Book excerpt: Here's the information students need to know about how drugs work and how they can affect athletic performance. Through "real life" scenarios, students gain insights into the application of pharmacology in their clinical practice—from assisting an athlete who is taking a new medication to recognizing drug-related side effects when a negative reaction is occurring to handling instances of drug abuse. Beginning with an overview of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, the text presents prescription and over-the-counter medications in relation to the injuries or health conditions athletic trainers commonly encounter. Frequently abused substances such as amphetamines, herbals, and anabolic steroids are also addressed. Legal and ethical issues of drug use are presented, such as HIPAA–mandated privacy issues, drug testing, and which drugs are deemed as acceptable or banned according to NCAA and US Olympic standard.