Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists, 4th ed.

This book ended up being more than I expected. I was anticipating a handy reference source for commonly used psychotropic medications, which it is, but that is only part of what makes this a useful and valuable resource tool. The Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists is logically organized into 3 major sections. The first, “Understanding Psychopharmacology: The Basics,” is easily the most academic of the three. Liberal use of case histories and sidebars with interesting anecdotal information, however, make it surprisingly readable and user-friendly. The second section, “Clinical Syndromes: Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment Implications,” is the largest and most clinical segment. In it the reader will find a comprehensive list and description of the most common psychiatric disorders. Included in these descriptions are helpful suggestions regarding possible drugs and medical conditions that cause similar behavioral patterns as well as guidelines for when nonmedical practitioners should consider referral for medication treatment. The third section, “Medications and Pharmacologic Treatment,” contains the information that I was initially looking for. Again the authors organize their material in a logical and clinically useful manner on the basis of major drug categories. They also provide handy thumb-tabs along with numerous charts and tables relating to issues such as dose guidelines, common side effects, special considerations, and treatment algorithms. I particularly appreciate their inclusion of a review on over-the-counter and herbal products, an area of increasing interest in recent years. This third section is what will make this text a frequent reference source for me and is the reason I plan to keep it on my desk rather than in my bookcase. The book ends with 8 appendices intended for readers looking for a more in-depth discussion of topics mentioned earlier in the book. Included here are an expanded review of pharmacokinetics, numerous tables listing psychotropic drug interactions, an outline for performing a neurocognitive mental status exam, and a reference list of books to recommend to patients. All in all, the Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists is a well-written text that is capable of providing the reader with comprehensive review information as well as quick reference assistance.