Essentials of Clinical Psychopharmacology is a synopsis and update of the most clinically relevant material from The American Psychiatric Press Textbook of Psychopharmacology, Second Edition. The Essentials focuses on the aspects of psychopharmacology directly related to clinical care and will appeal to psychiatry residents, primary care physicians, and others interested in a concise tutorial on clinical psychopharmacology.

The book is organized around two major sections of the Textbook. The first section, “Classes of Psychiatric Treatments,” presents information by classes of drugs. For each drug within a class, data are reviewed on preclinical and clinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, indications, dosages, side effects and toxicology, and drug-drug interactions. Included are data on currently available drugs in the United States and medications that will almost certainly become available in the near future. New chapters or subsections on electroconvulsive therapy, new antipsychotics, new antidepressants (e.g., dual reuptake inhibitors), and nonbenzodiazepine anxiolytics were added to the second edition of the Textbook and are included in the Essentials. The second section, “Psychopharmacological Treatment,” reviews state-of-the-art therapeutic approaches to the treatment of patients with major psychiatric disorders. Also reviewed are pharmacotherapeutic approaches for special populations, such as children and adolescents, medically ill patients, and the elderly. Chapters are devoted to pharmacotherapy in special situations, such as during pregnancy and lactation and in psychiatric emergencies. This section provides the reader with specific information about drug selection and prescribing practices.

In addition to the clinical focus of the Essentials, the authors have provided new information based on more recent literature available since publication of the Textbook. Included are updates on the effectiveness and availability of specific drugs and therapeutic approaches. Reviews
“In 2001, this is the most complete, up-to-date, authoritative, and accessible reference volume in its field.”—Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Vol. 109, No. 11 November 2001

“This volume is anything but a primer in psychopharmacology. It goes considerably beyond the essentials into details of the studies that have moved psychopharmacology from the primitive science of the 1950s into the 21st century—and have revolutionized the practice of psychiatry during the same period. It is a volume well worth the investment.”—David L. Garver, M.D., Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, June 2002

“This is an ideal volume for the shelf of those who take care of the mentally ill. I highly recommend this book.”—Mauricio Tohen, M.D., American Journal of Psychiatry, July 2002