Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description



CODE CPH2600

 
TITLE Introduction to Applied Pharmacology and Toxicology for Environmental Health

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 2

 
DEPARTMENT Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit will provide a sound understanding of the principles underlying the therapeutic action of drugs and pharmacogenetic principles for environmental health students. It wil provide students with a general introduction to time course of drug in the body, applying pharmacokinetic principles in order to provide rational drug therapy and in understanding the implications and mechanisms of pharmacotoxicology.

Learning Objectives

i. To provide a sound understanding of the principles underlying the therapeutic action of drugs and pharmacogenetics
ii. To give students a general introduction to pharmacokinetics i.e. the determinants of the time course of the drug in the body, applying pharmacokinetic principles in order to provide rational drug therapy.
iii. To understand the mechanism, modes of actions and pharmacology of some classes of drugs and the implications and mechanisms of pharmacotoxicology

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of this study-unit, the student will be able to understand

- Principles of pharmacokinetics
- Drugs at extreme of age
- Modes of drug administration
- Modes of action of some classes of drugs
- various types of Drug formulations
- understand drug dependence and abuse
- Mechanisms of adverse drug reactions and interactions
- Principles in pharmacotoxicology
- principles of Pharmacogenetics

2. Skills
By the end of this study-unit, the student will be able to:

- Apply the basic principles of drug action in environmental health issues
- Apply knowledge of the molecular mode of action of drugs to specific clinical scenarios encountered in environmental health
- Manage drug related problems in environmental health appropriately
- Adopt a drug safety culture in environmental health
- Use principles in pharmacotoxicology in understanding treatment of poisoning.

Main texts:

- Humphrey P. Rang HP, Dale MM, Ritter JM, Flower R. Rang & Dale's Pharmacology. Churchill Livingstone. 6th Ed.
- British National Formulary. Pharmaceutical Press.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Students from all University courses which satisfy the following conditions:

(a) the course does not already include Pharmacology as an integral component,
(b) the course includes human biology-related and chemistry study areas which the student preferably already followed.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Examination (1 Hour) Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Maria A. Cordina
Claude A. Farrugia
Anthony Fenech
Janet Mifsud&nbsp(Co-ord.)
Charles Scerri
Patricia Vella Bonanno

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.


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