Includes bibliographical references and index

1, Introduction to nursing pharmacology :
Introduction to drugs
Drugs and the body
Toxic effects of drugs
The nursing process in drug therapy and patient safety
Dosage calculations
Challenges to effective drug therapy
2, Chemotherapeutic agents :
Introduction to cell physiology
Anti-infective agents
Antibiotics
Antiviral agents
Antifungal agents
Antiprotozoal agents
Anthelmintic agents
Antineoplastic agents
3, Drugs acting on the immune system :
Introduction to the immune response and inflammation
Anti-inflammatory, antarthritic, and related agents
Immune modulators
Vaccines and sera
4, Drugs acting on the central and peripheral nervous systems :
Introduction to nerves and the nervous system
Anxiolytic and hypnotic agents
Antidepressant agents
Psychotherapeutic agents
Antileisure agents
Antiparkinsonism agents
Muscle relaxants
Narcotics, narcotic antagonists, and antimigraine agents
General and local anesthetic agents
Neuromuscular junction blocking agents
5, Drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system :
Introduction to the autonomic nervous system
Adrenergic agonists
Adrenergic antagonists
Cholinergic agonists
Anticholinergic agents
6, Drugs acting on the endocrine system :
Introduction to the endocrine system
Hypothalamic and pituitary agents
Adrenocortical agents
Thyroid and parathyroid agents
Agents to control blood glucose levels
7, Drugs acting on the reproductive system :
Introduction to the reproductive system
Drugs affecting the female reproductive system
Drugs affecting the male reproductive system
8, Drugs acting on the cardiovascular system :
Introduction to the cardiovascular system
Drugs affecting blood pressure
Agents for treating heart failure
Antiarrhythmic agents
Antianginal agents
Lipid-lowering agents
Drugs affecting blood coagulation
Drugs used to treat anemias
9, Drugs acting on the renal system :
Introduction to the renal system
Diuretic agents
Drugs affecting the urinary tract and the bladder
10, Drugs acting on the respiratory system
Introduction to the respiratory system
Drugs acting on the upper respiratory tract
Drugs acting on the lower respiratory system
11, Drugs acting on the gastrointestinal system :
Introduction to the gastrointestinal system
Drugs affecting gastrointestinal secretions
Drugs affecting gastrointestinal motility
Antiemetic agents

"Amy Karch has found that students learn best when concepts are built upon each other, growing from simple to complex, building on a foundation of understanding. Organized by body systems, this heavily illustrated book organizes essential nursing pharmacology information into focused, easy-to-learn steps. Building key concepts upon each other, the text gives students a solid foundation of understanding. Easy to understand drug prototype boxes are integrated throughout the book as well as integrated content summaries. Contains more images depicting drug actions than any of the book's competitors. Includes the popular and proven "Focus on" theme for drug use across the lifespan, cultural and gender considerations, evidence-based practice, patient teaching, herbal and alternative therapies and dosage calculation; including "Focus on Safe Medication Administration;" and a "Drugs in Focus" table for each classification of drugs. Focused content and focused features equal a focused student. Drug discussions include therapeutic actions and indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications and cautions and adverse effects. Detailed rationales are presented throughout. Each chapter opens with Learning Objectives and a Glossary of Key Terms, and ends with NCLEX-style questions, and contains a case study-based critical thinking exercise that sets up a situation, shows critical thinking, and then presents a discussion and case-based nursing care guide. Features like this make the book an essential teaching tool!"--Publisher's Website