Course Syllabus
Aims
Main aim of the course is to provide students with the pharmacology of major endocrine- and nephro-pathologies. A general description of main hormones and drugs modulating hypothalamic and pituitary activity, thyroid, adrenal glands and gonadal function, affecting bone mineral homeostasis, together with information on drugs acting at the lower urinary tract will be given. Mechanism of action, therapeutic properties, drug interactions, and side effects will also be presented.
Contents
Main classes of drugs, mechanisms of action, drug interactions and precautions.
Detailed program
Hypothalamic and pituitary hormones (somatotropin and growth hormone antagonists, gonadotropin, gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs and antagonists, prolactin, oxytocin and oxytocin antagonists, vasopressin and vasopressin antagonists.
Thyroid and antithyroid drugs (thyroid hormones and antithyroid agents, management of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism).
Adrenocorticosteroids and adrenocortical antagonists (hydrocortisone and synthetic corticosteroids, mineralocorticoids, adrenal androgens, antagonists of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids).
Gonadal drugs (estrogens, progestins and other ovarian hormones, hormonal contraception, estrogen and progesterone inhibitors and antagonists, androgens and anabolic steroids, androgen suppression and antiandrogens).
Agents that affect bone mineral homeostasis (parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, FGF23, calcitonin, glucocorticoids, estrogens, bisphosphonates, denosumab, calcimimetics, fluoride, therapy of hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia).
Drugs for diseases of the lower urinary tract.Prerequisites
Propaedeutic skills
Teaching form
Frontal lectures
Clinical case description and analysis
In the event of pandemic emergency period, the lectures and clinical case/problem discussions will be held remotely by synchronous online videoconference or recorded video lectures available on demand
All course activities will be held in English language
Textbook and teaching resource
Bertram G. Katzung “Basic and clinical pharmacology” 14th Edition. LANGE
Goodman & Gilman “The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics” 13th Edition, Laurence L. Brunton, Randa Hilal-Dandan, Björn C. Knollmann. McGraw-Hill Education
Rang & Dale “Pharmacology” 14th Edition, Elsevier.
Semester
Second Semester
Assessment method
Multiple choice test comprising 30 questions with only one correct answer (among 4/5) aimed at evaluating global comprehension of course program. Each correct answer is scored 1.
Oral examination on the topics covered during the lectures, discussion on clinical problem solving and clinical case analysis
All assessments will be done in English language
In the event of pandemic emergency period, only telematic exams will be available. They will be carried out using the WebEx platform and on the e-learning page there will be displayed a public link where possible virtual spectators may get access and assist to the examination.