Specialty guide

Medications Information

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General information

Recommended starting point
Australian Medicines Handbook

Provides comparative information, dosage, and practical advice on Australian medicines including class statements and therapeutic information.

Recommended starting point
MIMS

Provides approved Australian Product Information and Consumer Medicines Information (CMI), Product Information (PI), drug product images, drug interactions and SHPA’s Don’t Rush to Crush handbook.

Recommended starting point
Micromedex

An authoritative US database providing in-depth information on medicines. Drug monographs include detailed information on dosing for specific indications, adverse effects, comparative efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Includes Drug Interactions (drug-drug, drug-lab test, drug-food, drug-pregnancy, drug-lactation and drug-alcohol interactions), Trissel’s IV Compatibility (for single drugs or drug combinations).

Recommended starting point
American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS)

A leading US textbook providing comprehensive evidence-based drug information including adverse effects, dosage, efficacy and off-label uses. The text is completely updated annually.

UpToDate

Drug information

Goodman and Gilman's Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics

A major textbookproviding comprehensive and authoritative information on pharmacology.

Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, Katzung

A foundation textbook providing comprehensive and authoritative pharmacology information.

In-Depth information

Recommended starting point
Micromedex

An authoritative US database providing in-depth information on medicines. Drug monographs include detailed information on dosing for specific indications, adverse effects, comparative efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Includes Drug Interactions (drug-drug, drug-lab test, drug-food, drug-pregnancy, drug-lactation and drug-alcohol interactions), Trissel’s IV Compatibility (for single drugs or drug combinations).

UpToDate

Depth depends on topic

Recommended starting point
American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS)

A leading US textbook providing comprehensive evidence-based drug information including adverse effects, dosage, efficacy and off-label uses. The text is completely updated annually.

Embase

MEDLINE

Therapeutic Choice

Recommended starting point
Australian Medicines Handbook

Provides comparative information, dosage, and practical advice on Australian medicines including class statements and therapeutic information.

Recommended starting point
Therapeutic Guidelines

Provides Australian evidence and expert opinion-based guidelines and advice on drug use for specific indications.

BMJ Best Practice

UpToDate

NPS MedicineWise

An Australian service providing independent, evidence-based information on prescribing, advice on drug use for specific indications and assessments of new drugs and indications.

Evidence-Based Information

Recommended starting point
Australian Medicines Handbook

Provides comparative information, dosage, and practical advice on Australian medicines including class statements and therapeutic information.

Recommended starting point
Therapeutic Guidelines

Provides Australian evidence and expert opinion-based guidelines and advice on drug use for specific indications.

UpToDate

BMJ Best Practice

Recommended starting point
Cochrane Library

NPS MedicineWise

An Australian service providing independent, evidence-based information on prescribing, advice on drug use for specific indications and assessments of new drugs and indications.

NatMed Pro (formerly Natural Medicines)

Provides high-quality, evidence-based information about complementary and alternative therapies, diets, exercise and nutrition. Includes interactions between standard and complementary / alternative medicines.

Complementary & Alternative

NatMed Pro (formerly Natural Medicines)

Provides high-quality, evidence-based information about complementary and alternative therapies, diets, exercise and nutrition. Includes interactions between standard and complementary / alternative medicines.

Embase

MEDLINE

Lactation & Pregnancy

Recommended starting point
Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation (Briggs)

A recommended textbook for information about drug effects in pregnancy and lactation. Includes over 1,200 drug monographs.

Recommended starting point
LactMed Database

Micromedex

See individual drug monographs Pregnancy & Lactation subheading, and Related results – Toxicology - Reproductive Risk Information.
An authoritative US database providing in-depth information on medicines. Drug monographs include detailed information on dosing for specific indications, adverse effects, comparative efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Includes Drug Interactions (drug-drug, drug-lab test, drug-food, drug-pregnancy, drug-lactation and drug-alcohol interactions), Trissel’s IV Compatibility (for single drugs or drug combinations).

Australian Medicines Handbook

Provides comparative information, dosage, and practical advice on Australian medicines including class statements and therapeutic information.

Prescribing medicines in pregnancy database

Intended to provide information to health professionals planning the medical management of pregnant patients or patients intending to become pregnant. It is not presented as medical advice to health professionals or the public.

William's Obstetrics

See chapter 14.

Therapeutic Guidelines

Very brief breastfeeding information.
Provides Australian evidence and expert opinion-based guidelines and advice on drug use for specific indications.

For detailed advice on a specific patient it is highly recommended that you contact a specialised information service e.g. Mothersafe (02) 9382 6539 if calling from Sydney or 1800 647 848 if calling from country NSW.

Children

AMH Children's Dosing Companion

Provides information on doseage and administration of medicines to children from birth to 18 years.

BNF for Children

An authoritative UK reference for prescribing, dispensing and administering medicines to children from premature neonates to 18 years.

UpToDate

Australasian Neonatal Medicines Formulary

Neomed Formularies

Pediatric Care Online

Paediatric Injectable Medicines Handbook

Provides summarised, referenced guidelines for preparing and administering medicines to children and neonates via the intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous route.

Micromedex

An authoritative US database providing in-depth information on medicines. Drug monographs include detailed information on dosing for specific indications, adverse effects, comparative efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Includes Drug Interactions (drug-drug, drug-lab test, drug-food, drug-pregnancy, drug-lactation and drug-alcohol interactions), Trissel’s IV Compatibility (for single drugs or drug combinations).

Nursing

General information on drugs plus nursing considerations.

Emcare

Lippincott's Nursing Drug Guide

ProQuest

Poisons & Toxicology

Recommended starting point
Therapeutic Guidelines

Toxicology & Toxinology
Provides Australian evidence and expert opinion-based guidelines and advice on drug use for specific indications.

Recommended starting point
NSW Poisons Information Centre

A free information service providing advice on the management of poisoning and drug overdose (pharmaceuticals, recreational drugs, chemicals, plants and animals).

NSW Snakebite and Spiderbite Guidelines

Poisoning & Drug Overdose. Olson et al

MIMS

The Product Information may contain brief information on poisoning and overdose.
Provides approved Australian Product Information and Consumer Medicines Information (CMI), Product Information (PI), drug product images, drug interactions and SHPA’s Don’t Rush to Crush handbook.

Management of Paracetamol Overdose

Interactions

Recommended starting point
Micromedex

An authoritative US database providing in-depth information on medicines. Drug monographs include detailed information on dosing for specific indications, adverse effects, comparative efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Includes Drug Interactions (drug-drug, drug-lab test, drug-food, drug-pregnancy, drug-lactation and drug-alcohol interactions), Trissel’s IV Compatibility (for single drugs or drug combinations).

Recommended starting point
MIMS

Provides approved Australian Product Information and Consumer Medicines Information (CMI), Product Information (PI), drug product images, drug interactions and SHPA’s Don’t Rush to Crush handbook.

Australian Medicines Handbook

Provides comparative information, dosage, and practical advice on Australian medicines including class statements and therapeutic information.

UpToDate

NatMed Pro (formerly Natural Medicines)

Provides high-quality, evidence-based information about complementary and alternative therapies, diets, exercise and nutrition. Includes interactions between standard and complementary / alternative medicines.

HEP Drug Interactions

HIV Drug Interactions

For more comprehensive advice contact your local hospital pharmacy department.

IV Use & Compatibility

Recommended starting point
Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook

Provides concise information on Australian injectable medicines including dose, rate, dilution, preparation, administration, stability and compatibility information.

Micromedex

An authoritative US database providing in-depth information on medicines. Drug monographs include detailed information on dosing for specific indications, adverse effects, comparative efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Includes Drug Interactions (drug-drug, drug-lab test, drug-food, drug-pregnancy, drug-lactation and drug-alcohol interactions), Trissel’s IV Compatibility (for single drugs or drug combinations).

Paediatric Injectable Medicines Handbook

Provides summarised, referenced guidelines for preparing and administering medicines to children and neonates via the intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous route.

MIMS

The Product Information may contain brief information on IV compatibility.
Provides approved Australian Product Information and Consumer Medicines Information (CMI), Product Information (PI), drug product images, drug interactions and SHPA’s Don’t Rush to Crush handbook.

For more information contact your local hospital pharmacy department.

Aged Care

AMH Aged Care Companion

Provides information to assist clinicians to ensure that older people gain the optimum benefit from their medicines and avoid inappropriate use.

General drug information resources may also contain information on medication use in aged care e.g. AMH, eTG, Micromedex.

Guidelines

Australian Resuscitation Council Guidelines

BMJ Best Practice

UK and international. Look for guidelines under the resources heading within the monographs.

Recommended starting point
Therapeutic Guidelines

Provides Australian evidence and expert opinion-based guidelines and advice on drug use for specific indications.

Recommended starting point
eviQ - Cancer Treatments Online

Developed by the Cancer Institute NSW to provide chemotherapy cancer protocols including evidence, cost and drug dose calculation.

Guidelines International Network (GIN)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

UK guidelines.

RCH Clinical Practice Guidelines

Paracetamol Overdose

Rural Adult Emergency Clinical Guidelines

NSW Snakebite and Spiderbite Guidelines

Cancer

Recommended starting point
eviQ - Cancer Treatments Online

Developed by the Cancer Institute NSW to provide chemotherapy cancer protocols including evidence, cost and drug dose calculation.

Cancer Learning

Miscellaneous

Australian Immunisation Handbook

Provides Australian clinical advice for health professionals on the safest and most effective use of vaccines in their practice.

NSW Snakebite and Spiderbite Guidelines

Australian Resuscitation Council Guidelines

New, Unmarketed, Trial or 'SAS'

Recommended starting point
Micromedex

An authoritative US database providing in-depth information on medicines. Drug monographs include detailed information on dosing for specific indications, adverse effects, comparative efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Includes Drug Interactions (drug-drug, drug-lab test, drug-food, drug-pregnancy, drug-lactation and drug-alcohol interactions), Trissel’s IV Compatibility (for single drugs or drug combinations).

American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS)

A leading US textbook providing comprehensive evidence-based drug information including adverse effects, dosage, efficacy and off-label uses. The text is completely updated annually.

Embase

MEDLINE

Your local hospital Pharmacy Department may have information on SAS and trial drugs in use in your hospital.

Mobile

CIAP Mobile

NSW Medicines Advisory Services

Your local hospital Pharmacy Department can assist with information on medicines and may hold specialist texts and journals not available on CIAP.

The NSW Poisons Information Centre provides the latest poisons information to the public, and toxicology advice to health professions on the management of poisoned and envenomed patients. Telephone advice is available 24/7 on 131126 from anywhere in Australia.

The NSW Cannabis Medicines Advisory Service provides statewide phone and email support to NSW Health professionals, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 02 4923 6200 and HNELHD-JHHPharmacy@health.nsw.gov.au. The service is located at the John Hunter Hospital in the Hunter New England LHD.

The Drug & Alcohol Specialist Advisory Service 02 8382 1111 DASAS is a free 24/7 telephone service that provides general advice to health professionals who require assistance with the clinical diagnosis and management of patients with alcohol and other drug related concerns.

The NSW Immunisation Specialist Service NSWISS provides specialist advice for immunisation providers via SCHN-NSWISS@health.nsw.gov.au or in urgent cases via The Children’s Hospital at Westmead switchboard on 02 9845 0000 and ask for the on-call immunisation specialist.

MotherSafe (02) 9382 6539 (Sydney Metropolitan Area) or 1800 647 848 (Non-Metropolitan Area) is a free comprehensive counselling service for women and their healthcare providers concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

NOTE: Many of the books on CIAP contain useful information on drugs and their use. Use the subject index to locate books on particular specialties e.g. toxicology, cardiology etc.

Trusted Sites

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry

NPS MedicineWise

An Australian service providing independent, evidence-based information on prescribing, advice on drug use for specific indications and assessments of new drugs and indications.

Medicines Safety Update

From the TGA's Australian Committee on the Safety of Medicines.

TGA - Accessing medications during medications shortages

Australian Government Department of Health

TGA - Report an adverse event

Australian Government Department of Health

US Food and Drug Administration

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention