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

Learning outcomes

The course addresses the basic physiopathological concepts of the main diseases and the fundamental pathogenetic processes related to cell changes leading toward organ function, homeostatic mechanisms and eventually overt clinical manifestations of a disease. The program covers also the study of basic principles of pharmacology, in particular pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms and introduces the student to the understanding and assessment of the risks and benefits of major therapeutic approaches. One of the major aim of the teaching course is to favor the comprehension of an approach oriented to the definition of problems together with problem solving procedures by the evaluation of choices of disease prevention related to main organ functions and to an appropriate recognition and multidisciplinary assessment and solving procedures of acute and chronic pain symptoms.

Program

Basic cell function mechanisms: contribution of O2, nutrients and elimination of metabolites, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance and acid-base equilibrium. Anemia: in particular anemias due to nutritional deficiency, and hemoglobinopathies.
• Body fluid and electrolyte balance: maintaining volume and distribution of fluids and their alterations: overhydration syndromes and dehydration, intra-extracellular fluid equilibrium (isotonic, hypertonic and hypotonic), intra- and extracellular buffer systems, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance and acid-base. Semiotics of hydroelectrolyte imbalances.
• Endocrine system: hormones with major metabolic activity and the circle adjustment and volumes, hyper and hypofunction of the main endocrine glands and response to stress; diabetes mellitus, hyper- and hypoglycemia. Elements of symptoms related to endocrine diseases.
• Respiratory system: ventilation, alveolar-capillary diffusion of gases, alveolar ventilation-perfusion. Respiratory failure. Semeiotics of respiratory system.
• Cardiovascular system: control of vascular tone and blood pressure, high blood pressure (notes on the pathophysiological hypotheses), ischemic heart disease, right and left heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Semeiotics of the cardiovascular system.
• Urinary system: main kidney diseases and on chronic renal failure.
• Digestive System: malnutrition, portal hypertension (brief notes), ascites. Elements of digestive symptomatology
• Central nervous system as a result of metabolic disorders (hypoxia, hypercapnia, hypoglycaemia, hypertonia and extracellular hypotonia, hyperammonemia).

Examination Methods

Multiple choice written test