Pharmacology for the Physical Therapist Cases

According to the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative, medications are involved in approximately 80% of all treatments and impact every aspect of a patient's life. Understanding how the effects of drugs may influence the outcome measures and interventions provided by physical therapists provided the impetus for the first edition of this textbook more than 10 years ago. For example, therapists perform comprehensive assessments of the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive inputs that control balance to predict an individual's risk of falling. However, this prediction will fall short if the therapist fails to inquire what medications the patient is taking, as many medications-both prescription and over-the-counter-negatively affect balance.… (more)