Learning objectives
On completing the Pharmacology and Pharmacotoxicology course, students should have acquired:1) basic concepts regarding the principles governing the interactions between drugs and the body, both from a pharmacokinetic (absorption, metabolism, distribution and elimination) and pharmacodynamic (mechanism of action) standpoint;2) basic concepts regarding general principles of toxicology, adverse drug reactions and how to evaluate them, potential interference with hematochemical dosages, bearing in mind the structure, kinetics and mechanism of action, as well as the relationship between pharmacological and toxicological effects; 3) knowledge of basic aspects connected with the therapeutic use of certain drugs of more specific interest that are most frequently used and monitored.
Prerequisites
- - -
Course unit content
Introduction to pharmacology, basic principles.
Pharmacokinetics: chemical-physical factors involved in the passage of drugs through membranes.
Methods of administering drugs and pharmaceutical forms.
Drug absorption.
Drug distribution.
Drug metabolism.
Drug elimination.
Pharmacodynamics and drug receptors. Fundamentals of Pharmacodynamics.
Signal transduction mechanisms and drug action.
Relation between drug concentration and response.
Relation between drug dosage and clinical response; factors causing variability in drug response.
Toxicology: fundamentals, dosage-response relationship, classification of undesirable effects.
Therapeutic monitoring of drugs. Interpretation of plasmatic concentration measurements. Methods of drug analysis. Anomalous results in chemical-clinical analysis: influence of biological variability and drug treatment.
Monitoring and toxicology: anti-asthmatic drugs, cardioactive drugs, antibiotics, antiepileptic drugs, chemotherapeutics and immunosuppressants, analgesic drugs, psychotropic drugs.
Monitoring and toxicology: drug abuse. Toxicological analysis.
Monitoring and toxicology: poisoning.
Drug surveillance.
Full programme
- - -
Bibliography
Rang H.P., Dale M.M., Ritter J.M., Moore P.K.: Farmacologia. 2a edizione italiana, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, last edition
Dale M.M., Haylett D.G.: Elementi di farmacologia. Compendio per l?esame. EMSI, Roma, last edition
Lullmann H., Mohr K.: Farmacologia per immagini. Atlante tascabile. Centro Scientifico Editore, last edition
Teaching methods
Lectures
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination
Other information
- - -
