Pitfalls in Prescribing

Course Organiser for General Practitioner Continuing Clinical Education, Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency, and Visiting Professor in Prescribing Science, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, University of Ulster

• Contents: Treatment failure due to antacids. Grapefruit juice may cause toxic plasma concentrations of many common drugs. Warfarin. Amiodarone. All NSAIDs (including COX-2 inhibitors). A therapeutic minefield – spironolactone, ACEIs, NSAIDs (old and new) and all diuretics – drugs which disrupt the fine equilibrium of renal function. Sudden cardiac collapse caused by often-prescribed drugs causing QTc interval prolongation. Some important interactions between drugs at shared sites of action and/or therapeutic effect. Serious drug:drug interactions during liver metabolism. Alcohol use (and abuse) causes two serious, little-recognized prescribing pitfalls. Drug monitoring to avoid pitfalls – which drugs? Which tests? How frequently? Drug-induced lung disease, often missed in primary care. Facts the prescriber needs to know about patient non-compliance, and how to improve compliance. Avoiding pitfalls in prescribing for elderly patients. Clinical quizzes. Solutions.

'A highly useful memory jogger - interesting and easy to read - It has information for all levels of practitioners, including specialists who do not usually work with the discussed medications and need to be aware of the potential complications.' Doody Book Reviews