An understanding of drug interactions has become essential to the practice of medicine. Since publication of the first edition of this Concise Guide in 2001, our increasing pharmacopoeia—coupled with prolonged human life spans—has made polypharmacy commonplace. Like the first edition of this unique pocket reference, the Second Edition is written expressly for clinicians. With four new contributors, this bestseller includes expanded sections on both phase I and phase II metabolism, updates of existing chapters and tables, new graphics, and extensive Web site references. Brand-new chapters discuss P-glycoproteins, "minor" cytochrome P450 enzymes, pain management with narcotic and nonnarcotic analgesics, prescribing guidelines, and medicolegal issues. This exceptionally practical guide is divided into four parts: 1. An easy-to-read, succinct review of pharmacology, written with clinicians in mind, explaining the importance of understanding our metabolic system and pharmacokinetics and P-glycoprotein drug interactions. 2. Thorough, carefully referenced reviews of the most clinically relevant phase I and phase II metabolic enzymes highlighted with newly expanded tables and study cases. 3. A section unique to this book on drug interactions by medical specialty, with drug tables arranged by how they are used in specialties such as gynecology, infectious diseases, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, psychiatry, and pain medicine. 4. Chapters on practical matters: prescribing guidelines, how to identify drug interaction patterns, strategies for reviewing the current literature, and medicolegal concerns. Enhanced by detailed descriptions and clinically based explanations, and complemented by a unique pocket guide to the most common and potent inhibitors and inducers of drug metabolism, this updated concise "how-to" guide will prove indispensable for busy students, teachers, and practitioners in all medically specialties.