Any drug has the potential to cause an adverse effect. An adverse effect, be it an adverse drug reaction (ADR) or an adverse drug event, is an unwanted, unpleasant, noxious, or harmful consequence associated with the use of a medication that has been administered in a standard dose by the proper route, for the purpose of prophylaxis, diagnosis, or treatment. Death is the ultimate adverse drug event.
ADRs are a major problem in drug therapy. They are the most common of all iatrogenic illnesses that complicate 5–15% of therapeutic drug courses, and are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in healthcare. ADRs should therefore be considered in the differential diagnosis of a wide variety of medical disorders. More and more people – particularly the elderly – are taking more and more prescription and over-the-counter medications. In addition, new drugs are appearing in the medical marketplace on an almost daily basis. It is unsurprising, then, that more and more drug reactions and cutaneous eruptions are emerging.
The FDA reports that 319,741 people in the United States were hospitalized as a result of serious adverse drug events in 2008, and of these cases, 15.6% – almost 50,000 – patients died. In fact, from January 2000 to June 2009 the FDA has reported nearly 2 million cases of serious adverse drug events, of which 17%(336,448) have resulted in death. About 5% of hospital admissions in the United States are estimated to be for the treatment of ADRs. Moreover, as many as one-third of all emergency department and urgent care-center visits are drug related.
Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of adverse drug events are becoming more and more complex, and it is to be expected that physicians in all specialties and medical students are often perplexed by the nature of ADRs. To this end, I now offer a new, improved book that has evolved from the treasured drug eruption reference manual of previous editions. I hope that you will find this comprehensive new edition informative and valuable. Enjoy!
- Jerome Z. Litt -
Key Features
- Litt’s Drug Eruptions and Reactions Manual (D.E.R.M.), is a guide to drug eruptions, adverse reactions and clinically relevant drug–drug interactions associated with over 1300 drugs.
- This simple, well-organised book systematically catalogues adverse reactions and cutaneous side-effects of drugs that are used to treat dozens of conditions.
- Internationally relied on for nearly 2 decades by dermatologists and medical practitioners, the book contains detailed profiles for drugs that are listed and indexed in alphabetical order.
- The book holds comprehensive drug information and offers an unparalleled focus on cutaneous and mucosal reaction patterns.
- Over 35,000 adverse reactions and drug eruptions are listed, and wherever possible, incidence levels for reactions are included. Reaction listings and incidence data are supported by thousands of up-to-date, peer-reviewed references from MEDLINE, including drug trials, review articles and case studies.
- Pregnancy category information for over 1000 drugs, included for the first time.
- Supplements, vaccines and other biologics also profiled.
- Over 60 new drug profiles added.
Contents
- Introduction
- Drug eruptions and reactions A–Z
- Index of generic and trade names
- Description of the most common eruption patterns
About the Author
- Jerome Z. Litt, MD, has held faculty appointments as Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Associate Visiting Dermatologist at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, both in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. In February 2008, Dr. Litt was awarded an honorary membership by the American Academy of Dermatology for his lifetime dedication and distinguished service to the Academy and its mission.
Product Details
- Hardcover: 830 pages
- Publisher: Informa Healthcare; 17 edition (January 15, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1841848050
- ISBN-13: 978-1841848051
- Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 2.2 inches
List Price: $319.00