Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE CPH2905

 
TITLE Drugs used in Pain, Inflammation, Fever, Rheumatology and Nephrology

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

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit will describe the molecular and clinical pharmacology of the various drugs used for the relief of pain, inflammation, fever, rheumatic disease and renal disorders. Both small molecule compounds as well as biotherapeutic agents will be addressed. Special focus will be made on the most commonly used drugs, and their efficacy and safety profiles.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to provide students with the necessary knowledge in order to understand and rationalize the modes of action and clinical applications of drugs used in various conditions. The pharmacology of drugs used to manage pain, inflammation and fever, as well as those used in rheumatology and nephrology will be discussed in this unit. The topics presented also aim to empower students with the necessary theoretical pharmacology requirements to enable them to participate in research on these respective drugs.

Learning Outcomes:

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

- Explain in detail the pharmacological principles underlying the actions of drugs used to manage pain, inflammation and fever, as well as those used in rheumatology and nephrology;
- Discuss safety issues associated with these drugs;
- Review the molecular and clinical pharmacology of these drugs.

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

- Apply the knowledge gained to practical clinical and molecular pharmacology research scenarios related to the drugs addressed in this study-unit;
- Compare and contrast different drugs which are used for the same condition, in terms of their clinical and molecular pharmacology.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main text:

- Ritter JM, Flower RJ, Henderson G, Loke YK, MacEwan D, Rang HP. Rang & Dale's Pharmacology. 9th Ed. 2019. Elsevier.
- Katzung B and Trevor A. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 15th Ed. 2020 McGraw-Hill Education.

Supplementary readings:

- Satoskar RS, Rege NN, Bhandarkar SD. Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics. 2015. Elsevier.
- Brunton L, Knollmann B, Hilal-Dandan R.Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 13th Ed. 2017. McGraw-Hill Education.

Journals:

- Molecular pharmacology. Published by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
- British Journal of Pharmacology. Published by the British Pharmacological Society.
- British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Published by the British Pharmacological Society.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Independent Study

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Examination (2 Hours) SEM2 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
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 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit