With the important part played by nurses in the administration of drugs and in recording their effects, an understanding of pharmacology and its application to patient care is an integral part of pre-registration nursing education. This popular textbook gives an up-to-date account of the action and use of drugs in the treatment and prevention of disease, as well as exploring the principles underlying drug usage. The eighteenth edition of this highly successful textbook builds on the foundation of its predecessors by bringing the text fully up to date with developments in the world of clinical pharmacology and current trends in clinical practice. Comprehensive coverage of all major drug classes giving a thorough grounding for clinical work Highly readable text facilitates understanding of a complex subject Learning objectives and summaries in each chapter help students to learn Case studies help link theory to practice Nursing points and special points for patient education are highlighted throughout the text to link theory with practice The book also includes detailed information on alternative treatments such as homoeopathy, herbalism. An extensive glossary explains some of the very technical jargon in the field text fully updated in line with developments in clinical pharmacology and current trends in clinical practice. now in 2-colour references to useful websites included new and improved illustrations