What is the Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care, 7th Edition?
Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care, 7th Edition, is a practical bedside reference covering medications commonly used in intensive care. Designed for critical care professionals, pharmacists, physicians, trainees, and other healthcare practitioners, it provides concise guidance on drug indications, dosing, administration, adverse effects, contraindications, cautions, and considerations for organ dysfunction.
Introduction
Critical care medicine demands rapid, evidence-informed therapeutic decisions in patients with complex physiological disturbances and multiple organ dysfunction.
Drug therapy in the intensive care unit (ICU) is particularly challenging because clinicians must frequently balance efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetic changes, drug interactions, renal replacement therapy, and evolving clinical conditions. Having a reliable point-of-care reference is therefore indispensable.
Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care: An A–Z Guide (Seventh Edition) has been developed as a concise clinical reference dedicated specifically to medications used in modern intensive care practice.
Rather than functioning as a traditional pharmacology textbook, it serves as a practical handbook that allows healthcare professionals to quickly locate essential prescribing and administration information while caring for critically ill patients.
According to the publisher's description, this seventh edition has been thoroughly updated and includes new drug monographs to reflect contemporary ICU pharmacotherapy.
The book is authored by Henry G. W. Paw, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine and Anesthesia at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital, and Rob Shulman, Lead Pharmacist in Critical Care at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Honorary Associate Professor at the UCL School of Pharmacy.
Their combined expertise in intensive care medicine and clinical pharmacy gives the handbook a multidisciplinary perspective that is highly relevant to everyday ICU practice.
One of the book's defining characteristics is its alphabetically organized drug monographs, enabling readers to access information quickly during busy clinical shifts. Each drug entry follows a consistent structure that typically includes:
- Therapeutic uses
- Contraindications
- Administration guidance
- Practical prescribing advice
- Adverse effects
- Clinical cautions
- Organ failure considerations
- Dose adjustment recommendations when appropriate
This standardized layout makes the handbook particularly useful when rapid clinical decisions are required. Numerous monographs also discuss practical issues such as preparation for intravenous infusion, monitoring requirements, renal dose adjustments, hepatic impairment, and important drug interactions.
The scope of the handbook spans medications routinely encountered in intensive care medicine, including:
- Antimicrobial agents
- Vasopressors
- Sedatives
- Analgesics
- Neuromuscular blocking agents
- Cardiovascular drugs
- Anticoagulants
- Gastrointestinal medications
- Anticonvulsants
- Endocrine therapies
- Antifungal agents
- Emergency medications
Examples within the text include detailed monographs for drugs such as cefiderocol, meropenem, metronidazole, metoprolol, micafungin, methylprednisolone, atracurium, tranexamic acid, rifampicin, and many others commonly used in ICU settings.
Another practical strength is the attention given to organ dysfunction, an essential aspect of critical care pharmacotherapy. Many monographs provide specific recommendations regarding renal impairment, hepatic dysfunction, continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVH), and other renal replacement therapies.
The handbook also contains dedicated reference material and dosing guidance related to alterations in renal dysfunction and hemofiltration, reflecting common challenges faced in intensive care units.
For readers preparing for specialist examinations or undertaking postgraduate training, the handbook functions as both a quick clinical reference and a practical learning resource. Its concise format encourages rapid review of essential prescribing information without sacrificing clinically important details.
Overall, Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care: An A–Z Guide (7th Edition) is particularly valuable for professionals who need immediate access to reliable drug information in fast-paced critical care environments. Its emphasis on practical prescribing, medication safety, and bedside usability makes it a useful companion alongside more comprehensive pharmacology and intensive care textbooks.
Book Overview
|
Item |
Details |
|
Full
Title |
Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care:
An A–Z Guide |
|
Edition |
Seventh Edition |
|
Authors |
Henry G. W. Paw; Rob Shulman |
|
Publisher |
Cambridge University Press &
Assessment |
|
Publication
Year |
2025 |
|
Medical
Specialty |
Intensive Care Medicine, Critical
Care Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy |
|
Book
Type |
Practical Clinical Drug Handbook |
|
Primary
Audience |
Intensive care physicians,
anesthetists, critical care pharmacists, residents, fellows, nurses, advanced
practitioners, and healthcare professionals working in ICU settings. |
WHAT THIS BOOK COVERS
The seventh edition provides a comprehensive alphabetical reference to medications used in intensive care medicine. Rather than presenting diseases by organ system, the handbook is organized around individual drug monographs, enabling clinicians to locate prescribing information rapidly during patient care.
Each drug monograph generally includes:
- Pharmacological overview
- Clinical indications and approved or commonly used ICU applications
- Contraindications
- Drug administration guidance
- Preparation of intravenous medications
- Oral and enteral dosing, where applicable
- Infusion recommendations
- Monitoring considerations
- Common and serious adverse effects
- Drug interactions and prescribing cautions
- Organ dysfunction considerations
- Renal and hepatic dose adjustments when available
- Practical prescribing advice and "How not to use" sections for selected medications.
Beyond individual drug entries, the handbook includes additional reference material such as:
- Short clinical notes
- Drug dosing considerations in renal dysfunction
- Guidance related to hemodialysis and renal replacement therapy
- Notes and references
- Comprehensive drug index for rapid navigation.
The medication coverage spans numerous therapeutic categories encountered in modern intensive care practice, including cardiovascular drugs, antimicrobial therapy, antifungals, anticoagulants, sedatives, analgesics, neuromuscular blockers, gastrointestinal agents, endocrine therapies, emergency medications, and supportive pharmacological treatments.
Examples shown throughout the handbook include atracurium, metoprolol, meropenem, cefiderocol, metoclopramide, methylprednisolone, rifampicin, tigecycline, spironolactone, and many additional agents used in critically ill patients.
Key Features
Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care: An A–Z Guide (Seventh Edition) is designed as a practical bedside reference rather than an exhaustive pharmacology textbook. Its organization and content emphasize rapid access to clinically relevant prescribing information for healthcare professionals working in intensive care settings.
The following educational features are supported by the source:
- Comprehensive A–Z organization for quick retrieval of individual drug information during clinical practice.
- Standardized drug monographs that follow a consistent format, making information easy to locate regardless of the medication being consulted.
- Detailed prescribing guidance, including indications, contraindications, administration methods, dosage recommendations, adverse effects, precautions, and, where applicable, monitoring considerations.
- Coverage of medications commonly encountered in intensive care, including antimicrobial agents, cardiovascular drugs, sedatives, analgesics, neuromuscular blocking agents, anticoagulants, endocrine therapies, gastrointestinal medications, and emergency drugs.
- Practical advice for intravenous administration, infusion preparation, compatibility, and clinical use for numerous medications.
- Renal and hepatic impairment guidance for many drugs, reflecting the altered pharmacokinetics frequently encountered in critically ill patients.
- Dedicated information relating to renal replacement therapies, including haemofiltration considerations where available.
- Updated seventh edition content, incorporating new drug monographs and revisions to reflect contemporary intensive care pharmacotherapy.
- Extensive drug index and supporting reference sections, facilitating rapid navigation and further reading.
Who Should Read This Book
Although the handbook is specifically written for intensive care practice, its concise and clinically focused format makes it useful for a broad range of healthcare professionals involved in prescribing, administering, or monitoring medications in critically ill patients.
Intensive Care Physicians
Consultants and attending intensivists can use the handbook as a rapid reference during ward rounds and emergency situations, particularly when reviewing unfamiliar medications or confirming practical prescribing details.
Critical Care Residents and Fellows
Doctors in specialty training benefit from the handbook's concise presentation of essential prescribing information, helping reinforce pharmacotherapy knowledge while developing independent clinical decision-making skills.
Anaesthetists
Because many medications overlap between anesthesia and intensive care, anesthetists working in perioperative critical care or high-dependency units may find the handbook a valuable point-of-care reference.
Clinical Pharmacists
Critical care pharmacists are among the primary intended users. The handbook's focus on dosing, adverse effects, administration, organ dysfunction, and monitoring complements routine medication review and optimization in ICU practice.
Critical Care Nurses and Advanced Practice Providers
Nurses involved in administering intravenous medications, monitoring infusions, and recognizing adverse drug reactions can benefit from understanding the practical information presented throughout the drug monographs.
Medical Students
Senior medical students undertaking intensive care, emergency medicine, anesthesia, or internal medicine rotations can use the handbook to familiarize themselves with medications commonly encountered in critically ill patients.
Emergency Medicine Clinicians
Many emergency department medications overlap with those used in intensive care, making the handbook relevant for clinicians involved in the stabilization of acutely ill patients.
Healthcare Professionals Preparing for Examinations
Trainees preparing for postgraduate examinations in intensive care medicine, anesthesia, emergency medicine, or clinical pharmacy may find the handbook useful as a supplementary clinical reference alongside comprehensive textbooks.
Why This Book Is Useful
Practical Clinical Relevance
One of the handbook's greatest strengths is its emphasis on practical bedside prescribing. Intensive care clinicians frequently need immediate access to concise medication information rather than lengthy theoretical discussions. The alphabetical arrangement allows users to locate drugs quickly during routine care or emergencies.
Focus on Safe Medication Use
Medication safety is particularly important in intensive care, where patients often receive multiple high-risk drugs simultaneously. The handbook includes practical information regarding contraindications, cautions, adverse effects, and monitoring considerations that support safer prescribing practices.
Support for Organ Dysfunction
Critical illness frequently alters drug pharmacokinetics because of renal failure, hepatic dysfunction, sepsis, extracorporeal therapies, and hemodynamic instability. The handbook addresses these issues by incorporating dosing considerations for renal impairment, hepatic impairment, and hemofiltration where appropriate.
Efficient Learning Resource
The standardized structure of each drug entry allows learners to quickly compare medications and reinforce important prescribing principles. Rather than searching through multiple chapters, readers can efficiently locate clinically relevant information in a consistent format.
Suitable Companion to Larger References
The handbook complements comprehensive intensive care textbooks by serving as a rapid-access prescribing guide. It is particularly useful during clinical practice when concise drug-specific information is required without consulting larger pharmacology references.
Table of Contents Overview
The uploaded source indicates that the book is organized into several major components designed to facilitate rapid navigation and practical clinical use.
Preliminary Material
The opening pages include publication information, acknowledgements, and introductory material explaining the purpose and organization of the handbook.
Drug Monographs (A–Z)
The core of the handbook consists of alphabetically arranged drug monographs. Each medication is presented in a standardized format covering practical prescribing and administration information relevant to intensive care practice.
Examples of included medications span a wide range of therapeutic classes, from antimicrobials and cardiovascular agents to sedatives, neuromuscular blockers, endocrine therapies, and supportive medications.
Short Notes
Following the drug monographs, the handbook includes concise reference notes addressing additional prescribing considerations relevant to intensive care practice.
Renal Dysfunction and Hemofiltration Guidance
Dedicated sections provide supplementary information relating to medication use in renal dysfunction and renal replacement therapy, recognizing the importance of these topics in critically ill patients.
References
A reference section supports the content presented throughout the handbook and directs readers to additional sources where appropriate.
Index
The comprehensive index enables rapid location of medications and related topics, further enhancing the handbook's usability as a point-of-care reference.
Strengths of the Book
Several characteristics make the Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care, 7th Edition, a valuable educational resource.
Its greatest strength is its clinical practicality. The concise, standardized drug monographs are specifically designed for rapid consultation in busy intensive care environments, allowing clinicians to retrieve essential prescribing information efficiently.
Another notable strength is the breadth of medication coverage. The handbook includes medications across numerous therapeutic categories that are routinely encountered in modern intensive care, making it relevant for multidisciplinary ICU teams.
The book also emphasizes safe prescribing, incorporating information on contraindications, adverse effects, drug administration, monitoring requirements, and organ dysfunction considerations. These practical elements are particularly valuable when managing critically ill patients with complex pharmacotherapy needs.
Finally, the handbook benefits from the combined expertise of experienced clinicians in intensive care medicine and critical care pharmacy, contributing to its multidisciplinary clinical perspective.
Limitations
- The handbook is intended as a concise clinical reference rather than a comprehensive pharmacology or intensive care textbook. Readers seeking in-depth discussions of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, or disease pathophysiology will likely require additional reference texts.
- Its alphabetical organization prioritizes rapid drug lookup rather than systematic teaching of therapeutic approaches to specific diseases or organ systems.
- The source does not indicate that the handbook includes extensive clinical algorithms, diagnostic pathways, or detailed management guidelines; its primary emphasis remains medication-specific information.
These characteristics reflect the intended purpose of the handbook and should be viewed as design choices rather than deficiencies.
Comparison With Similar Books
Within the field of intensive care medicine, this handbook occupies a different niche from comprehensive critical care textbooks.
Large reference works in critical care typically provide detailed discussions of disease mechanisms, physiology, diagnostic strategies, and evidence-based management. By contrast, Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care: An A–Z Guide is specifically designed as a rapid-access prescribing reference, emphasizing concise medication guidance rather than comprehensive disease review.
For clinicians who already possess a solid foundation in intensive care medicine, this handbook serves as a practical companion that complements broader textbooks by providing quick access to drug-specific prescribing information.
Conversely, readers seeking detailed theoretical discussions of critical care topics should consider using it alongside more comprehensive intensive care references rather than as a standalone educational resource.
Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care, 7th Edition, 2025
FAQs
Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care: An A–Z Guide (Seventh Edition) is a concise clinical reference designed to provide healthcare professionals with practical prescribing information for medications commonly used in intensive care units.
The handbook organizes drug monographs alphabetically and focuses on indications, dosing, administration, adverse effects, contraindications, precautions, and organ dysfunction considerations to support safe and efficient medication use in critically ill patients.
According to the publisher, the handbook is intended for clinicians involved in the care of critically ill patients. Its practical format makes it particularly useful for:
- Intensive care physicians
- Anaesthetists
- Critical care pharmacists
- Residents and fellows
- Junior doctors
- Critical care nurses
- Advanced practice providers
- Healthcare professionals working in ICU settings
The handbook provides practical drug information covering medications used throughout intensive care medicine. Individual monographs typically include the following:
- Clinical indications
- Contraindications
- Drug administration
- Dosage guidance
- Adverse effects
- Monitoring recommendations
- Drug interactions
- Renal impairment considerations
- Hepatic impairment considerations
- Practical prescribing advice
The book also includes supplementary sections on renal dysfunction, hemofiltration, references, and an index for rapid navigation.
Yes. The publisher states that the Seventh Edition (2025) has been updated to reflect current intensive care pharmacotherapy and includes revisions together with additional drug monographs compared with previous editions.
No. Based on the information available in the uploaded source, the handbook is intended to serve as a practical bedside prescribing reference rather than a comprehensive textbook of intensive care medicine. It complements broader critical care references by providing concise, drug-focused guidance.
Yes. The handbook contains medication-specific guidance where appropriate and also includes dedicated material addressing renal dysfunction and hemodialysis, recognizing their importance in intensive care pharmacotherapy.
An alphabetical organization enables clinicians to locate medication information rapidly during busy clinical practice. Instead of searching by disease category, users can directly access standardized drug monographs that present prescribing information in a consistent and practical format.
Conclusion
Handbook of Drugs in Intensive Care, Seventh Edition, is a practical and well-organized reference designed to support safe prescribing in modern intensive care practice.
Rather than attempting to function as an exhaustive pharmacology text, it focuses on delivering concise, clinically relevant information that healthcare professionals can consult quickly when caring for critically ill patients.
Its standardized A–Z drug monographs, emphasis on medication safety, guidance for drug administration, and consideration of renal and hepatic dysfunction make it a valuable companion for daily clinical work.
The inclusion of updated drug information and dedicated sections addressing renal replacement therapy further enhances its usefulness in contemporary ICU settings.
Medical students and junior doctors can use the handbook to reinforce essential prescribing principles during clinical placements, while residents, intensivists, anesthetists, pharmacists, and critical care nurses will appreciate its rapid-access format for bedside decision support.
Although readers seeking detailed discussions of disease pathophysiology or comprehensive critical care management will require larger reference textbooks, this handbook fulfills its intended role exceptionally well as a focused prescribing guide.
For healthcare professionals working in intensive care environments, it represents a practical educational resource that complements broader learning materials while facilitating efficient access to essential drug information.
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