Ateneo - UPO

In summary, the course is structured in the following phases:
- Definition of drug, pharmacology and pharmaceutical form. Prescribing tables
- Pharmacokinetics: constants and therapeutic protocols
- Pharmacodynamics: bases and general mechanisms, neurotransmission and modulation of primary biological systems.
First of all, the definitions of active, medicament, toxic and the origin of drugs will be studied, as well as the different types of medicinal or magisterial pharmaceutical preparation. The most common pharmaceutical forms will be analyzed, with hints on the responsibility of the doctor in the pharmacological prescription.
With regard to pharmacokinetics, the main routes of administration and absorption of drugs will be described, together with the general parameters, absorption kinetics and the type of tissue barriers present in the body. The main constants of the distribution will be analyzed in detail, together with the factors that influence the speed of distribution to the various compartments.
Drug metabolism will be examined in detail, together with the factors that modify it. Particular attention will be paid to the analysis of the key parameters of pharmacokinetics, which will be useful in deciding the correct dosage.
In the section dedicated to pharmacodynamics, the drug-receptor interactions with the constants that describe them will be analyzed. The quantitative aspects of drug responses and the analysis of dose-response curves, with the quantification of responses to agonists and antagonists will be analyzed in detail, in addition to the study of the main receptor types.
Finally, the details of neurotransmission and modulation of primary biological systems will be studied, together with notions of neuropharmacology and pharmacology of complex systems. The course ends with notions on the general principles of chemotherapy and drug resistance.

Pharmacology: principi di base e applicazioni terapeutiche, a cura di F. Rossi, V. Cuomo, C. Riccardi, Edizioni Minerva Medica
Le basi farmacologiche della terapia, Goodman e Gilman, Mc Graw-Hill
Farmacologia, Rang H.P., Dale M.M., Ritter J.M e Moore P.K., Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

The main purpose of the course is to provide a solid foundation for the correct and rational use of drugs. The student will deepen their knowledge of all aspects of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics that characterize the pharmacological activity of a molecule and which are the basis of the correct dosage.

Knowledge of Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophysiology is fundamental for understanding the course.

Frontal teaching in the classroom with support Power Point presentations

The teacher receives on Tuesday afternoon from 2 to 6 pm. An appointment by e-mail is welcome. The teacher will answer via email to any question or doubt to the students.

The oral exam consists of a part related to pharmacodynamics and a part related to pharmacokinetics, with a single final grade.

Evaluation criteria:
- 25- 30 points if complete answer, understanding of the principles of drug therapy:
- 18-24 points partially comprehensive, partially recognizes care needs/problems and manages them not completely correctly
- < 18 points if not exhaustive, does not recognize assistance needs/problems and does not know how to manage them correctly

Structural phases of the course:
1) Definition of drug and pharmacology
2) Pharmacokinetics
3) Pharmacodynamics: bases and general mechanisms
4) Pharmacodynamics: Neurotransmission and modulation of primary biological systems

Detailed description of the topics

INTRODUCTION:
Definition of Drug, Pharmaceutical Forms.

PHARMACOKINETICS:
Absorption and routes of drug administration:
Distribution of drugs
Elimination of drugs.
Drug metabolism.
Pharmacokinetic parameters.
Dosages and plasma concentration of drugs.
Interactions between drugs (mechanisms and classification).
Individual variability in drug response, pharmacogenetics and abnormal drug responses.

PHARMACODYNAMICS: BASES AND GENERAL MECHANISMS
Drug-receptor interaction.
Quantitative aspects of drug responses.
Drug-receptor interaction and quantitative response.
Drugs Agonists, partial agonists / antagonists (AP), inverse agonists.
Competitive, non-competitive allosteric and irreversible antagonists.
Molecular basis of drug action: Specificity of receptors and signal transduction.
Channel receptors, G protein-coupled receptors, Guanylate cyclase-associated receptors, Membrane receptors associated with tyrosino-kinase activity, Intracellular and nuclear receptors.
Modulation of receptor responses.
Pharmacological control of transport across cell membranes.

The main neurotransmitters.

PHARMACODYNAMICS:
NEUROTRANSMISSION AND MODULATION OF PRIMARY BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
Catecholaminergic transmission and related drugs (dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline):
Cholinergic transmission and related drugs.
Serotonergic transmission and related drugs.
Glycinergic transmission GABAergic and related drugs.
Peptidergic transmission and related drugs.
Purinergic transmission
Excitatory amino acids.
Autacoids:
Histaminergic neurotransmission
Nitroxide Pharmacology
The cascade of arachidonic acid

The expected learning outcomes are non-notional knowledge of the topics covered, the critical ability to tackle the topics transversally and to place knowledge in context, and the ability to understand the correct therapeutic use of the main active ingredients.