Karch's Pathology of Drug Abuse / Edition 5

by MD Karch, Olaf Drummer

Overview

Written in the same accessible manner as previous editions, the fifth edition of Karch’s Pathology of Drug Abuse is an essential guide to the pathology, toxicology, and pharmacology of commonly abused drugs. The book focuses on the investigation of drug-related deaths, practical approaches to the detection of drug abuse, and discussions of medical complications associated with each of the abused drugs.

The Fifth Edition Now Features:

• Completely revised with hundreds of pages of wholly new coverage
• Extensive discussion of new synthetic cannabinoids and cathinone derivatives
• Expanded coverage of the functional and molecular pharmacology of cocaine and myocardial remodeling
• Expanded discussion of deaths related to prescription medications
• Detailed suggestions on the interpretation of postmortem drug measurements
• Many new high resolution full-color photomicrographs
• Additional, helpful new appendices on standard reference values

Separate chapters are devoted to cocaine, naturally occurring stimulants, synthetic stimulants, hallucinogens, narcotics, anabolic steroids, disassociative anesthetics, solvent abuse, and marijuana. The book also offers detailed information on the origins, history, and production techniques used to make many of these drugs. Updated, revised, and newly illustrated, Karch’s Pathology of Drug Abuse, Fifth Edition is a must-have reference for research and practice related to drug abuse.

Steven B. Karch also discusses the book in a video on the CRC Press YouTube channel.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781439861462
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/11/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	912
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 10.30(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Steven B. Karch, MD, received his medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans and did postgraduate training in neuropathology at The Royal London Hospital and in cardiac pathology at Stanford University. He is a fellow of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians of London and a fellow of the Forensic Science Society. He has also been active in The Royal Society of Medicine since his election as a Wellcome fellow in 1972. He is the author of nearly 100 papers and book chapters, most relating to the effects of drug abuse on the heart. He has also published 12 books and is an associate editor for the Journal of Cardiovascular Toxicology.

Olaf H. Drummer, PhD, is deputy director of academic programs at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine as well as professor and head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at Monash University. He earned his PhD in pharmacology from Melbourne University. He has been involved in the analysis and interpretation of the biological effects of drugs and poisons for nearly 40 years, and lectures widely on these subjects. He is a member of numerous professional societies and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers in journals as well as many other reports, book chapters, and encyclopedia articles. He is the main author of The Forensic Pharmacology of Drugs of Abuse and the editor for drugs and toxicology submissions for the journal Forensic Science International.

Table of Contents

Cocaine. Natural Stimulants. Synthetic Stimulants. Hallucinogens. Opiates and Opioids. Dissociative Anesthetics. Anabolic–Androgenic Steroids. Solvents. Marijuana. Appendices.

Editorial Reviews

"It is easy today for physicians to become technicians rather than professionals. A technician knows how to respond to a problem. The professional has the depth of knowledge that brings real understanding to a problem. This book presents a comprehensive view of each subject that it discusses. Dr. Karch's book is a book for professionals."
—Journal of Forensic Science

From the Publisher

How cocaine affects blood vessels and how heroin affects the lungs are among the bits of practical but generally hard to find information Karch, medical director of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue and assistant medical examiner for San Francisco, offers physicians dealing with drug abuse patients. He does not discuss alcohol, which he says requires its own book, nor marijuana, for which not enough good anatomical pathology is available. The earlier editions appeared in 1992 and 1996; the third incorporates developments in the molecular biology of addiction that are directly relevant to the clinical disciplines of pathology and toxicology. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)