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LO1 define and describe common terms used in pharmacology

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Pharmacology
- Study of drugs and its effects on living cells, systems
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Pharmacodynamics
- Study of the interaction between drug and its molecular target and the pharmacological response
- Action of drug on body- what drug does
- Qualitative and quantitative
- Pharmacodynamics: Quantitative aspects
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Magnitude of response
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Potency
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Therapeutic efficacy

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Tolerance
- Pharmacodynamics: Qualitative aspects
- How do they produce their effects?
- Targets for drug action?
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Nucleic acids
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Proteins:
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Receptors

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Ion channels

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Enzyme

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Carrier molecules

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Pharmacokinetics
- Fate of drug- what the body does with the drug
- Absorption
- Distribution
- Metabolism
- Excretion
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Pharmacotherapeutics
- Use of drug to cure disease
- Use of drug to delay progression
- Use of drug to alleviate signs/symptoms
- Use of drug to facilitate nonpharmacologic therapy
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Pharmacogenomics
- Use of patient’s genetic information to guide the choice of drug therapy
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Toxicology
- Study of the nature, properties, identification, effects, and treatment of poisons
- Study of adverse drug reactions
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Side-effect
- Drug effect that is not the primary purpose for giving the drug for a particular condition
- Desirable or undesirable
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Adverse drug reactions
- Unintended and undesirable response to a drug
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Pharmacy
- Branch of science dealing with the manufacture, preparation and dispensing of drugs
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Pharmaceutics
- Science of preparation and dispensing of drugs
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Formulation
- Form in which the drug is administered
- Tablet
- IV
- Injection
- Eye drop
- Aerosol
- Ointment
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Indication
- Illness or disorder for which a drug has a documented specific usefulness
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Contraindication
- Situation or condition in which a drug:
- Should not be used
- Used with caution
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LO2 locate and begin to interpret high quality drug information

- JCU databases (login needed)
- MIMS online
- Therapeutic Guidelines
- Australian Medicines Handbook
- AusDI
- Drugbank.ca, drugs.com, rxlist.com
- Rang & Dale’s Pharmacology
- Goodman & Gilman’s The pharmacological basis of therapeutics
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LO3 describe the different systems used to name and classify drugs and give examples of each
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Sources of Drugs

- Microorganisms:
- Fungi - many antibacterial drugs
- Statins - treat hypercholesterolemia (risk factor for CHD)
- Plants:
- Humans or other animals
- Mineral or other mineral products
- Synthesized in laboratories
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Drug names
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Amoxicillin naming
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Drug scheduling
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Drug schedules
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LO4 outline the stages of drug discovery and development
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LO5 describe the main groups of molecular targets for drugs, including the 4 types of receptors
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LO6 explain the different ways by which drugs can act on these targets, giving examples
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LO7 define and contrast agonists and antagonists
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LO8 describe the terms affinity and efficacy, and explain how they relate to drug action at receptors
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LO9 compare the different types of receptor agonists and antagonists
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LO10 describe the relationship between drug concentration and effect
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LO11 measure EC50s and interpret the relationship to potency
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LO12 explain and illustrate the difference between full and partial agonists
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LO13 describe the concepts of constitutive activity and inverse agonism