67022 - Pharmacology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student knows the pharmacotherapy of degenerative diseases, ageing diseases, and metabolic diseases. The student knows the integrated approaches between life style and drug therapy. The student knows the health risk linked to drug abuse and doping.

Course contents

Principles and methods of drug administration.

Factors that affect therapeutic outcomes: age, gender, physiological status, diseases.

Drug development: preclinical research, clinical trials.

Integrated approaches: life-style and pharmacotheraty

Modulation of cardiovascular function

Hypertension: Diuretics. Beta adrenergic receptors antagonists. ACE-inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists. Calcium channel antagonists. Alpha adrenergic receptor antagonists.

Angina pectoris: Organic nitrates. Beta adrenergic receptors antagonists. Calcium channel antagonists.

Pharmacotherapy of diabetes: Insulin therapy. Oral hypoglycemic agents: sulfonylureas, meglitinide, biguanides, thiazolidinediones, alfa-gluconidase inhibitors.

Drug therapy of dislipidemia: statins, bile-acid sequestrants, inhibitors of cholesterol uptake.

Pharmacotherapy for obesity: Anorexic drugs. Inhibitors of gastric lipase.

Bone mineral homeostasis: Bisphosphonates, Hormonnes.

Pharmacotherapy of neoplastic disease - General principles in the pharmacotherapy of cancer. Cancer therapy and common adverse events. Basic pharmacology of cancer chemotherapeutic drugs. Antimetabolites - Methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil: mechanism of action and adverse effects. Antitumur Antibiotic - Bleomycin: mechanism of action and adverse effects. Alkylating agents: mechanism of action and adverse effects. Natural product cancer chemotherapy drugs: Vinblastine, Vincristine. Physical activity in cancer prevention. Physical exercise in patients with cancer.

Pain management: Opioids. Inflammation: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Drugs that act in the Central Nervous System: Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs. Antidepressant agents.

Therapeutic treatment of athletes: correct use of drug. Risk/benefit of drug. Therapeutic Use Exemption. Drug abuse and sport: health risk assessment.

Readings/Bibliography

Goodman and Gilman's The pharmacological basic of Therapeutics. McGraw-Hill Medial Publishing Division

Teaching methods

Lectures with multimedia aids.

Assessment methods

The final test of Pharmacology is an oral exam

Exam session: there are at least 7 exam dates a year.

1st session (January-February 2027): 3 exam dates

2nd session (June-July 2027): 2 exam dates

3rd session (September 2027): 1 exam date

To check exam dates students can access AlmaEsami

The student will have to present two main topics of the program. The first topic is chosen by the student, the second is a question asked by the examining commission. Others specific questions can be asked for evaluating the student's preparation. Will be evaluated: the ability to expose topics correctly and critically; the clarity to expose and the ability to use the specific language of the discipline. The use of AI during examination is prohibited.

Graduation of the marks

Ability to analyze and present topics only with the help of the docent, sufficient use of technical language → 18-20. 

Ability to present topics correctly and comprehensively and good skills to use discipline-specific language → 21-25;

Ability to present topics correctly and comprehensively with critical analysis, full skill of specialist language of discipline → 26-29;

Excellent ability to present topics correctly, comprehensively with critical analysis and individual depth; full skill of specialist language of discipline → 30-30L

The final test of the Integrated Course “PHARMACOLOGY AND HEALTH PROMOTION CI" is an oral exam for both course unit, which must be taken on the same exam date.

The student will get a mark, for each course unit, on the basis of her/his capacity to answer questions. The two partial marks, in proportion to the number of credits (Epidemiology, 4CFU; Pharmacology, 6CFU), contribute to the final mark. The student passes the exam if he/she takes at least 18/30 in both course units.

Students with specific learning disorders (SLD) and/or temporary or permanent disabilities are encouraged to contact the University Office for Students with Disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders as early as possible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en). The Office will assess their needs and propose appropriate accommodations. Requests for examination accommodations must be submitted to the lecturer at least 15 days before the examination date. The lecturer will evaluate the requested accommodations, taking into account the intended learning outcomes of the course.

 

 

 

Teaching tools

Teaching aids: The teaching material presented at the lectures is available on "Virtuale" plarform of the Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Maffei