Includes index.

Contents: Mathematics: Basics: Introduction -- Arithmetic symbols -- Basic maths -- Rules of arithmetic -- Fractions and decimals -- Roman numerals -- Powers or exponentials -- First principles: Sense of number and the use of calculators or formulae -- Estimation of answers -- The 'one unit' rule -- Checking your answer - does it seem reasonable? -- Putting it all together -- Minimizing errors -- Per cent and percentages: Introduction -- Per cent and percentages -- Converting fractions to percentages and vice versa -- Converting decimals to percentages and vice versa -- Calculations involving percentages -- Drug calculations involving percentages -- How to use the per cent key on your calculator -- Units and equivalences: Introduction -- SI units -- Prefixes used in clinical practice -- Equivalences -- Conversion from one unit to another -- Guide to writing units -- Moles and millimoles: Introduction -- What are moles and millimoles? -- Millimoles and micromoles -- Drug strengths or concentrations: Introduction -- Percentage concentration -- mg/mL concentrations -- 'I in ...' concentrations or ratio strengths -- Parts per million (ppm) -- Drugs expressed in units -- Performing calculations: Dosage calculations: Introduction -- Calculating the number of tablets or capsules required -- Drug dosages based on patient parameters -- Ways of expressing doses -- Calculating drug dosages -- Displacement values or volumes -- Prescriber calculations -- Infusion rate calculations: Introduction -- Drip rate calculations (drops/min) -- Conversion of dosages to mL/hour -- Conversion of mL/hour back to a dose -- Calculating the length of time for IV infusions -- Administering medicines: Intravenous therapy and infusion devices: IV infusion therapy -- Answers -- Infusion devices -- Infusion device classification -- Action and administration of medicines: Action and administration of medicines -- Introduction -- Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics -- Administration of medicines -- Promoting the safer use of injectable medicines -- Children and medicines: Introduction -- Drug handling in children -- Pharmacodynamics -- Routes of administration of drugs -- Practical implications -- Useful reference books -- Approzimate values useful in the calculation of doses in children -- The Elderly and medicines: Introduction -- Drug handling in the elderly -- Specific problems in the elderly -- General principles -- Sources and interpretation of drug information: Introduction -- Sources of drug information -- The Internet -- Summary of product characteristics (SPC).