NEWS

Pharmacology

Pharmacology is a Study of drugs and their origin, including their nature, properties and effects on living organisms, it studies and evaluates the drugs potential therapeutic value and throws light on the discovery, composition, identification, biological/physiological effects and use of drugs.

Objectives

 The broad goal of teaching undergraduate students in Pharmacology is to inculcate a rational and scientific basis for therapeutics.

Course Contents

 At the end of the course, the student shall be able to :
  1. Describe the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of essential and commonly used drugs :
  2. List of indications, contraindications, interactions and adverse reactions of commonly used drugs :
  3. Indicate the use of the appropriate drug in a particular disease with consideration to its cost efficacy and safety for
  4. Individual needs
  5. Mass therapy under the national health programme
  6. Describe the pharmacokinetic basis, clinical presentations, diagnosis and management of common poisonings.
  7. List the drugs of addiction and recommend the management.
  8. Classify environmental and occupational pollutants and state the management issues.
  9. Indicate causation in the prescription of drugs in special medical situations such as pregnancy, lactation, infancy and old age.
  10. Integrate rational drug therapy in clinical pharmacology State the principles underlying the concept of “Essential Drugs”.
  11. Evaluate the ethics and modalities in the development and introduction of new drugs.
 

SYLLABUS

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

a) Pharmacokinetics b) Pharmacodynamics c) Principles of therapeutics d) Concepts of essential drugs and rational drug therapy e) Special aspects of drugs in pregnancy, perinatal pediatric and geriatric pharmacology. f) Ethics and modalities of new drug development g) Adverse reactions to drugs and common drug interactions.

DRUGS ACTING AT SYNAPTIC AND NEURO EFFECTOR JUNCTION

a) Cholinergic and anticholinergic drugs b) Adrenergics and adrenergic blockers c) Drugs acting at Neuromuscular Junction and autonomic ganglia.

DRUGS ACTING ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

a) General anaesthetics b) Local anaesthetics c) Hypno sedatives d) Drugs and treatment of psychiatric disorders – psychosis, depression and mania. e) Drugs in the therapy of epilepsies f) Drugs in the therapy of migraine g) Drugs in the central nervous system degenerative disorders h) Opioid analgesics and antagonists i) Drug addiction and treatment

AUTOCOIDS

a) Histamine, Bradykinin, 5 HT and their antagonists b) Lipid-derived autocoids c) Analgesic – antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agents

DIURETICS AND OTHER AGENTS AFFECTING RENAL CONSERVATION OF WATER

DRUGS ACTING ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM, INCLUDING BLOOD a) Drugs used for the treatment of Myocardial ischemia, heart failure b) Anti-arrhythmic drugs c) Antihypertensives d) Lipid-lowering drugs e) Drug Therapy for shock f) Hematopoietic agents (growth factors, minerals, and vitamins) g) Anticoagulants, Thrombolytic and antiplatelet drugs

DRUG ACTING ON THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

a) Pharmacotherapy of cough b) Pharmacotherapy of bronchial asthma c) Therapeutic Gases

DRUGS AFFECTING GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION

CHEMOTHERAPY

a) Chemotherapy of microbial diseases
b) Chemotherapy of parasitic infections
c) Chemotherapy of neoplastic diseases
d) Antiseptics and disinfectants

DERMATOLOGICAL PHARMACOLOGY

DRUGS USED FOR IMMUNOMODULATION

ENDOCRINE PHARMACOLOGY

a) Hypothalamic and pituitary hormones.
b) Thyroid and antithyroid drugs
c) Adreno corticosteroids and their antagonists
d) Gonadal hormones and inhibitors
e) Panerealic hormones, and antidiabetic drugs
f) Agents that affect bone mineral homeostasis
ENZYMES IN THERAPY
VITAMINS

TOXICOLOGY

a) Principles of toxicology and treatment of poisoning
b) Heavy metals and antagonists.
c) Non-metallic environmental toxicants.

MISCELLANEOUS

 1) Drugs used in Parkinsonism
2) Drugs used in gout and (Rheumatoid arthritis)

SYLLABUS IN PRACTICAL PHARMACOLOGY

1) Prescription writing for common ailments.
2) Prescription audit
3) Patient-oriented problems relating to adverse drug reactions and common drug interactions.
4) Experiments designed for the study of the effects of drugs.
5) Critical evaluation of drug formulations
6) Dosage calculations
7) Pharmaco economic problems
8) Interpretation of clinical pharmacology data

Skills

 At the end of the course, the student shall be able to.
  1. Prescribe drugs for common ailments.
  2. Recognize adverse reactions and interactions of commonly used drugs.
  3. Observe experiments designed to study the effects of drugs, bio-assay and interpretation of the experimental data.
  4. Scan information on common pharmaceutical preparations and critically evaluate drug formulations.

Teaching & Learning Methods

 The following objectives will be covered using theory lectures, small group discussions, simulated clinical case discussions, therapeutic auditing, problem-based learning, e-learning and any other teaching-learning method the teacher chooses to select. An overlap between theory and practical classes will reinforce and complement the two. Points not covered in theory can be covered during practical classes. Integration: During the 7th and 8th semesters, clinical pharmacology with major focus on therapeutics will be taught. This will be done by integrated teaching wherein departments of Pharmacology, Medicine, Psychiatry, Paediatrics etc. will come together and discuss common clinical problems in case discussion. The focus will be on therapeutics.