To show the organization of the course that includes this module, follow this link:  Course organization

Learning outcomes

To give to the student basic knowledge and methodological instruments required to do nursing service in the management and monitoring of pharmacological therapies

Program

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACOLOGY
● Definition of drug, medicinal product, generic drug, biosimilar, galenic and magistral preparations
● Origin of drugs and the process of drug development
● Difference between symptomatic, curative, preventive and substitutive drugs
● Different actions of drugs: systemic or local, direct or indirect, primary or secondary, collateral,
early or late onset
● Pharmacokinetics:
-Absorption (mechanisms, routes of administration, formulations)
-Distribution (plasma protein binding, tissue vascularization, blood-brain barrier and placental
transfer of drugs)
-Metabolism of drugs: biotransformation reactions, enzymatic induction and inhibition
-Excretion of drugs
-Pharmacokinetic parameters: bioavailability, volume of distribution, elimination half-life,
clearance
● Pharmacodynamics: general mechanisms of action, receptor definition, drug-receptor interaction,
agonism and antagonism, affinity and intrinsic activity of drugs
ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS AND TOXICOLOGY
● Clinical risks related to drug use: therapeutic errors and adverse drug reactions
● Classification of adverse drug reactions
● Pharmacovigilance: spontaneous reporting and the role of nurse
● Drug dependence
● Embryo-fetal toxicity
PHARMACOTHERAPY
● The concepts of risk/benefit and cost/benefit applied to drug treatments
● “Placebo” and “Compliance” definitions
● Dosage, maximum dose, effective dose, posology, therapeutic index
● Duration of drug action: therapeutic plasma levels of drugs, peak concentrations, therapeutic
range, accumulation, toxic concentrations
● Therapeutic drug monitoring
● Drug interactions
● Variability in drug response: factors depending on the drug and factors depending on the patient
(therapy in neonates and children, elderly, patients with renal or hepatic insufficiency)
● Antimicrobial therapy: selective toxicity, spectrum of action, bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity, microbial resistance. Pharmacological characteristics and adverse effects of the most
important groups of antibiotics, antifungals and antivirals
● Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and paracetamol


Reference textbooks

-Conforti A., Cuzzolin L., Leone R., Moretti U., Pignataro G., Taglialatela M., Vanzetta M. Farmacologia per le professioni sanitarie. Ed. Sorbona, Napoli, 2015
-Clark M.A., Finkel R., Rey J.A., Whalen K. Le basi della farmacologia. Ed. Zanichelli, Bologna, 2013
-Furlanut M. Farmacologia generale e clinica per le lauree sanitarie (III Edizione). Ed. Piccin, Padova, 2013

Examination Methods

The exam is written and integrated, comprising in total 65 questions with single or multiple choice answers related to the course program of all teaching modules: 20 questions referred to Nursing, 15 for each of the other three disciplines. The exam is passed if 18 points will be reached in each of the four disciplines: it is possible to repeat a part of the exam (one-two disciplines) in presence of a negative evaluation. The repetition of the whole exam will be requested in absence of an effective recovery. In some cases, an oral integration will be possible. The exam is written with single or multiple choice answers. An oral integration will be possible.