Drugs in Palliative Care

About this book

• A quick-reference guide to prescribing for palliative care patients
• Contains over 100 entries of palliative care drugs, in an easy to use A-Z format

While palliative care has adopted a holistic approach to treatment, medication driven symptom management ostensibly forms the critical aspect of care. Pharmacological therapy can be extremely complex because these patients often have co-existing medical conditions in addition to symptoms caused by their terminal disease. The resulting polypharmacy can be daunting for professionals and can negatively impact on effectiveness of care.

The practitioner requires a simple, easy to navigate reference source that provides succinct and pertinent drug information. This detailed yet concise handbook will appeal to a variety of healthcare professionals involved in the provision of palliative care and medicines information. It begins with an overview of pharmacology and prescribing advice then contains over 100 entries of palliative care drugs, in an easy to use A-Z format.

Readership: All professionals involved in the care of adult palliative care patients; this includes palliative care doctors, general practitioners, district nurses, clinical nurse specialists, doctors in secondary care, and pharmacists.

Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations

Chapter 1 - Clinical pharmacology overview
1.1: Introduction
1.2: Pharmacokinetics
1.3: Pharmacodynamics
1.4: Pharmacogenetics
1.5: Drug Interactions

Chapter 2 - Prescribing guidance
2.1: Unlicensed use of medicines
2.2: Legal categories of medicines
2.3: Independent prescribing - palliative care issues
2.4: Travelling abroad with medicines
2.5: Management of pain
2.6: Managing nausea and vomiting
2.7: Managing constipation
2.8: Discontinuing and/or switching antidepressants
2.9: Continuous subcutaneous infusions
2.10: Use of drugs in end-of-life care

Chapter 3 - Drug Monographs A-Z

Andrew Dickman, Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute Liverpool, Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool, UK