New Psychopharmacology Reference Book!

If there is one topic I can’t get enough of, it’s psychopharmacology: from Dan Stein’s Philosophy of Psychopharmacology to Christopher Doran’s Prescribing Mental Health Medication, I love them all! Well, there is a new kid on the block: Dr. Tanveer Padder’s Practical Guide to Psychiatric Medications, and it’s a must-have! 

Dr. Padder is a psychiatrist with a board certification in addiction medicine and psychopharmacology and over 15 years of experience treating mental health disorders. According to his biography, he believes his greatest achievement is, “the smiles I have been able to bring, the difference I have been able to make, and the comfort I have been able to provide to the lives of people who have little or no voice and are suffering silently.” For more information on Dr. Padder, check out his personal website and follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Dr. Padder’s new book is simple, concise, and up-to-date. It arrives in paperback and stretches 330 pages. There are 22 chapters that include (I bolded some of my favorites):

• The Role of Psychopharmacology
• Black Box Warnings
• Important DSM-5 Changes
• Depressive Disorders and Antidepressants
• Bipolar Disorder and Mood Stabilizers
• Anxiety Disorders and Anxiolytics
• ADHD and its Treatment
• Psychotic Disorders and Antipsychotics
• Side Effects of Psychiatric Medication
• Sleep Disorders and Hypnotics
• Substance Use Disorders and Their Treatment
• Benzodiazepine Use and Abuse
• Dementia-Related Disorders and Cognitive Enhancers
• Psychiatric Medications Use in Pregnancy and Lactation
• Psychiatric Medication Use in Children and the Elderly
• Psychiatric Medication Use in Co-morbid Medical Conditions – Hepatic, Renal, & HIV
• Psychiatric Emergencies and their Management
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and its Treatment
• Eating Disorders and Their treatment
• Personality Disorders and Their treatment
• ECT, VNS, and Other Brain Stimulation Therapies 
• Dietary, Herbal, and OTC Medications in Psychiatry
• Future Advances in Mental Health

As you can see, despite this books simplicity, it touches every important topic in psychopharmacology. Each chapter is short and sweet, generally 10 to 20 pages. The chapters typically open with the worldwide burden of illness and a review of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Dr. Padder offers a high-level overview of the different medication classes followed by an in-depth look at each one individually. The index at the back of the book makes looking up different drugs super easy. For each medication, this book includes an “individual drug profile,” which summarizes:

• Brand name
• FDA approval
• Off-label uses
• Medication forms (tablet vs. oral sol)
• Dosage
• Mechanism of action
• Pharmacokinectics (t-max and half-life… LOVE THIS!)
• Warnings
• Drug Interactions
• Common side effects
• Contraindications
• Recommended lab tests
• Symptoms of overdose
• Tapering and withdrawal
• Use in special populations (pregnancy, lactation, elderly, hepatic impairment, renal impairment, and cardiac impairment… also LOVE THIS)
• Other important notes

Everything in the book is appropriately referenced, so it is easily to find primary resources if needed. My favorite thing about the book is that is covers the most important information in a bullet-pointed, clean format. Chapter 15, Psychiatric Medication Use in Comorbid Medical Conditions, includes three awesome tables:

• Psychiatric Medication Recommendations in Hepatic Disorders 
• Psychiatric Medication Recommendations in Renal Disorders
• Psychotropic and Antiretroviral Medication Interactions

This book is not a comprehensive review of psychopharmacology, but rather a quick reference guide. Right now, it only costs $27 on Amazon. In comparison, Stahl’s Prescribers Guide is $80. For the price and simplicity, this is a must-have reference tool for psychopharmacology. 

This post covers a new psychopharmacology book, Practical Guide to Psychiatric Medications by Dr. Tanveer Padder, MD. The book was provided to me free of charge by the author; however, the opinions are my own. If you would like me to review your book, please feel free to contact me.