Basic and clinical pharmacology and toxicology II
Dr R G King (Pharmacology)
The aim of this subject is to provide a sound understanding of the principles underlying the actions of drugs which, when integrated with teaching in other subjects, will provide an essential background to obtain necessary information for the subsequent prescription of drugs with full appreciation of their mechanisms of action (pharmacodynamics), the way in which the body handles them (pharmacokinetics), their use in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease (therapeutics) and minimisation of adverse drug actions and interactions (toxicology). The aim of teaching and learning pharmacology is to enable the student to acquire sufficient understanding and knowledge of the concepts and theory underlying drug actions to take a rational approach to the use of current and future drugs. Representative drugs of established classes are specifically dealt with to provide an essential background for further learning.
Assessment
Examinations - First semester (1 hour): 20% * Second semester (2 hours): 77% * Written (practical report): 3%
Preliminary reading
Levine R R Pharmacology: Drug actions and reactions 4th edn, Little Brown, 1991
Prescribed texts
Katzung B G Basic and clinical pharmacology 4th edn, Appleton and Lange, 1989
Recommended texts
Gilman A G and others Goodman and Gilman's `The pharmacological basis of therapeutics' 8th edn, Pergamon, 1990
Speight T M (ed.) Avery's `Drug treatment': Principles and practice of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 3rd edn, Adis Press, 1987