Advances in Chromatographic Techniques for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring.

Edited by A. Dasgupta. 2010, pp. 455, £108.00, ISBN: 978-1-4200-6758-3. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA.

For drugs with a narrow therapeutic index, therapeutic drug monitoring methods are essential for patient management. Although immunoassays are commercially available for many drugs and most laboratories use these assays for routine therapeutic monitoring, they have many limitations which hinder their efficacy. Providing practical guidelines for implementing preferred gas and liquid chromatographic methods, Advances in Chromatographic Techniques for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring is a comprehensive reference describing the theory and application of therapeutic drug monitoring in clinical laboratories.

Edited by a distinguished authority in the field and containing contributions from a variety of experts, the book discusses preanalytical variables, the pitfalls of immunoassays, tandem mass spectrometry, issues related to pain management and herbal supplements, and therapeutic drug monitoring for a range of medications, including: Anticonvulsants, Digitalis, Cardioactive drugs, Antidepressants, Immunosuppressants, Anticancer drugs, Vancomycin and aminoglycosides, Antibiotics, Antiretroviral drugs, Nonnarcotic analgesics, Anti-inflammatory drugs.

Examing older and newer drugs, the book contains detailed discussions on the rationale for therapeutic drug monitoring of each class of drugs, along with their basic pharmacology and toxicology. An extensive list of references is provided at the end of each chapter so that those interested in implementing a new drug assay can find the most appropriate method for the intended drug.