Ateneo - UPO

Pathophysiological Bases of Major Human Diseases

Harrison's Principles of Internal medicine 21th ed. 2022, Rugarli, Medicina Interna Sistematica ed.2021, Ettore Bartoli, Medicina interna, ed. 2010

To develop in students an understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to the development of recognizable clinical features in various diseases affecting each organ or system. Starting from pathophysiological alterations, students will learn to recognize differences from normal organic function and to suspect the presence of a specific disease. This will initiate a process of medical competence in which, from symptoms and/or symptom groups, clinical examination, and alterations in biohumoral data, students will progress to identifying and reconstructing the pathophysiological mechanisms inherent to many syndromes and diseases, enabling their recognition and clinical diagnosis. Students will also learn to systematically classify and describe internal diseases, their etiology, progression, symptomatic expression, potential complications, and understand the rational bases of their treatment.

Having passed the exams in Immunology and Fundamentals of Pathology, Medical Methodology and Semiotics

Frontal Lecture / Remote Multimedia Teaching

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Written exam with multiple-choice questions covering the subjects included in the integrated course and oral exam (integration with the medical semiotics course)

Pathophysiology of Heart Failure, reviews of physiology, heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction. Discusses mechanisms of myocardial damage and hemodynamic compensation. Covers pulmonary edema with clinical and pathophysiological notes. Shock is defined and classified into hypovolemic, cardiogenic, and distributive types, with discussions on pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical correlates, and pathophysiological treatment approaches. Features interactive discussion of clinical scenarios. Multi-organ syndrome, gas exchange, and physiology reminders are addressed, along with measures of oxygenation, alveolar hypoventilation, and calculation of the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient. Examines alterations in oxygen exchange with normal and increased gradients, including V/Q mismatch, diffusion impairment, and shunt. Discusses CO2 and oxygen transport, arterial oxygen content, and oxygen delivery. Explains the pathophysiological bases of acid-base balance alterations, carbonic acid buffer, respiratory and renal compensations, and the various changes in the acid-base balance, including acute and chronic respiratory acidosis, respiratory alkalosis, metabolic acidosis with anion gap, and metabolic alkalosis. Introduces a methodological approach to the interpretation of arterial blood gases with practical exercises and interactive discussion.

Pathophysiology of Essential and Secondary Hypertension: Discusses organ complications of hypertension. Deep vein thrombosis is reviewed including epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, clinical elements, and diagnostics. Pulmonary thromboembolism is covered, detailing its epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis.

Pathophysiology of Electrolyte Disorders: Explores hyponatremia with a pathophysiological approach to diagnosis, and the pathophysiology of hypernatremia, hypo- and hyperkalemia. Also details a methodological approach to the interpretation of the electrocardiogram and the basics of immune dysfunction.

The goal is for students to be able to recognize alterations from normal human physiology, hypothesize the presence of a pathology through knowledge of pathophysiological bases, and establish a diagnostic plan using laboratory and instrumental assessments for their resolution