Main description:

For drugs with a narrow therapeutic index, therapeutic drug monitoring methods are essential for patient management. Although immunoassays are commercially available for many drugs and most laboratories use these assays for routine therapeutic monitoring, they have many limitations which hinder their efficacy. Providing practical guidelines for implementing preferred gas and liquid chromatographic methods, Advances in Chromatographic Techniques for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring is a comprehensive reference describing the theory and application of therapeutic drug monitoring in clinical laboratories.

Edited by a distinguished authority in the field and containing contributions from a variety of experts, the book discusses preanalytical variables, the pitfalls of immunoassays, tandem mass spectrometry, issues related to pain management and herbal supplements, and therapeutic drug monitoring for a range of medications, including:

Anticonvulsants
Digitalis
Cardioactive drugs
Antidepressants
Immunosuppressants
Anti-cancer drugs
Vancomycin and aminoglycosides
Antibiotics
Antiretroviral drugs
Nonnarcotic analgesics
Anti-inflammatory drugs

Examing older and newer drugs, the book contains detailed discussions on the rationale for therapeutic drug monitoring of each class of drugs, along with their basic pharmacology and toxicology. An extensive list of references is provided at the end of each chapter so that those interested in implementing a new drug assay can find the most appropriate method for the intended drug.

Contents:

Introduction to Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Chromatography. Preanalytical Variables and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring. Immunoassays for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Pitfalls and Limitations. Introduction to Tandem Mass Spectrometry. Analytical Support of Classical Anticonvulsant Drug Monitoring beyond Immunoassay: Application of Chromatographic Methods. Clinical Practice of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of New Anticonvulsants. Chromatographic Techniques in the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of New Anticonvulsants.Problems with Digoxin Immunoassays. Liquid Chromatography Combined with Immunoassay as a Reference Method for Analysis of Digitalis. Chromatographic Methods for Analysis of Cardioactive Drugs. Immunoassays for Tricyclic Antidepressants: Unsuitable for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring? Chromatographic Techniques for the Analysis of Antidepressants. Pharmacokinetics and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Immunosuppressants. Analysis of Immunosuppressants by Liquid Chromatography or Liquid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Cancer Patients: Application of Chromatographic Techniques. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Vancomycin and Aminoglycosides with Guidelines. Chromatographic Methods for Analysis of Antibiotics. Need for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antiretroviral Medications in HIV Infection. Chromatographic Techniques for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antiretroviral Drugs. Chromatography in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Nonnarcotic Analgesics and Anti-inflammatory Drugs. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Pain Management: Application of Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry. Investigation of Drug-herb Interactions: Application of various Chromatographic Techniques for Analysis of Active Components of Herbal Supplements.