This highly acclaimed textbook is a worldwide bestseller, recognized for its emphasis on the mechanisms by which drugs act at the cellular and molecular levels and how that relates to their overall pharmacological effects and clinical uses. The 5th Edition includes four new chapters, a reorganized and expanded section on treatments for infections and cancer, and thorough updates throughout that explore new treatments and advances in molecular biology that may lead to future therapeutic options for cancer, HIV infection, osteoporosis, neurodegenerative disorders, erectile dysfunction, obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiac failure, and more. User-friendly features include new chapter overviews · reviews of relevant physiology and biochemistry · boxed key points and clinical uses · references and reading lists · a new full-color art program · and new "small print" sections that separate the more complex material from the main discussion thread in each chapter, leaving the depth of coverage to the reader's discretion. The smart way to study! Elsevier titles with STUDENT CONSULT will help you master difficult concepts and study more efficiently in print and online! Perform rapid searches. Integrate bonus content from other disciplines. Download text to your handheld device. And a lot more. Each STUDENT CONSULT title comes with full text online, a unique image library, case studies, USMLE style questions, and online note-taking to enhance your learning experience. Reviews relevant physiological and biochemical processes at the beginning of most chapters to provide a framework for discussing the mechanisms and actions of drugs that affect those processes. Discusses not only what drugs do, but also how they do it-the mechanisms of action at the cellular and molecular levels. Places boxed key points throughout the text, offering readers at-a-glance access to essential knowledge. Provides overviews of the therapeutic uses of different drug classes in "clinical uses" boxes throughout the text. Offers brief coverage, where appropriate, of how certain pharmacological compounds are used to explore cellular and physiological functions outside the clinical setting. Facilitates additional research with annotated references and suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter. Your purchase of this book entitles you to access www.studentconsult.com at no extra charge. This innovative web site offers you... Access to the complete text and illustrations of this book. Integration links to bonus content in other STUDENT CONSULT titles. Content clipping for your handheld. An interactive community center with a wealth of additional resources. The more STUDENT CONSULT titles you buy, the more resources you can access online! Look for the STUDENT CONSULT logo on your favorite Elsevier textbooks! Features a full-color page design and art program, with completely redrawn diagrams and many new figures. Begins each chapter with an "Overview" section that details the scope and order of topics to be covered. Covers not only new agents, but also the advances in molecular biology that are driving further drug development, new treatments in the pipeline, and relevant regulatory controls. Gives readers the option to explore selected topics in greater depth through "small print" sections that contain complex and sometimes speculative material that is complementary, but not essential to the main discussion thread in each chapter. Includes four new chapters: an introductory chapter entitled What is Pharmacology? · two chapters on cellular processes that are affected by many of the drugs described later in the book, Excitation, Contraction, and Secretion and Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis · and a final chapter on Dr