Clinical Manual of Psychopharmacology in the Medically Ill
Abstract
Dr. Gitlin is director of medical psychiatry at Brigham and Women's-Faulkner Hospitals, Boston. Over the past 20 to 30 years, there has been a massive proliferation in the pharmacologic armamentarium for virtually all medical and surgical illnesses. Although medical schools have stepped up training in pharmacology, most physicians are increasingly overwhelmed by the knowledge base necessary to keep track of all the medications available. Psychiatrists manage to develop expertise in the appropriate use of psychotropic medications to treat psychiatric illnesses but struggle to keep current with the pharmacotherapy of most medical and surgical conditions. Likewise, internists and surgeons are proficient in the use of pharmacotherapies in their own specialties but often lack essential knowledge about the use of psychotropic medications. And for all providers, understanding of the potential for interactions between the several classes of drugs is often beyond reach. Entering the fray is the Clinical Manual of Psychopharmacology in the Medically Ill, a text that aims to provide a single reference for both general physicians and psychiatrists. To the credit of the editors, the book comes quite close to hitting its mark. The text is divided into two main sections. The first is focused on general principles