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

Learning outcomes

Education aims

To give to the student basic instruments required to understand the role covered by drugs in therapy, how they act to modify health status of the patient, risks related to their use, factors that could modify the answer to a pharmacological treatment

Program

Programme

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACOLOGY
● Definition of drug, medicinal product, generic drug, galenic and magistral preparations, biosimilars
● Origin of drugs and the process of drug development
● Difference between symptomatic, curative, preventive and substitutive drugs
● Pharmacokinetics:
-Absorption (mechanisms, routes of administration)
-Distribution (plasma protein binding, vascularization, blood-brain barrier and placental transfer of drugs)
-Metabolism of drugs: biotransformation reactions, enzymatic induction and inhibition
-Excretion of drugs
● Pharmacodynamics: receptor definition, agonism and antagonism, affinity and intrinsic activity
● Adverse drug reactions
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACOTHERAPY
● “Placebo” and “Compliance” definitions
● Dosage, maximum dose, effective dose, posology, therapeutic index
● Therapeutic plasma levels of drugs, peak concentrations, therapeutic range, accumulation, toxic concentrations
● Drug interactions
● Variability in drug response
SPECIAL PHARMACOLOGY
● Non steroidal and steroidal antiinflammatory drugs: mechanisms of action, pharmacological properties, modality of use, main adverse reactions
● Opioids and non opioids analgesics: mechanisms of action, pharmacological properties, therapeutic uses, tolerability
● Antiparkinson drugs

Examination Methods

Examination procedure

The exam is written, with single or multiple choice answers. An oral integration will be possible.