Ateneo - UPO

The course addresses the main biochemical-clinical, diagnostic, and pathological aspects of relevance to pharmacists, with particular attention to their application within pharmacy-based healthcare services. The first part focuses on the principles and main methodologies used in clinical biochemistry and laboratory diagnostics, the correct interpretation of laboratory data, and the assessment of the main parameters related to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, liver, kidney, bone, and gastrointestinal function, plasma proteins, haemoglobinopathies, porphyrias, and tumour markers. The approach integrates biochemical and metabolic foundations with the interpretation of clinical laboratory results and the analysis of cases of medical and healthcare relevance. The second part is devoted to the recognition and understanding of the main endocrine-metabolic and nutritional conditions that may be encountered in the pharmacy setting, including thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and electrolyte disturbances, with an overview of therapeutic approaches and relevant dietary supplements. The course also covers the principles of first aid in the pharmacy setting, with particular reference to the initial assessment of the patient, activation of the emergency medical system, theoretical principles of Basic Life Support, and recognition of the main cardiovascular, neurological, respiratory, and systemic emergencies, including chest pain, acute coronary syndromes, stroke, acute respiratory failure, hypertensive emergencies, altered states of consciousness, anaphylaxis, and syncope.

Elisabetta Albi, Biochimica clinica essenziale, Zanichelli, ISBN 978-88-08-72057-3.
Lecture slides, guidelines, scientific articles, and additional teaching materials provided by the lecturers during the course and made available through the University platforms.
For selected topics, recent scientific articles and additional reference materials may be recommended by the lecturers.

The course aims to provide students with integrated knowledge of clinical biochemistry, diagnostics, pathology, and first aid, with particular reference to their application within pharmacy-based healthcare services. By the end of the course, students should be able to understand the principles and applications of the main laboratory methodologies, interpret the results of common clinical biochemical tests, and relate their variations to the main physiological and pathological processes. The course also aims to develop the ability to recognize the main endocrine-metabolic and nutritional disorders, as well as the most common urgent and emergency conditions that may occur in a pharmacy setting, understanding their essential diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.
Particular attention will be given to the ability to integrate the acquired knowledge in order to appropriately assess the patient’s condition, recognize the limits of the pharmacist’s intervention, and, when necessary, refer the patient to a physician, out-of-hours medical care, or emergency services.

A good knowledge of the fundamentals of Biochemistry, Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, and Pharmacology is recommended for successful participation in the course. These subjects provide the necessary background to understand the main clinical biochemical and pathological processes, interpret laboratory data, and address the diagnostic, therapeutic, and first-aid topics covered during the course.

The course will be mainly delivered through lectures supported by presentations, teaching materials, guidelines, and scientific articles selected by the lecturers. The topics will be addressed by integrating clinical biochemical, diagnostic, and pathological aspects with practical examples and cases of medical and healthcare relevance, with particular attention to situations that may arise in the pharmacy setting. Teaching activities will be aimed not only at acquiring theoretical knowledge, but also at developing the ability to connect laboratory data, pathological conditions, and appropriate approaches to patient management.

Lecture slides and any additional teaching materials will be made available through the University platforms. Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request dedicated services, tools, and support measures by contacting the relevant University offices and consulting the dedicated institutional webpage. After contacting the University support services, students may also contact the course lecturers to agree, where necessary, on teaching arrangements and assessment procedures. Where relevant, attention will also be given to the gender dimension and to possible gender-related differences in physiological, pathological, diagnostic, and clinical aspects.

Assessment will be carried out according to the methods established for each module of the course.
For the Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics module, access to the oral examination will be conditional upon passing a preliminary test consisting of ten multiple-choice questions. During the oral examination, students will be assessed on their ability to connect different topics, understand the overall logic of metabolism from a medical and healthcare perspective, and describe the principles, applications, and interpretation of the results of the main clinical biochemical analyses.
For the Pathology and First Aid in Pharmacy module, assessment will consist of a written examination based on multiple-choice questions and/or open-ended questions covering the topics addressed during the course.
Overall, assessment will evaluate not only the acquisition of theoretical knowledge, but also the ability to integrate clinical biochemical data, pathological conditions, and principles of patient management within the pharmacy setting.

The course programme is organized into two main integrated areas.
The first area concerns clinical biochemistry and diagnostics. Topics include the principles of clinical biochemistry, the meaning of laboratory data, pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical variability, and the main criteria for interpreting laboratory results. The principal methodologies used in clinical laboratories will also be covered, including electrophoretic, immunological, radioimmunological, enzymatic, and immunoenzymatic techniques.
Particular attention will be given to the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, glucose homeostasis, the action of hormones involved in energy metabolism, and the main related pathological alterations. The course will also cover lipid and cholesterol metabolism and transport, plasma proteins, markers of liver and cardiac function, renal, bone and gastrointestinal function, as well as the analysis of urine, stool, hair and cerebrospinal fluid. Haemoglobinopathies, porphyrias, tumour markers, and selected infectious diseases will also be discussed.
The second area concerns pathology and first aid in the pharmacy setting. The main endocrine-metabolic disorders relevant to pharmacists will be addressed, including thyroid diseases, adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary disorders, electrolyte disturbances, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. Nutritional topics will include body composition, bioimpedance analysis, the use of dietary supplements, and contraindications to specific dietary regimens in patients with endocrine-metabolic disorders.
The first-aid section will cover the initial assessment of the patient, activation of the emergency medical system, and the theoretical principles of Basic Life Support. The main cardiovascular, neurological, respiratory, and systemic emergencies will also be discussed, including arrhythmias, chest pain, acute coronary syndromes, stroke, TIA, mild head trauma, acute respiratory failure, exacerbations of asthma and COPD, acute pulmonary oedema, hypertensive urgencies and emergencies, altered states of consciousness, anaphylaxis, and syncope.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:
-understand the main biochemical and metabolic processes underlying the physiological and pathological conditions covered in the course;
-interpret the significance of the main changes in clinical biochemical parameters and laboratory data;
-recognize the main endocrine-metabolic and nutritional disorders, as well as urgent and emergency conditions relevant to pharmacists;
-integrate clinical, biochemical, and diagnostic information for an appropriate initial assessment of the patient in the pharmacy setting;
-recognize the limits of the pharmacist’s professional role and identify when referral to a physician, out-of-hours medical care, or emergency services is required.
Overall, students will be expected to use the knowledge acquired throughout the course in an integrated manner in order to correctly interpret healthcare-related situations and appropriately contribute to patient management within pharmacy-based services.