PHARMACOLOGY
Learning outcomes of the course unit
Knowledge of principles of general pharmacology. Knowledge of neuromuscolar drugs, of drugs used for central and pheripheral nervous system, and of drugs for osteoarticular disease.
Capability of applying knowledge to conditions of interest for the physiotherapist.
Prerequisites
Adequate bases of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, anatomy
Course contents summary
Elements of general pharmacology: pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Modifiers of drug effects. Drug toxicity. Special pharmacology: neuromuscolar drugs, pain therapy, antiinflammatory drugs, antirheumatic and antigout drugs.
Course contents
General pharmacology. What is pharmacology. Drugs. Basic pharmacodynamics: sites and mechanisms of action, agonists and antagonists, the dose-effect relationship.
Basic pharmacokinetics: how drugs reach their site of action, routes of administration, drug adsorption. Drug-protein binding and drug biodistribution.
Drug biotransformation. Drug excretion. Pharmacokinetic parameters: bioavailability, apparent distribution volume, plasma drug half-life, clearance. Conditions modifying drug effects: drug interactions, the importance of patient conditions. Tolerance and resistance. Drug toxicity: collateral and unwanted events.
Special pharmacology:
Neuromuscular drugs: depolarizing and competitive blocking agents, botulinum, central (GABAergic) and preripheral myorelaxant agents. Drugs for myasthenia gravis: anticholinesterase drugs, steroids, immunosuppressant drugs.
Anti-Parkinson agents.
Analgesic drugs: opiates and non-opiate analgesics; local anesthetics.
Antiinflammatory drugs: NSAIDs, steroids (glucocorticoids).
Antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), antigout drugs (colchicine, allopurinol, uricosuric agents). Drugs used in bone disorders: Vitamin D, calcitonin and bisphosphonates.
Drugs for Arthrosis: condroprotective drugs.
Recommended readings
PC Panus, B Katzung, EE Jobst, SL Tinsley, SB Master, AJ Trevor.
"Farmacologia in Riabilitazione" Ed. Italiana a cura di V. Locatelli 2014.
Dale, Haylett "Elementi di farmacologia" Compendio per l'esame. Ed. Mediche Scientifiche Internazionali EMSI;
Clark M.A.; Finkel R. "Le basi della farmacologia" 2° Edizione Italiana dalla 5° edizione americana, Zanichelli Editore, 2013.
Teaching methods
Interactive oral lessons
Assessment methods and criteria
No interim evaluation is programmed. The final evaluation will consist in an oral examination in which the student will discuss one of the subjects of the extended program.
