Oncologic pharmacology: selected topics for critical care nurses.

Administration of multiple and complex medications is common in the intensive care setting, but the response of a patient with cancer to medications and the specific types of medications is a unique specialty practice. In this article, the author provides the experienced critical care nurse with a condensed overview of the most important nursing issues in pharmacologic therapy for patients with cancer. There is a discussion of physiologic variables that influence how patients with cancer respond to pharmaceutical agents. This is followed with detailed information about cancer chemotherapy, biotherapy, and antiemetic practices.