The organization of the entries offers great depth of information in the drug profiles provided. Different medical conditions as well as other drugs taken concurrently often require dosing adjustments, a factor addressed in all of the drug profiles. If you or a family member suffers liver or kidney compromise, for instance, you'll learn how medication dose or frequency may need to be adjusted to help avoid dangerous and unnecessary toxic drug reactions.
Ongoing research helps expand and shape our understanding of how medications work. In "The Leading Edge" Dr. Rybacki makes readers aware of promising new medications awaiting FDA approval, and in "True Breakthroughs" he describes drugs recently approved by the FDA as well as new uses that have been discovered.
Each of the more than 300 drug profiles opens with an informational box outlining the benefits and risks of the drug, followed by information on available dosage forms and strengths, the principal use of the drug when prescribed as a single ingredient and as a component of a combination drug, the advisability of use during pregnancy or when nursing, adverse effects and common side effects, and much more.
Also included in The Essential Guide is a 16-page insert showing color photographs of many of the profiled prescription drugs at their actual size.
While no book can be substituted for the professional judgment of a doctor, The Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs does offer the information consumers need to take today's complex and potent drugs intelligently, safely, and effectively.
The Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs provides more detailed and comprehensive information on the most important drugs in current use than any other reference source available to the general public. It includes suggestions for how consumers can lower their prescription costs and other medical expenses as well as tips for how pharmacists and physicians can control medical costs, making it a resource doctors, pharmacists and other health care professionals will want to consult as well. Within each drug profile, you'll find:
The benefits versus the risks of the drug highlighted in an easy-to-read, quick reference box
The genetic and brand names of the drugs, including whether the drug is available generically
The principle uses of the drug
How the drug works
How safe it is to take, including the possible risks of taking it
Possible effects of the drugs on sexual function
Whether it's safe to use if you're pregnant or breastfeeding
Precautions to take if you're over 60
