Clinical Psychopharmacology

A Practical Approach

This book aims to provide comprehensive, up-to-date information on psychotropic drugs and inform clinical decisions for the treatment of mental disorders using a problem-solving approach.

In order to accomplish these goals, the book has three central characteristics:

• it is evidence-based
• it compares each individual drug with others in the same class and also those used for the same indications rather than describing them separately
• it steadily draws practical conclusions and makes recommendations about how to select and use medications in the treatment of specific mental disorders

More than a textbook, it is meant to serve as a practical tool for professionals working in the mental health field.

Contents:

• Absorption, Transformation, and Elimination of Psychotropic Medications
• Neurotransmitters, Receptors, and Transporters
• Antipsychotics: A General View of Therapeutic and Adverse Effects
• Description of Individual Antipsychotics
• Treatment of Schizophrenia with Antipsychotic Medications
• Antidepressants: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Serotonin–Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors
• Bupropion
• Mirtazapine, Trazodone, and Nefazodone
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors and Tricyclic Antidepressants
• Individualized Treatment of Depression
• Benzodiazepines, Buspirone, and Miscellaneous Medications Used in Anxiety Disorders
• Medication Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
• Medications Used in the Treatment of Mania
• Medications Used in Bipolar Depression, Mixed States, and Rapid Cycling
• Medications Used in the Treatment of Insomnia
• Medications Used in the Treatment of Attention Disorders
• Medications Used in the Treatment of Dementia
• Medications Used in Smoking Cessation and Alcohol Use Disorders
• Drug–Drug Interactions

Readership: Professional psychiatrists, psychologists, primary care practitioners, clinical practitioners.
Key Features:

• Practical pointers to help with day to day “real world” situations encountered in practice
• Brief, practical chapters written in a simple, friendly language generally avoiding jargon and excessive theorizing