Ateneo - UPO

The course introduces the fundamental principles of general pharmacology and the main processes involved in the development, action, and use of drugs, providing the knowledge required to understand the determinants of therapeutic efficacy and drug safety.

Goodman and Gilman's Pharmaceutical Basis of the Therapeutics - latest edition
Rossi, Cuomo, Riccardi: Farmacologia. Principi di base e applicazioni terapeutiche – latest edition
Rang & Dale: Pharmacology – latest edition

The General Pharmacology course aims to provide students with the fundamental knowledge required to understand the principles governing drug action and their use in clinical practice, thus laying the foundation for the subsequent study of Special Pharmacology.Through a qualitative and quantitative approach, the course is designed to develop students’ understanding of the processes involved in the discovery, development, and approval of medicinal products, as well as of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms underlying their efficacy and safety. Practical exercises will enable students to apply the acquired knowledge to the determination and interpretation of the main pharmacokinetic parameters.Finally, particular attention will be devoted to the factors responsible for variability in drug response, pharmacological interactions, and the principles of precision medicine.

Formal prerequisites (required preparatory courses):
Human anatomy, biochemistry, and human physiology.

The course consists of lectures supported by PowerPoint presentations, aimed at providing students with the theoretical knowledge related to the principles of general pharmacology. Teaching activities will also include practical pharmacokinetic exercises designed to promote the quantitative application of the concepts covered during the lectures and to foster the understanding of the main pharmacokinetic parameters.

The teaching material will be provided to students through DIR.
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-
students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The examination consists of a written test comprising one pharmacokinetics exercise and two open-ended questions covering the topics addressed during the course.
The examination is designed to assess the acquisition of both theoretical knowledge and practical skills related to the principles of general pharmacology. In particular, students are expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms, the main factors influencing drug response, and the fundamental aspects underlying drug efficacy and safety.
To pass the examination, students must demonstrate that they have acquired the core concepts of the discipline, both from a theoretical perspective, through the discussion of the topics covered by the open-ended questions, and from an applied perspective, through the correct solution and interpretation of the proposed exercise. A broader and more in-depth knowledge of the course contents, together with the ability to critically integrate the theoretical and quantitative aspects of the discipline and to independently interpret pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters, will lead to a higher grade.

The course is intended to provide the student the general principles of pharmacology, including:
- the discovery, development, and approval process of new drugs;
- clinical trials and the collection of evidence on the risk–benefit profile of drugs;
- pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination);
- practical pharmacokinetic exercises;
- pharmacodynamics (general principles underlying drug action);
- adverse drug reactions and general principles of pharmacovigilance;
- factors influencing drug response (drug- and patient-related factors, pharmaceutical and pharmacological interactions);
- pharmacogenetic biomarkers for precision medicine;
- neurotransmitter systems as drug targets;
- the pharmacology of substances of abuse.

Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- describe the main processes involved in the discovery, development, and approval of drugs;
- know the fundamental principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics;
- understand the mechanisms underlying drug efficacy and safety;
- know the main factors responsible for variability in drug response, including pharmacological interactions;
- know the general principles of pharmacovigilance and the role of pharmacogenetic biomarkers in precision medicine;
- understand the functioning of the major neurotransmitter systems and their role as pharmacological targets;
- know the pharmacology of the main substances of abuse.

Applying knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- interpret the main pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters;
- apply the principles of general pharmacology to the evaluation of drug efficacy and safety;
- critically analyze the factors influencing the response to pharmacological treatments;
- solve quantitative pharmacokinetic exercises and interpret their results.

Making judgements
At the end of the course, students will be able to critically evaluate the main determinants of drug response and interpret pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data in a clinical context.

Communication skills
At the end of the course, students will be able to use pharmacological terminology appropriately and communicate the main concepts of the discipline clearly.

Learning skills
At the end of the course, students will be able to integrate the knowledge acquired with the contents of Special Pharmacology and subsequent clinical courses.