81 lectures and 63 hours of practical work
The aims of the subject are (i) to extend the knowledge of students in areas of systematic pharmacology not covered in the `Pharmacology I' course, (ii) to provide students with a greater knowledge of disease states and the rational treatment of these diseases by drugs and (iii) to consider biological aspects of drug development.
General objectives
In this teaching program students are expected to develop:
understanding of principles of receptor differentiation, drug-receptor interactions and receptor-transduction mechanisms; pharmacological mechanisms by which drugs of various classes may alter biochemical, physiological or pathophysiological parameters to produce therapeutic or unwanted effects; the particularities of the pharmacological, toxicological and pharmacokinetic properties of individual compounds within drug classes as they impinge on their therapeutic use; the basic biochemistry of body constituents, metabolism, regulatory mechanisms and molecular biology; common disease states and their aetiology; the rational approach to the treatment of these diseases by drugs, drug choice in relation to individual patients and non-drug treatment modalities;
abilities in the areas of observation and measurement of pharmacological and biochemical processes; assessment and integration of pharmacological information as it relates to wanted and unwanted effects produced by drugs;
an appreciation of integrated physiological functions, pathophysiological sequelae and pharmacological perturbations as they affect bodily functions; the differing pharmacological approaches available for the treatment of individual diseases; the pharmacist's role in optimising drug therapy; social aspects of pharmacology, the abuse and misuse of prescription and nonprescription drugs and other chemicals; biological aspects of drug development, toxicity testing, clinical trials and drug registration; the integration of knowledge as it applies to the role of the pharmacist in the health team.
Syllabus
Endocrinology. Hypothalamic and feedback controls on the release of anterior and posterior pituitary hormones. The physiology of growth hormone; prolactin; thyroxine and triiodothyronine; corticosteroids; oestrogens, progestagens and androgens; vasopressin and oxytocin; insulin and glucagon; parathyroid hormone, calcitonin and vitamin D. Endocrine disorders, their pathophysiology and treatment. The use of natural and synthetic hormones and drugs which alter endocrine function; antithyroid, antidiabetic and antifertility agents.
Pharmacology and therapeutics. The physiology and pathology associated with disease states and clinical conditions in various organs and body systems as a background to sites for potential pharmacological activity; the pharmacology of drug groups and individual drugs within these groups as a basis for rational drug therapy and the understanding of side-effects; comparisons between pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in disease treatment and the rational matching of pharmacological treatments with individual patient profiles. Cardiovascular diseases; arrhythmias, peripheral vascular disease, ischaemic heart disease, shock and congestive heart failure. Gastroenterology; antiulcer drugs, laxatives, antidiarrhoeal agents. The respiratory tract; asthma, bronchitis, bronchodilators, expectorants, mucolytics. Inflammatory disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, gout; nonnarcotic analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents, uricosuric agents. Uterine relaxants and stimulants. Bladder, disorders of micturition. Drugs acting on cell division. The chemotherapy of cancer, carcinogens and immunosuppressant agents.
Central nervous system physiology, pharmacology and therapeutics. The reticular formation, wakefulness and limbic system. The EEG; sleep and epilepsy; antiepileptic drugs, hypnotics, sedatives and anaesthetics. Disorders of locomotion. Aetiology and therapy of Huntington's chorea. Parkinson's disease and spasticity. The role of limbic system, medulla and hypothalamus in the regulation of temperature, food and water intake, coughing, vomiting, respiration, emotion and behaviour. Antipyretics, anorectics, antitussives, emetics and antiemetics, respiratory stimulants, analeptics. Psychiatric disorders and their treatment, tranquillisers, antidepressants, psychomotor stimulants. Narcotics and narcotic analgesics. Headache.
Drug abuse and misuse. Dependence, addiction, tolerance, desensitisation. Dependence characteristics and treatment of abuse of hallucinogens, cocaine and other stimulants, alcohol and cannabis, barbiturates and other depressants, narcotics, tobacco and volatile agents.
Developmental pharmacology. Selection of target molecules; preclinical evaluations; phase I, II and III clinical trials; governmental requirements; post-marketing surveillance; iatrogenic disease, drug interactions. Toxicity testing of drugs and other chemicals, epidemiology; environmental toxicology and industrial diseases.
Practical
Practical classes are designed to provide experience through in vivo and in vitro experiments, seminars and discussion groups to illustrate and extend principles discussed in the lecture course.
Textbooks
Recommended texts
Students should retain textbooks utilised in `Pharmacology I'.
Reference books
Greenspan F S Basic and clinical endocrinology 4th edn, Appleton and Lange, 1994
Melmon K L and others Melmon and Morelli's `Clinical pharmacology: Basic principles in therapeutics' 3rd edn, McGraw-Hill, 1992
Priestman T J Cancer chemotherapy: An introduction 3rd edn, Springer-Verlag, 1989
Speight T M Avery's `Drug treatment: Principles and practice of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics' 3rd edn, Adis, 1987
Victorian College of Pharmacy Pharmacology II laboratory manual VCP, 1995
Assessment
Subject assessment will reflect the learning objectives outlined above. Methods of assessment will include:
Tests: 10%
Practical work: 15%
End-of-year examinations (2 x 2 hours): 75%