Description
Rigorously researched information grounded in clinical practice tailored for use in palliative and hospice care settings. This trusted source goes beyond standard references, providing health professionals with in-depth, practical guidance on drugs and treatment regimens to help improve quality of life.
Updates in the new edition:
- Renamed monograph (Tricyclic antidepressants) and two discontinued - (Carbamazepine and Danazol)
Fully reviewed and updated monographs including for:
- Individual strong opioid analgesic drug monographs and Quick Clinical Guides
- Antidepressants class and individual drug monographs
- Anti-epileptics class and individual drug monographs including a significantly updated section on the management of seizures and the use of subcutaneous levetiracetam
- Bisphosphonates monograph including the 2020 ESMO clinical practice guidelines and a new joint summary table for the indications of use for bisphosphonates and denosumab in palliative care
- Denosumab monograph including the 2020 ESMO clinical practice guidelines
- Drugs and fitness to drive chapter including updates to the summary table of the available evidence for sedative drugs
- Renal impairment chapter including significant changes to the sections on assessing renal function, and opioid use in renal impairment
- Drug administration to patients with swallowing difficulties or enteral feeding tubes chapter including a new step-wise approach for alternative formulations, and a fully updated table on commonly used alternative product
Targeted updates to monographs including:
- H2-receptor antagonists monograph updated to reflect the alternative oral and parenteral options due to the world-wide absence of ranitidine
- Proton pump inhibitors monograph significant updates to the parenteral administration section
- Clonidine monograph, involving significant updates to the dose and use section and a new summary of dexmedetomidine use
- Drugs for diabetes monograph updated to include the 2021 Diabetes UK guidelines and the 2021 Joint British Diabetes Societies Inpatient Care Group guidelines.
- Significant changes to the sections on corticosteroid-induced diabetes mellitus, the management of hypoglycaemia, and the management of spikes of
- hyperglycaemia in the last few weeks of life
- Systemic corticosteroids significant updates on the risks of adrenal insufficiency including information about the new steroid emergency card and information on the
- evidence of use for appetite stimulation
- Anaphylaxis appendix updated to reflect the 2021 Resuscitation Council UK guidelines.
PCF8 also includes several Quick Clinical Guides covering key topics in palliative care and designed for everyday use.
