Pharmacology and Medical Calculations (3 cr)

Objectives (course unit)

The student is able to
- define and use pharmacological terms
- define various dosage forms and explain different routes of drug administration
- explain stages of a drug within a human body and the effects of drugs to the body
- describe the main side effects and interactions with other drugs
- describe the classes of medicine, most common drugs and toxicants, whose use involves concentration measurements intoxification studies, and explain their preanalytical requirements
- apply his/her pharmacological knowledge in the professional studies in different fields of bioanalytical science and when performing concentration measurements and intoxification studies
- perform calculations needed in pharmacotherapy

Content (course unit)

Pharmacological terms
The mechanisms of drug action, receptors
Dose and response
Dosage forms and routes of drug administration
Pharmacokinetics
Drug metabolism
Basics of toxicology
Mutagenicity, carcinogenicity and teratogenicity
Side and adverse effects and drug interactions
Effects of drugs on laboratory tests
The classes of medicine and drugs, which involve laboratory tests
Medical calculations

Exam schedules

Medical calculations exam 2.10.2018
Theory exam 8.11.2018
Re-exams:
Medical calculations: autumn term, exact dates will be announced later
Theory: week 50/2018 and week 3/2019 in Exam

Evaluation methods and criteria

Theory exam: numerical evaluation 0-5, 50% points = 1
Medical calculations exam: pass/fail, passing requires 9p / 10p
In addition, a team task that is presented to the whole group.
Approved completion of the course requires passing of both exams, approved team task and active participation in the classroom.

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Lectures, group work, medical calculations, independent work

Learning materials

Lecture material (in Tabula)
General literature on pharmacology and toxicology
Recommended Literature for medical calculations: Ernvall, Pulli, Salonen, Nurminen and Kaukkila. 2012. Calculation. 9-11. edition. SanomaPro Oy, Helsinki.

Student workload

Lectures, presentations and exams 30 h
independent work 50 h

Further information

Participation in medical calculation exercises and group presentations is compulsory, absence results in extra tasks.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Students are able to explain the concepts of drug, drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and know the main principles of drug therapy. Students know the main features of principles, by which the pharmaceutical products and chemical substances affect the body and by which the body processes them. The student understand the concepts of adverse effects and drug interactions. The student knows the basics of drug analytics and is able to list drug groups, the most common drugs and poisonous substances, which are associated with concentration measurements in laboratory. The student knows pre-analytical requirements for drug analytics in general. The student is able to perform the required medical calculations.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Students are able to explain the main terminology of pharmacology and toxicology. Students know the principles, by which the pharmaceutical products and chemical substances affect the body and by which the body processes them. The student can explain the main mechanisms of adverse effects and drug interactions. The student knows the basics of drug analytics and is able to list drug groups, the most common drugs and poisonous substances, which are associated with concentration measurements in laboratory. The student knows pre-analytical requirements for drug analytics. The student is able to perform the required medical calculations.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Students are able to fluently use the main terminology of pharmacology and toxicology and drug theraapy. Students can explain how the pharmaceutical products and chemical substances affect the body and how the body processes them. The student can explain the most important adverse effects and drug interactions, and knows how their mechanisms. The student can explain the features and methodology of drug analytics and is able to list drug groups, the most common drugs and poisonous substances, which are associated with concentration measurements in laboratory. The student knows pre-analytical requirements for drug analytics. The students is able to apply his knowledge of pharmacology and toxicology in performing drug monitoring and toxicology measurements. The student is able to perform the required medical calculations.