In this definitive new text, the major medicines, devices and vaccines used by women worldwide are brought together for the first time in a single volume. Written and edited by international experts with an evidence-based approach, Medicines for Women offers a comprehensive summary of all key areas. In the first part, issues relating to female drug exposure and prescribing to subgroups of women – for example during pregnancy and lactation, and to adolescent women – are presented in the context of contemporary clinical practice. In the second part, specific groups of medicines are reviewed, including oral contraceptives (with an additional chapter on venous thromboembolism), emergency contraception, contraceptive devices, treatment of chronic pelvic pain, hormone replacement therapy, bisphosphonates, herbal medicines for women, and human papilloma virus vaccines. Every chapter reviews and summarizes the efficacy and safety of each group of products and concludes with a useful set of clinical ‘take-home’ messages. In the third part of the book, broader perspectives are presented – from a primary-care overview of prescribing for women, through to regulatory, political and religious aspects, including issues in developing countries. The two final chapters focus on communicating the benefits and risks of medicines for women. This book is aimed at prescribers, other healthcare professionals and students of women’s health throughout the world. It is an extremely valuable resource for all in clinical practice, for students of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and related sciences, and also for those in medicines regulation, pharmacovigilance and the pharmaceutical industry. |