Clinical Toxicology Testing

This book is a practical guide to setting up, overseeing, and directing hospital toxicology laboratory operations. It focuses on the complex issues facing the laboratory director or pathologist in this role, as well as those in training in the field of laboratory medicine. It addresses not only pharmacological principles, testing menus, and methodologies, but also clinical test interpretation for specialized areas such as the emergency department, the pain clinic, and the autopsy suite. In addition, it serves as an introduction to such topics as workplace drug testing and relevant regulatory issues. It provides the reader with a comprehensive view of what is needed--and expected--when offering a clinical toxicology service --

"A comprehensive overview of clinical laboratory toxicology services and analytes"--

This issue of Clinics in Laboratory Medicine, titled Toxicology Testing, includes the following topics; Progress in Clinical Toxicology Testing, The Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic, Substance Abuse Among Healthcare Professionals, Pain Management Drug Testing, Ethanol Biomarkers, Newly-emerging Drugs of Abuse, Synthetic Cannabinoids, Synthetic Cathenones, Immunoassay Methodology in Drugs-of-abuse Testing, Toxicology Testing in Alternative Specimen Matrices, Principles and Procedures in Postmortem Toxicology, and Pharmacogenetics and the Future of Toxicology Testing. Advances in toxicology testing are paving the way for major improvements in the way scientists evaluate health risks posed by toxic chemicals. Toxicity tests help scientists better understand how the human body carries out normal functions that are key to maintaining health. Therefore, this topic is important to the field of Laboratory Medicine.

Nationally, toxicology programs have evolved from a traditional exploration of the chemistry and applied toxicity of chemicals and drugs to a more comprehensive study of toxicology and toxicology testing as independent entities. Consequently, the second edition of Principles of Toxicology Testing starts with basic toxicological principles, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of toxins, including chemicals and drugs. The book then continues with animal (in vivo) and in vitro toxicology testing methods associated with toxicological analysis and preclinical drug development. As in the first edition, the book begins with an introduction into the fundamentals of toxicology (Section I) to prepare readers for the subsequent topics and continues through with a discussion of toxicokinetics and human risk assessment. This introductory material is useful in understanding the applications of toxicology testing. Section II describes the fundamental principles of toxicology testing in animals in greater detail. This section describes acute toxicity studies as well as subchronic and chronic studies performed on animals. Special emphasis is placed on study design and determination of classical indicators for acute and chronic testing, such as the LD50. The book examines other short- and long-term animal toxicity testing methodologies, including dermal, ocular, and reproductive toxicity testing. In addition, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity studies are also discussed in separate chapters. Section III introduces and discusses in vitro alternatives to animal toxicology tests. This section emphasizes cell culture methodology and cellular methods for acute systemic toxicity, target organ toxicity, and local toxicity. The contributors present the advantages and disadvantages of alternative methods. They also describe the use of high-throughput screening and its applications, the concepts of standardization and validation of in vitro techniques (especially large, organized validation efforts currently supported by US and EU regulatory agencies), and the theories supporting the development of in vitro methodologies. This second edition is a must-read for undergraduate and graduate toxicology students. Industrial and academic research centers will also find the text useful for establishing a toxicology testing laboratory.

This book covers all aspects of toxicology, including toxic diseases of large animals, small animals, and exotic pets. It provides key information on how poisons affect the body, how the body responds to a foreign substance, how poisonings are diagnosed, and how poisonings are treated. Coverage includes every organ system of every species of animal with details on each body system's susceptibility to poison. Poisons affect animals differently depending on species, breed, age, gender, health status, and reproductive status. This resource addresses these differences, allowing the veterinarian to determine the class of toxicant, the mechanism of action, and the proper course of treatment. If confronted with an unknown poison, the information in this book will assist the veterinarian in formulating a list of potential poisons based on the clinical signs that the animal is exhibiting, and in choosing the appropriate tests to narrow the list to one or a few possible poisons. Most comprehensive toxicology book available Written in a user-friendly style that makes it easy to master the content Covers poisonings in both large and small domestic animals The Principles of Toxicology section provides comprehensive coverage of concepts & terminology, toxicokinetics, treatments, and regulatory information The Manifestations of Toxicoses section is devoted to differentiating between poisons based on lesions and clinical signs The Classes of Toxicants section offers detailed information on each poison, including sources, risk factors, pathophysiology, clinical signs and lesions, diagnostic testing, and treatment The author is board-certified in toxicology, and the contributors are all toxicologists and educators, ensuring authoritative, up-to-date clinical information

A Comprehensive Guide to Toxicology in Preclinical Drug Development is designed for toxicologists who need a thorough understanding of the drug development process. This multi-contributed reference will provide a detailed picture of the complex and highly interrelated activities of preclinical toxicology in both small molecules and biologics --

Clinical Toxicology is the second volume of a three-volume set on molecular, clinical and environmental toxicology that offers a comprehensive and in-depth response to the increasing importance and abundance of chemicals of daily life. By providing intriguing insights far down to the molecular level, this three-volume work covers the entire range of modern toxicology with special emphasis on recent developments and achievements. It is written for students and professionals in medicine, science, public health or engineering who are demanding reliable information on toxic or potentially harmful agents and their adverse effects on the human body.