13880 - Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes will be the most important knowledge of natural, sinthetic and biotechnologic drugs both at experimental (pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, adverse effects) and at clinical level. To this aim the student will know the drug doses and the most important therapeutic strategies, including the drug associations, and the therapeutic contraindications; the student will be able to evaluate the risk/benefit and cost/benefit ratios of a drug therapy.

Course contents

PHARMACOLOGY AND PHARMACOTHERAPY

Course I -  Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy - Prof. Giorgio Cantelli Forti (64 ore)

Course II - Neuropsicopharmacology – Prof. Giorgio Cantelli Forti (24 ore)

Contents:

1. CHEMOTHERAPY

Chemotherapy of microbial diseases

-        Antiviral agents.

-       Antimicrobial agents: general considerations. Sulfonamides, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, quinolones, and agents for urinary tract infections. Penicillins, cephalosporins, and other b-lactam antibiotics. The aminoglycosides. Tetracycline, chloramphenicol, eritromycin and miscellaneous antibacterial agents. Drugs used in the chemotherapy of tuberculosis and leprosy.

-        Antifungal agents.

Chemotherapy of parasitic infections

-       Drugs used in the chemotherapy of protozoal infections: malaria, amebiasis, giardiasis and other protozoal infections.

-        Drugs used in the chemotherapy of helminthiasis

Chemotherapy of neoplastic diseases

-        Cytotoxic drugs

-        Hormones

-        Other active agents

2. NEUROPHARMACOLOGY

a) Drugs acting at synaptic and neuroeffector junctional sites

-        Neurotransmission: the autonomic and somatic motor nervous systems.

-        Colinergic agonists

-        Anticholinesterase agents.

-        Atropine, scopolamine and other muscarinic receptor antagonists.

-        Catecholamines, sympathomimetic drugs, and adrenergic receptor antagonists.

b) Drugs acting on the central nervous system

-        Neurotransmission and the central nervous system.

-        General and local anesthetics (brief mentioning).

-        Hypnotics and sedatives.

-        Drugs and the treatment of psychiatric disorders: psychosis and mania.

-        Drugs and the treatment of psychiatric disorders: depression and anxiety disorders.

-        Drugs effective in the therapy of the epilepsies.

-        Drugs for the treatment of Parkinson's disease; muscle relaxants.

-        Opioid analgesics and antagonists.

3. AUTACOIDS; DRUG THERAPY OF INFLAMMATION

-        Histamine, bradykinin, and their antagonists.

-        Lipid-derived autacoids: eicosanoids and platelet-activating factor.

-        Analgesic-antipyretic and antiinflammatory agents and drugs employed in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

-        Drugs used in the treatment of gout.

4. CARDIOVASCULAR PHARMACOTHERAPY

a) Cardiovascular drugs

-        Renin and angiotensin.

-        Drugs used for the treatment of angina pectoris: organic nitrates, CA2+ channel blockers, b-adrenergic receptor antagonists

-        Antihypertensive agents and the drug therapy of hypertension.

-        Cardiac glycosides

-        Antiarrhythmic drugs.

-        Drug therapy for dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis.

b) Drugs affecting renal function and electrolyte metabolism

-        Diuretics and other drugs for edema.

-        Agents affecting the renal conservation of water.

5. DRUGS AFFECTING RESPIRATORY APPARATUS

-        Cough suppressants.

-        Expectorans, mucolytics.

-        Bronchodilators.

-        Drugs used in the treatment of asthma.

6. DRUGS AFFECTING GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION

-        Agents used for control of gastric acidity and treatment of peptic ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

-        Prokinetic agents, antiemetics, and agents used in irritable bowel syndrome.

-       Agents used for diarrhea, constipation, and inflammatory bowel disease; agents used for biliary and pancreatic disease.

7. DRUGS AFFECTING HEMOSTASIS

-        Anticoagulant, thrombolytic, and antiplatelet drugs.

8. HORMONES AND HORMONE ANTAGONISTS

-        Thyroid and antithyroid drugs.

-        Estrogens and progestins.

-        Contraceptive drugs.

-        Androgens.

-       Adrenocorticotropic hormone; corticosteroids and their synthetic analogs; inhibitors of the synthesis and actions of corticosteroids.

-       Insulin, oral hypoglycemic agents, and the pharmacology of the endocrine pancreas.

-       Agents affecting calcification and bone turnover: calcium, parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, calcitonin, and other compounds.

Readings/Bibliography

GOLAN D.E., TASHJIAN A.H. Jr. “Principi di Farmacologia. Le basi fisiopatologiche della terapia”, ed. it. a cura di Biggio G., Monti E., Parolaro D., Perletti G., Milano, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2006.

KATZUNG B.G. "Farmacologia Generale e Clinica", VII ed. it. a cura di Preziosi P., Padova, Piccin Editore, 2009.

ROSSI F., V. CUOMO, C. RICCARDI (a cura di) "Farmacologia. Principi di base e applicazioni terapeutiche", Torino, Edizioni Minerva Medica, 2005.

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Oral examination.

Teaching tools

PC

Slides

Overhead projector

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Cantelli Forti