Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to prepare the student to understand the pharmacological basis of the therapy and the pharmacological profiles of the most commonly used drugs. Every single topic will be treated in terms of the pathophysiological description of the disease, the mechanism of action of the mainly used drugs and their profile of side effects.
Expected learning outcomes
The candidate must be able to demonstrate that he/she has understood the pharmacological profile and the rationale for each drug, demonstrating the ability to assess the benefit/risk ratio inherent to their use.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Linea AK
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Aims
The course will provide students with notions on the mechanisms that regulate drug-body relationships, and on the mode of action and therapeutic use of various classes of drugs.
Program
General principles - Pharmacokinetics: drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination. Drug interactions.
Drugs acting on the central nervous system - Etiology of psychiatric disorders, mood disorders and antidepressants; Schizophrenia and antipsychotic drugs; Bipolar disorder - antimanic drugs and mood stabilizers; Anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic drugs; Substances of abuse and drug addiction; Parkinson's disease pharmacy; Pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's and dementias; Pharmacotherapy of epilepsy: anticonvulsant drugs; Anesthetic drugs; Pain pharmacotherapy: narcotic and opioid analgesics.
Drugs affecting cardiovascular function - Atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Drugs affecting lipid metabolism. Therapy of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and gout. Anti-hypertensive drugs: adrenergic agonists and antagonists, calcium channel blockers, potassium channel modulators, NO donors, diuretics, inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Thrombolytic, antithrombotic and anticoagulant agents. Treatment of acute coronary syndromes and of heart failure.
Autacoids and inflammation - Steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Treatment of asthma.
Drugs affecting gastrointestinal function - Emetics and anti-emetics, drugs affecting gastric acidity and intestinal motility.
Chemotherapy - Immunomodulating agents. Antineoplastic agents: alkylating agents, antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkaloids, novel approaches to the therapy of neoplastic diseases. Antiviral agents. Antimicrobial agents: general considerations; sulfonamides and trimethoprim; agents affecting the synthesis of bacterial cell wall; agents inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides, oxazolidinones. Agents affecting nucleic acid synthesis: rifamycins, quinolones and fluoroquinolones.
Drugs for eating disorders
Pharmacology of the female gonadal axis
Pharmacology of the adrenal gland
The course will provide students with notions on the mechanisms that regulate drug-body relationships, and on the mode of action and therapeutic use of various classes of drugs.
Program
General principles - Pharmacokinetics: drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination. Drug interactions.
Drugs acting on the central nervous system - Etiology of psychiatric disorders, mood disorders and antidepressants; Schizophrenia and antipsychotic drugs; Bipolar disorder - antimanic drugs and mood stabilizers; Anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic drugs; Substances of abuse and drug addiction; Parkinson's disease pharmacy; Pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's and dementias; Pharmacotherapy of epilepsy: anticonvulsant drugs; Anesthetic drugs; Pain pharmacotherapy: narcotic and opioid analgesics.
Drugs affecting cardiovascular function - Atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Drugs affecting lipid metabolism. Therapy of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and gout. Anti-hypertensive drugs: adrenergic agonists and antagonists, calcium channel blockers, potassium channel modulators, NO donors, diuretics, inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Thrombolytic, antithrombotic and anticoagulant agents. Treatment of acute coronary syndromes and of heart failure.
Autacoids and inflammation - Steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Treatment of asthma.
Drugs affecting gastrointestinal function - Emetics and anti-emetics, drugs affecting gastric acidity and intestinal motility.
Chemotherapy - Immunomodulating agents. Antineoplastic agents: alkylating agents, antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkaloids, novel approaches to the therapy of neoplastic diseases. Antiviral agents. Antimicrobial agents: general considerations; sulfonamides and trimethoprim; agents affecting the synthesis of bacterial cell wall; agents inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides, oxazolidinones. Agents affecting nucleic acid synthesis: rifamycins, quinolones and fluoroquinolones.
Drugs for eating disorders
Pharmacology of the female gonadal axis
Pharmacology of the adrenal gland
Prerequisites for admission
General knowledge of physiology, pathology and biochemistry
Teaching methods
The aim of the course is make students able to understand the general mechanisms that regulate the drug-organism relationship and the action of drugs in different pathologies. At the end of the course the student should be able to know and understand the general and specific mechanisms of action of drugs and the pharmacotherapeutic guidelines in the main diseases. It should also have the cultural tools that make it able to independently study the areas of pharmacology not covered during the course, to follow the evolution of a discipline in continuous and rapid renewal, and to understand the rationale behind the development of new drugs.
The course provides notions on the action of drugs in pharmacokinetic terms (absorption, distribution, biotransformation, excretion), pharmacodynamics (mechanism of molecular, cellular, organ and apparatus action; toxicity) and pharmacotherapeutics (posology; combined therapies; notions of special pathology, indications, side effects, contraindications).
The course provides notions on the action of drugs in pharmacokinetic terms (absorption, distribution, biotransformation, excretion), pharmacodynamics (mechanism of molecular, cellular, organ and apparatus action; toxicity) and pharmacotherapeutics (posology; combined therapies; notions of special pathology, indications, side effects, contraindications).
Teaching Resources
Basic and Clinical Pharmacology 14/e (LANGE Basic Science) Last edition
Bertram Katzung
· Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, Last Edition
Bertram Katzung
· Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, Last Edition
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral examination.
Vote verbalized from 1/30 to 30/30
During the exam, questions will be asked about the different categories of drugs that were covered during the lessons. Particular attention will be paid to the mechanism of action of drugs, therapeutic dosages, side effects and potential interactions with other drugs. Brief notes on the pathologies for which the drugs are used will obviously be required (explained extensively during the lessons).
Vote verbalized from 1/30 to 30/30
During the exam, questions will be asked about the different categories of drugs that were covered during the lessons. Particular attention will be paid to the mechanism of action of drugs, therapeutic dosages, side effects and potential interactions with other drugs. Brief notes on the pathologies for which the drugs are used will obviously be required (explained extensively during the lessons).
BIO/14 - PHARMACOLOGY - University credits: 8
Lessons: 64 hours
Professor:
Fumagalli Fabio
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Fumagalli FabioLinea LZ
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
BIO/14 - PHARMACOLOGY - University credits: 8
Lessons: 64 hours
Professor:
Corsini Alberto
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Corsini AlbertoProfessor(s)