This unit provides an introduction to the study of pharmacology. Four important areas of pharmacology are covered: (1) an introduction to drugs and medicines; pharmacotherapy and the legal and ethical foundations of pharmacotherapy; (2) the principles of pharmacology-pharmacodynamics: the molecular aspects of drug action and fundamental concepts of drug-target interactions, receptor families and signalling pathways; (3) the principles of pharmacology-pharmacokinetics and routes of administration and (4) Drugs affecting the peripheral nervous system - an overview of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Prerequisites
HBM1001 - Anatomy and Physiology 1
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Learning Outcomes
| 1. | Explain how drugs are sourced, named and classified and discuss the quality use of medicines and authoritative sources for drug information; | ||
| 2. | Articulate the basic principles of pharmacological concepts: pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamics and associated medicinal chemistry; | ||
| 3. | Apply knowledge from other scientific disciplines to explain the potential therapeutic and adverse effects of drugs; | ||
| 4. | Interpret and explain the clinical indications for and adverse effects of autonomic nervous system agonists and antagonists and somatic agents. |
Assessment
| Assessment type | Description | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Professional Website Based Module (120 mins) | 20% |
| Exercise | Worksheet | 25% |
| Test | Test 3 MCQ Test (40 minutes) | 20% |
| Presentation | Case Study Presentation (1000 words) | 35% |
Required reading
Pharmacology for health professionals. 5th ed.
Bryant, B. and Knights, K. (2018)
Sydney: Mosby Elsevier
Where to next?
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