ABSTRACT

Karch’s Drug Abuse Handbook, Third Edition remains the quintessential compendium addressing the pharmacological, medical, and legal aspects of drugs and informing the forensic community of the latest scientific advances and emergent practices.

For this edition, Dr. Karch has brought on clinical and forensic toxicology expert Dr. Bruce Goldberger, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Analytical Toxicology and president of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology, to serve as co-editor. In addition, world-renowned scientists and medical professionals have contributed their work and expertise in tackling the latest developments in drug testing, drug-related medical emergencies, and the drug toxicology.

Topics addressed include genetic testing in drug death investigation, pathology, toxicogenetics, alcohol, post-mortem toxicology, new psychoactive substances, the latest legal issues and challenges as well as drugs and drug testing in sports, and the ethical, legal, and practical issues involved. Vivid pictures and diagrams throughout illustrate the pathological effects of drugs and the chemical make-up and breakdown of abused drugs.

With unparalleled detail, the latest research and the highest level of authoritative medical scientific information, The Drug Abuse Handbook, Third Edition remains the definitive resource for drug related issues.

Frontmatter. 1: Clinical Syndromes and Emergency Room Physician and Management Issues. 2: Pharmacokinetics: Drug Absorption, Distribution and Elimination. 3: Alcohol. 4: Sports Drug Testing. 5: Toxicogenetics. 6: Point of Collection Drug Testing. 7: Post-Mortem Toxicology. 8: New Psychoactive Substances. 9: Legal Issues: United States Law. Appendix A: Conversion Formulas. Appendix B: Blood Ethanol Concentrations. Appendix C: Volume of Distribution Calculations. Index.