MONASH UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOKS
Medicine Handbook 1996
Published by Monash University
Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
MED3042
Basic and clinical pharmacology and toxicology II
Associate Professor R G King (Pharmacology)
Objectives On completion of this unit, students should (1) be able to
integrate the several aspects of pharmacology introduced in earlier topic
teaching as a basis for further teaching and study of rational drug therapy;
(2) appreciate the principles of selective toxicity that underlie rational use
of antimicrobial, antineoplastic and immuno-suppressant drugs; (3) understand
the mechanisms and principles underlying adverse reactions to prescribed and
`over-the-counter' drugs, alcohol, tobacco and drugs of abuse, and exposure to
chemicals, whether occupational, environmental or accidental; and (4) be able
to critically evaluate some elements of pharmaceutical promotional material.
Synopsis 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 hr): 20% + Second semester
(2 hrs): 65% + Written (practical report): 5% + Assignment: 10%
Preliminary reading
- Levine R R Pharmacology: Drug actions and reactions 4th edn, Little
Brown, 1991
Prescribed texts
- Katzung B G Basic and clinical pharmacology 6th edn, Appleton and
Lange, 1994
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
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