pharmacology textbook opinions

[rxlynn]

I am interested to know opinions from those of you who have already used these textbooks
1)Dipiro
2)Goodman & Gilman
3) Katzung

What were you required to use? What did you like/dislike? Unless something changes between now and then, my school is going to require Dipiro. I'm just trying to get an idea if that is the best or if I might want something else for my personal library.

Thanks.

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[pinkyrx]

I never bought the actual textbook, but I did buy Lipincott's Pharmacology book. It's paperback, with a maroon cover and yellow letters I think. Anyway, I found it a great summary of everything we were learning. It was very helpful for some of the more difficult subjects because it really picks out the major points.

 

[Cocogirl]

I really like Koda Kimble...it offers a good overview of basic pharmacology but focuses primarily on clinical practice. It is a more case-based and really useful for relevance to clinical practice.

Dipiro is also an excellent reference - very good for pharmacology and therapeutics.

I prefer Koda Kimble personally.

 

[Cocogirl]

Goodman and Gilman is a waste of money - don't bother. I bought it in first year pharmacy and barely used it. 😡 It's not exactly a cheap book either!

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

I am interested to know opinions from those of you who have already used these textbooks
1)Dipiro
2)Goodman & Gilman
3) Katzung

What were you required to use? What did you like/dislike? Unless something changes between now and then, my school is going to require Dipiro. I'm just trying to get an idea if that is the best or if I might want something else for my personal library.

Thanks.

My school requires DiPiro for our Therapeutics course (so we didn't need it until the winter of our 2nd year). It's very very thorough, but I found it relatively easy to understand. It's a heavy book though...so not one you're going to lug around with you everywhere (but then again all of these books are). If you’re looking for a more manageable-sized book, they do have the companion which is useful for class.

Another book that you didn’t mention is the Koda-Kimble book, which I bought too because it discusses the material in a whole different way. It’s more case-based (which came in very useful when doing SOAPEs). These are all expensive books, and I know most people don’t buy them all (or any) 🙂 …but you can take a look at that one in the library if you’re looking for something a little different!

 

[Trancelucent1]

Which Dipiro is it? Is it the Pharmacotherapy book? If so, we bought it and I barely used it for Pharmacotherapy. Not because it's not good but because our professors are very thorough (like 80 slides/50 min lecture). As far as pharmacology goes, I'd go with Goodman and Gilman. It wasn't required but I know when I graduate, I'll get a copy as it's pretty much the Bible. I've heard Koda Kimble is just as good though. I've used Goodman and Gilman online to do presentations.

 

[sdn1977]

I'd vote Goodman & Gilman for the long term....I just bought a new one. My first was published in 1975, the second was published in 1990. This is a great book for the long term, IMO!!!!!

Koda-Kimble is fine, but it is not pharmacology, IMO (which has to integrate chemical structure & activity to the physiology). Koda-Kimble, IMO, is fine to incorporate therapeutics to pharmacology - a necessary piece of the whole. Once you become familiar with how drugs work within the framework of disease....I feel you'll use this less and less. In addition, current literature places new drugs within the framework of the disease they are trying to be approved to treat. I don't feel it goes into as much depth as a complete pharmacology text. (This is not to slam either Koda or Kimble - they were my instructors 😱 !)

For someone like myself, who needs to not only read current literature, but stay up to date on the basic chemistry & pharmacology of drugs which were never even thought about when I was in school......a comlete text like Goodman & Gilman is necessary.

 

[imperial frog]

Which Dipiro is it? Is it the Pharmacotherapy book? If so, we bought it and I barely used it for Pharmacotherapy. Not because it's not good but because our professors are very thorough (like 80 slides/50 min lecture).

I set Dipiro on my coffee table at the beginning of this semester and it hasn't moved since. It's actually an interesting read though, just haven't had the time to do any of it for school.

 

[ultracet]

the pharmacology books you list are g and g and katzung and lange. go for the lange book. its easier to understand and more than likely you wont have to know all the crap g and g goes into

koda kimball and dipiro are both therapeutics books not really pharmacology at all and would have been an extreme waste of time in my pharmacology classes

 

[npage148]

I find Dipiro to have WAY WAY too much detail for any practicallity. its so heavy of stuff i get bogged down looking for what im interested in. This was defined best when i gave it to my boss to read about something that was of great intrest to his current life (something about a cousin and Crohn's) and he returned it unread saying to was over his head. Some of the therapetucs does come in handy sometimes

I like G+G the best. Its got just the right amount of detail for me and easy to nagivate and comprehend the info. IT can rip it open and find a small detail or read the chapter for more info

Never read Koda and kimble but was suggested to buy it. I might have to read some before i buy it

 

[jtwcamel]

I used Katzung. Pretty good read, good supplement to notes from class.

 

[Caverject]

as mentioned above, dipiro is pointless in a pharmacology course.

Cat's Tounge is a better choice over G&G. I started using Golan's Principals of Phamracology and find it to be hands down the easiest to understand.

For example, when they use a table, its a simple discription. When G&G makes a table, they fit in every single silly stupid thing imaginable to fill up a page thus making it terribly confusing.

 

[ButlerPharm.D.]

We use Katzung

 

[rxlynn]

the pharmacology books you list are g and g and katzung and lange. go for the lange book. its easier to understand and more than likely you wont have to know all the crap g and g goes into

koda kimball and dipiro are both therapeutics books not really pharmacology at all and would have been an extreme waste of time in my pharmacology classes

Thank you for pointing out which book goes with which course. When I went back and checked, the Dipiro was actually listed as the required text, with G&G as a "recommended", although the class is actually a therapeutics class.

Thanks to all the rest of you for the helpful info. and opinions.

 

[genesis09]

The four required books for the PDAT (therapeutics and pharmacology) courses at UIC are DiPiro, Koda-Rimble, Katzung, and Foye's Principles of Medicinal Chemistry. The G&G book is a recommended book. I am just finishing up my P1 year, and will start PDAT in the fall. Should I buy all the required books? If I do, new it will cost close to $500. I hope to buy some current edition used through Amazon or half.com.