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Rang and Dale’s Pharmacology, 10th edition
By James Ritter, Rod Flower, Graeme Henderson, Yoon Kong Loke, David MacEwan, Emma Robinson and James Fullerton
Published by Elsevier (May 2023)
ISBN 978-0-323-87395-6
Price £56.99
I have always been drawn to the subject of Pharmacology, both basic and clinical, and this book is an excellent example of a top-class pharmacology text, produced by authors based in the UK. I would guess this book is aimed at undergraduates, such as medical or pharmacology students, who want to learn the basic and relevant scientific principles of pharmacology.
It makes an excellent contribution as an introduction and solid review of pharmacology; however, practising healthcare professionals may also find this book very useful. After all, it puts practical prescribing on a more secure footing by providing a solid understanding of the basic science of pharmacology. This helps to underpin prescribing, which is an important part of clinical management and can be fraught with pitfalls for both the patient and the prescriber. Understanding and learning the underlying mechanisms of action and other relevant factors can enhance prescribing skills.
This comprehensive book spans a substantial 850 pages, including the index, and although it is a basic science book concentrating on pharmacology, it naturally covers topics that could be clinically focused. There is a wealth of excellent physiology, which in turn enhances the understanding of the scientific basis of pharmacology, ultimately informing practical prescribing and therapeutics.
Pharmacology is constantly evolving, and this change is reflected in practical prescribing and therapeutics. Therefore, a book like this, being new and fresh, is welcome. A good example is Chapter 36, found on page 491, which examines bone metabolism and begins with relevant anatomy and biochemistry, including bone remodelling. I did not know that due to the natural destruction of old bone and replacement with new bone remodelling, the whole skeleton is replaced every 10 years.
The review of the bone remodelling process leads to a description of the complex cellular activity, and then the relevant pharmacology is introduced. It is a chapter that can be easily read in its entirety and is logically organised. This is typical of all the chapters I looked at.
There is also an electronic version bundled with the purchase price of the book. By scratching off the surface of a box on the inside front cover, a code (quite a long one!) is revealed, which, when entered into the website, provides access to an eBook, as well as being compatible with a smartphone app. It is easy to use, and it means the information is potentially portable.
For what you get, this represents excellent value for money for an up-to-date pharmacology book with its electronic siblings included within the purchase price. It is a good, solid book which should serve its audience well. Clinicians seeking to refresh their knowledge of basic pharmacology will also find this a handy and informative book.
