Learning objectives
Knowledge of the basic principles of general pharmacology and of the processes that regulate the fate of the drug in the body and the interactions of the drug with target organs.
Knowledge of the main characteristics of both drugs that act on the neuromuscular system, at a central and peripheral level, and
drugs used for the treatment of osteoarticular diseases.
Ability to apply the knowledge acquired to pathological conditions and use of drugs of interest to physiotherapists also in relation to undesirable effects and toxicity.
Prerequisites
Adequate bases of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, anatomy
Course unit content
General pharmacology: pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Factors modifying drug response. Drug toxicity. Clinical pharmacology: neuromuscolar drugs, pain therapy, antiinflammatory drugs, antirheumatic and antigout drugs.
Full programme
General pharmacology. What is pharmacology. Drugs. Basic pharmacodynamics: sites and mechanisms of action, agonists and antagonists, the dose-effect relationship.
Basic pharmacokinetics: how drugs reach their site of action, routes of administration, drug adsorption. Drug-protein binding and drug biodistribution.
Drug biotransformation. Drug excretion. Pharmacokinetic parameters: bioavailability, apparent distribution volume, plasma drug half-life, clearance. Conditions modifying drug effects: drug interactions, the importance of patient conditions. Tolerance and resistance. Drug toxicity: collateral and unwanted events.
Clinical pharmacology:
Neuromuscular drugs: depolarizing and competitive blocking agents, botulinum, central (GABAergic) and preripheral myorelaxant agents. Drugs for myasthenia gravis: anticholinesterase drugs, steroids, immunosuppressant drugs.
Anti-Parkinson agents.
Analgesic drugs: opiates and non-opiate analgesics; local anesthetics, gabapentinoid drugs for neuropathic pain.
Antiinflammatory drugs: NSAIDs, steroids (glucocorticoids).
Antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), antigout drugs (colchicine, allopurinol, uricosuric agents). Drugs used in bone disorders: Vitamin D, calcitonin and bisphosphonates.
Drugs for Arthrosis: condroprotective drugs.
Bibliography
Karen Whalen "Le basi della farmacologia" 3° Edizione Italiana dalla 7° edizione americana, Zanichelli Editore, 2020.
PC Panus, B Katzung, EE Jobst, SL Tinsley, SB Master, AJ Trevor.
"Farmacologia in Riabilitazione" Ed. Italiana a cura di V. Locatelli 2014. Edi Ermes
Didactic resources used during lessons (ie, power point slides) have to be considered integral part of the reference bibliography; they will be available on the Elly site, on the course page.
Teaching methods
The course will be held through lectures.
Lectures will be supported by slide presentations, which will be available to students on the Elly platform at the course pages; lessons will be open to wide discussion with the participation of the students.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam, aiming to ascertain the results obtained on the basis of the proposed goals. In particular, the student will be asked to discuss one of the subjects indicated in the program. The candidate should use the proper terms to describe the drug's actions and their use them to situations of interest for her/his profession. The candidate should use the proper terms to describe the actions of drugs and their use in situations of interest for her/his profession.
The inability to answer a question (or the ascertained inability to provide at least a correct definition of the class to which the drug belongs and of its mechanism of action of the drug subject of the question) will result in failure to pass the exam.
The student will be evaluated with votes ranging from 0 to 30, with 18 being the lowest vote to positively pass the exam.
The final vote will be decided by mutual agreement among the teachers of the integrated course.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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