy students can often be overwhelmed by the quantity and quality of information available, with leaflets, pamphlets and textbooks sometimes offering conflicting or contrasting information.

This is where the 'Handbook of pharmacy health education' comes in. Put together by ten leading pharmacists, it covers topics from general health advice and dietary management to sports medicine and dental care. In total the handbook aims to cover the entire spectrum of health education that a professional may have to deal with in their working lives. The handbook is well laid out and easy to read, divided into eleven detailed chapters. Each topic is covered in some depth giving general background information before carrying on to more detailed physiology, clinical aspects and further information sources.

A very good aspect of the book is that each chapter finishes with the role of the pharmacist, giving information and useful tips on how the pharmacist can take an active role in that particular aspect of health education.

Perhaps the one drawback about the book is that it can go into too much detail, which makes it difficult just to 'flick' through if looking for something specific or just to gain a rough idea about a particular chapter. However, this is not a major disadvantage.

The 'Handbook of pharmacy health education' is an excellent and comprehensive edition which sits well in any pharmacist's or pharmacy student's collection.

Andy Christopherson is BPSA vice-president 2001–02

Introduction to pharmaceutical calculations reviewed by Joanne Hood

Introduction to pharmaceutical calculations
By Judith A Rees, Ian Smith and Brian Smith. pp202
Price £19.95. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 2000
ISBN 0853694494

Whether you're a student, a preregistration trainee or a pharmacist, this is a useful book to have at hand. Its easy to follow instructions and plentiful examples make this calculation text book a good buy.

Since arithmetic errors within a pharmacy may be potentially harmful — if not fatal — it is important to be able to grasp the concepts of calculations. For those who, like me, are easily confused by all the different methods used for calculations, this book may be the answer. It highlights a single method and follows it, right through to the end. Calculations are solved in a logical manner and the book shows you how to organise your data.

Proportional sets are used to manipulate the data and these can be arranged into algebraic equations to reach an answer. This method was new to me, so it took a little while to get used to the thinking behind it. However, after a few tries and working through the examples, I found it relatively easy. I do realise, nonetheless, that everyone is different and people should try as many methods as possible to find the one that suits them best to become confident in calculating.

This book starts from square one, so if you are already at ease with calculations and are used to your own methods, it may not be so easy to convert to these methods. Those who are less proficient, however, will find that the data are logically organised and the recommended methods easy to follow. The examples used are pharmaceutically based, which adds to the practical value of this book.

Overall I was quite impressed with this calculations book. However I feel that people should experiment with different books and different methods in order to find the method which best suits them.

Joanne Hood is a fifth year pharmacy student at Bradford School of Pharmacy who is currently undertaking her second preregistration placement with Lloydspharmacy in Headingley. She is also the BPSA graduate officer 2001–02.

Pathology and Therapeutics for Pharmacists – A basis for Clinical Pharmacy Practice 2nd Edition reviewed by Catherine Walker

Pathology and Therapeutics for Pharmacists – A basis for Clinical Pharmacy Practice 2nd Edition
By Russell J Greene and Norman D Harris. pp 788
Price £39.95. London: Pharmaceutical Press, 2000
ISBN 0853693730

This well structured and readable book should serve as a core text for undergraduate pharmacy students, preregistration trainees and recently qualified pharmacists alike, particularly those pursuing careers in the hospital sector.

The book has been organised into chapters covering a number of core pathological conditions from those affecting the central nervous system, such as psychiatric and neurological disorders through to renal and hepatic disorders including the significance of different clinical tests.

Each chapter is then further subdivided into sections covering pathology, aetiology, and epidemiology, presenting symptoms and investigations. There are then detailed sections on management of different conditions covering aims of treatment, medical, surgical and non-medical therapies and their various side effects, interactions and contraindications. Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic implications are considered and guidelines and protocols listed. Each chapter is then summarised and further reading references given, though these seem a little dated in the majority of cases.

There is also a relatively up to date chapter on infections and antimicrobial therapy which discusses the problems of multiple drug resistance and outlines different antibiotics and their modes of action.

In a number of chapters (such as respiratory disorders) tables of the main counselling points are given for the most frequently prescribed preparations. This enables easy access to relevant information and provides a checklist for counselling which should prove invaluable to students and preregistration trainees alike.

A particularly useful section of this textbook is the list of abbreviations commonly found in medical notes. This list will prove essential to anyone about to experience their first taste of doctors' scrawl!

On the whole, this book was easy to follow and yet provided detailed information that will still prove useful post qualification.

Catherine Walker is a fifth year student at Bradford School of Pharmacy who completed her first 6 month placement at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital last year and is about to start her community placement in Skipton, West Yorkshire. She is the BPSA president 2001–02