Pills, Potions and Poisons: How Drugs Work - Rilegato

Stone, Trevor; Darlington, L. Gail

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0198504039 ISBN 13: 9780198504030

Casa editrice: OUP Oxford, 2000

Riassunto

About half of all the medicines prescribed by doctors are not taken by their patients. One of the reasons most commonly given by patients for not taking drugs is that they feel unhappy about taking medicines which they do not understand and of which they are afraid. This book attempts to rectify this problem by showing in clear, non-technical language how medicines and other drugs work in the body to reduce the effects of disease. Most chapters include fascinating background information on how some of our most important drugs were discovered, along with intriguing and often amusing anecdotes about the drugs and the people behind their discovery. Each chapter also includes a summary of the key points together with illustrations, photographs or diagrams to summarise the main groups and how they work in the body. The book covers all the major groups of drugs, with complete listings of all the drugs available in the UK and the USA, so that the reader can locate his or her specific drug and read about the actions of the drugs in that group. The various chapters cover drugs used to treat high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, ulcers, cancers, infections, impotence, incontinence, arthritis, osteoporosis, as well as hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives and drugs used in disorders of the brain such as schizophrenia, depression, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. There is also a chapter on drugs which are abused such as cannabis, alcohol, nicotine and ecstasy, and a chapter covering some of the poisons we encounter, such as carbon monoxide, arsenic, sheep dip, and the venoms of snakes, spiders, scorpions and marine organisms. Here, then, a fascinating survey of how chemicals have their effects in the body. It shows how drugs work and explains why it is that taking some medicines for many years is far safer than suffering the long-term effects of disease. Pills, Potions and Poisons is an entertaining read that should also help to improve your health and quality of life.

Su questo libro

Recensione

"Pills, Potions and Poisons...serves as an excellent introduction to the biological effects of drugs." (New Statesman)

"Pills, potions and poisons is a refreshing pharmacology book. There is a lot of useful and interesting information...and I'm sure patients

Contenuti

• Foreword
• Preface
• 1: How do drugs work?
• 2: The respiratory system: allergies, asthma, coughs and colds
• 3: Diabetes
• 4: The gastrointestinal tract and feeding: ulcers, indigestion, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting
• 5: The kidney
• 6: Painkillers
• 7: Migraine and headaches
• 8: Parkinson's disease
• 9: Schizophrenia
• 10: Alzheimer's disease
• 11: Depression and antidepressant drugs
• 12: Epilepsy
• 13: Anxiety and sedation
• 14: Blood: anaemia and coagulation
• 15: Blood pressure
• 16: The heart
• 17: Infections and infestations
• 18: Cancer
• 19: Steroids
• 20: Arthritis, SLE and gout
• 21: Osteoporosis and osteomalacia
• 22: Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
• 23: Love potions and aphrodisiacs
• 24: Drugs of misuse and recreation: alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, cocaine, cannabis, LSD and ecstasy
• 25: Poisons
• 26: Drugs and their discovery
• Glossary. Further reading. Index

Dettagli dell'edizione

• Editore: OUP Oxford
• Data di pubblicazione: 2000
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0198504039
• ISBN 13: 9780198504030
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero edizione: 1
• Numero di pagine: 492
• Contatto del produttore: non disponibile
• Persona responsabile: Ufficio Anagrafiche Messaggerie; ufficio.anagrafiche@meli.it; ; Via Verdi, 8; Assago Milano; 20090; Italia