Subjects

• THE DOCTOR AS A SCHOLAR
  • BASIC SCIENCE
    • Medical knowledge: ANATOMY
    • Medical knowledge: PHYSIOLOGY
    • Medical knowledge: BIOCHEMISTRY (inc. Metabolism)
    • Medical knowledge: CELL BIOLOGY
    • Medical knowledge: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY and GENETICS
  • DISEASE MECHANISMS
    • Medical knowledge: PATHOLOGY
    • Medical knowledge: CANCER
    • Medical knowledge: IMMUNOLOGY and INFLAMMATION
    • Medical knowledge: MICROBIOLOGY and INFECTION
  • CLINICAL SCIENCE
    • Medical knowledge: CLINICAL FEATURES of DISEASE
    • Medical knowledge: THERAPEUTIC PRINCIPLES
    • Medical knowledge: NUTRITION
  • POPULATION SCIENCE
    • Medical knowledge: SOCIOLOGY
    • Medical knowledge: EPIDEMIOLOGY
    • Medical knowledge: PUBLIC HEALTH and GLOBAL HEALTH
    • Medical knowledge: PSYCHOLOGY
• THE DOCTOR AS A PRACTITIONER
  • PATIENT ASSESSMENT
    • Clinical skills: HISTORY and EXAMINATION
    • Clinical skills: INVESTIGATION
    • Clinical skills: IMAGING
    • Clinical skills: DIAGNOSIS and REASONING
  • PRACTICAL PROCEDURES
    • Clinical skills: DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES
    • Clinical skills: THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES
  • PATIENT MANAGEMENT
    • Clinical skills: PATIENT MANAGEMENT
    • Clinical skills: PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY
    • Clinical skills: NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY
    • Clinical skills: SURGERY and ANAESTHETICS
    • Clinical skills: PREVENTATIVE CARE and HEALTH PROMOTION
    • Clinical skills: INTEGRATED HEALTH and COMPLIMENTARY THERAPIES
  • COMMUNICATION
    • Clinical skills: INTERACTION WITH PATIENTS
    • Clinical skills: WORKING IN TEAMS
    • Clinical skills: MANAGING INFORMATION
• THE DOCTOR AS A PROFESSIONAL
  • LEARNING AND TEACHING
    • Professional issues: LEARNING
    • Professional issues: TEACHING
    • Professional issues: REFLECTION and MENTORING
    • Professional issues: EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE
  • PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • Professional issues: PERSONAL ATTITUDES and SELF CARE
    • Professional issues: MEDICAL PROFESSIONALISM
    • Professional issues: INTER-PROFESSIONAL TEAMS
    • Professional issues: RISK MANAGEMENT and PATIENT SAFETY
  • DOCTOR AND SOCIETY
    • Professional issues: ETHICS and LAW
    • Professional issues: GOVERNANCE and AUDIT
    • Professional issues: MEDICAL LEADERSHIP and MANAGEMENT

• Comment

  Help us make compas better.
  Provide us with your comments so we can improve it!

  Contact Us

CLINICAL SCIENCE: Medical knowledge: THERAPEUTIC PRINCIPLES

Index

• Community Care
• General Principles of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Cardiovascular Pharmacology
• Respiratory Pharmacology
• Metabolism (GI, Endocrine and Renal)
• Human Development (Child Health, Sexual Health, O&G, Healthcare of the Elderly)
• Brain and Behaviour (Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Ophthalmology)
• Locomotor (Musculoskeletal and Dermatology)
• Infection
• Cancer and Immunosupression

• Community Care
  • Disease Management in the Community
    1. Has an in depth understanding of how to manage conditions commonly encountered in community practice (click here to see list) (GP5)
    2. Understand the role of informal carers in the community (GP5)
    3. Understands the importance of the family as well as the cultural, socio-economic and psychological background in the management of patients and how they present in general practice (GP5)
    4. Understand the relationship between primary care and community services, secondary care, social services and the “voluntary sector (GP5)
    5. Understands the difference between general practice/community based practice and hospital based practice (GP5)
  • Illness in the community
  • Out of hours care
    1. Understand why patients access health care in an urgent manner (GP5)
    2. Experience out of hours attachments; Walk-in centre/polyclinics/primary care centres/Emergency and Urgent Care Centre (GP5)
    3. Understands the difference in doctor-patient relationships in the OOH setting (GP5)
  • Health promotion and disease prevention
    1. Understand the need to identify high risk groups in general practice (GP5)
    2. Describe Health Education practice in primary care (GP5)
    3. Discuss the methods of prevention and health education within the Community including screening (GP5)
  • Palliative Care
    1. Describe team working, the Gold Standard Framework and the Liverpool Care Pathway (GP5)
    2. Know about the role of funeral directors and support for bereaved families (GP5)
    3. Describe relevant details regarding rituals for death management, and legal aspects of certification and cremation (GP5)
    4. Explain common problems and solutions around pain control, drug use and administration (GP5)
    5. Is able to identify examples of end of life decision making (GP5)
  • Poisoning
  • Pain Relief
    1. Fitting the analgesia to the condition (LOC2)
    2. Understand when and why NSAID would be used (LOC2)
• General Principles of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
  • Pharmacological Principles - General
    1. Understand and know the principles of good prescribing including the most commonly prescribed drugs. (FM1)
    2. Know and understand the primary drug classes and members used in patients with common surgical presentations their indications, contra-indications, common side effects and interactions; including analgesia, anti-emetics, fluid resuscitation (HCOE4)
    3. Know the indications for use of anti-emetic drugs and those most commonly used. (SAPOC5)
    4. Know and understand the primary drug classes and members used in TIA / Stroke disease, their indications, contra-indications, common side effects and interactions; Including anti-platelets, Thrombolysis, Anticoagulants, Lipid lowering medications, Smoking (HCOE4)
    5. Know what is meant by the term selective toxicity and distinguish between an antibiotic and antimicrobial agent (CSP3)
    6. List sites of action of antimicrobials with examples (CSP3)
    7. List mechanisms of resistance and factors predisposing to increased resistance (CSP3)
    8. Know about the increasing importance of antifungals in medicine and some examples of these agents (CSP3)
  • Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics
    1. Explain how long-term corticosteroid therapy disrupts endogenous corticosteroid secretion (MET2)
    2. Describe drug binding sites giving examples of both site and drug that attaches to it. (FM1)
    3. Define and explain Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics (CSP3)
    4. 4. Outline how the body composition and organ metabolic changes impact on pharmacology (HD1)
    5. Explain some of the mechanisms of actions which underlie both the beneficial and harmful effects of these drugs (LOC2)
    6. Note G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) compose largest group of drug binding sites (FM1)
    7. Be able to define and discuss the following: affinity; full agonist; partial agonist; neutral agonist; inverse agonist; pure antagonist; potency; efficacy; selectivity; specificity; reversible; irreversible; competitive; non-competitive (CSP3)
    8. Understand uses of PK-PD Modelling (CSP3)
    9. Define Hysteresis and how it is modelled (CSP3)
    10. Discuss selectivity of drug action (FM1)
    11. Be able to define pharmacokinetics and pharmacodyamics (CSP3, GEP/BB)
    12. Understand what is meant by structure-action relationships (FM1)
    13. Understand the importance of Pharmacoeconomics (CSP3)
    14. Distinguish and define pharmacokinetics /pharmacodynamics; liberation; absorption; volume of distribution; distribution; exretion; metabolism; clearance; half life (CSP3)
    15. Compare and contrast routes of drug administration (FM1)
    16. Understand how outcomes can be improved through use of pharmacodynamics (CSP3)
    17. Distinguish and define half life; narrow / wide therapeutic window; zero order kinetics; first order kinetics; peak levels; trough levels; bioavailability; loading dose, maintenance dose (CSP3)
    18. Understand what is meant by pharmacokinetics (FM1)
    19. Define absorption and the various mechanisms (CSP3)
    20. Describe various methods of drug formulation resulting in its liberation (CSP3)
    21. Discuss the factors influencing pharmacokinetics (CSP3)
    22. Understand how and where drugs act - give examples (CSP3)
  • Drug Receptor Interactions
    1. Define the terms: agonist, antagonist, EC50, efficacy and potency (FM1)
    2. Draw idealised concentration vs response curves to distinguish between drugs of high and low potency and/or high and low efficacy (FM1)
    3. Describe, with a clinical example, the characteristics of competitive antagonism (FM1)
    4. Distinguish competitive antagonism from non-competitive and physiological antagonism (FM1)
  • Drug Absorption and Elimination
    1. Explain drug absorption with reference to the pH-partition hypothesis, as applied to aspirin (FM1)
    2. Define the term apparent volume of distribution and discuss why drugs have different values for this; explain pre-systemic (first pass) metabolism (FM1)
    3. Briefly describe the ways in which drugs are eliminated from the body (FM1)
  • Safe Prescribing and Drug Administration
    1. Understand unit conversion and be able to express percentage concentrations (CSP3)
    2. To increase your awareness of the prevalence of medication incidents in the NHS (CSP3)
    3. Define and identify the steps involved in Drug reconciliation (CSP3)
    4. Define the 10 principles of safe prescribing (CSP3)
    5. By using suitable drug examples discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the following routes of administration: oral, intravenous; intramuscular; subcutaneous; sublingual; rectal; transdermal; inhalation (FM1)
    6. Recall and describe what BRAINS&AIMS stands for and use the format when presenting a drug.
    7. Interpret drug dosing information in the BNF (CSP3)
    8. Define prescribing error (CSP3)
    9. Appreciate the danger of misprescribing. (CSP3)
    10. Focus main learning about drugs ie pharmacology / prescribing (BRAINS&AIMS) around the top 100 Drugs you are most likely to prescribe as a junior doctor (11/12 Arch)
    11. Classify the error (CSP3)
    12. To highlight the importance of patient safety and how prescribing error is one of the major causes of harm to patients. (CSP3)
    13. Learn about key features of other drugs eg interesting mechanisms that help understand underlying physiology; dangerous drugs that may have been prescribed by someone else and affect your patients (11/12 Arch)
    14. Define displacement volume (CSP3)
    15. Identify how to use the BNF to access information about drug treatments (CSP3)
    16. Define in Which patients this is needed and where it should be documented (CSP3)
    17. Understand how crucially important they are through illustrated examples (CSP3)
    18. Understand the inputs to the EQUIP enquiry quoted in the lecture, including those concerning the source & frequency of errors. (CSP3)
    19. List the common causes of prescribing errors (CSP3)
    20. Keep a portfolio of all the drugs you have learnt about / seen being used in a patient; it takes a long time to build up a good knowledge base so start now and keep revising and building; accept minor modifications if the list changes over time (11/12 Arch)
    21. Calculate weight-related doses (CSP3)
    22. State the difference between formulations of medicine (CSP3)
    23. Know how to record Allergy status (CSP3)
    24. Understand the EQUIP recommendations quoted in the lecture. (CSP3)
    25. Be aware of recent prescribing errors that have occurred in NHS trusts (CSP3)
    26. Calculate IV flow rates for drug infusions (CSP3)
    27. Identify other sources of information about drugs (CSP3)
    28. Understand the risks involved after seeing a Video of a medication incident (CSP3)
    29. Understand the requirements of “Tomorrow’s doctors” regarding prescribing skills of doctors. (CSP3)
    30. Manage the above through a series of worked examples (CSP3)
    31. Understand the format, syllabus, purpose & significance of the Prescribing Skills Assessment. (CSP3)
    32. Understand the principles of prescribing (CSP3)
    33. Guidelines and policies for antimicrobial prescribing in general (CSP3)
  • Pharmacological Emergencies
    1. Define the ABCDE approach to enable systematic management of emergencies (CSP3)
    2. Recognise the different types/routes of drug poisoning (CSP3)
    3. Understand how and when to use activated charcoal (CSP3)
    4. Understand the acute management principles of the following emergencies: Myocardial infarction, Cardiac failure, Arrythmias, Respiratory failure (CSP3)
    5. Recognise the clinical features of commonly encountered poisoning/overdose scenarios (CSP3)
    6. Understand the management principles of paracetamol, aspirin, opiate and benzodiazepine overdose (CSP3)
  • IV Fluids and Prescribing
    1. State the distribution of fluids in a healthy subject (CSP3)
    2. State the contents of commonly prescribed fluids (CSP3)
    3. State the daily fluid / electrolyte requirements of a healthy 70kg subject (CSP3)
    4. State symptoms and signs consistent with fluid depletion / overload (CSP3)
    5. State potential adverse events related to intravenous fluid therapy (CSP3)
    6. Recognise situations where fluid therapy differs from a healthy subject (CSP3)
    7. Formulate an appropriate intravenous fluid prescription (CSP3)
  • Drug Monitoring (inc. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring)
    1. Be able to apply therapeutic drug monitoring to the following: Vancomycin Digoxin Gentamicin Phenytoin (CSP3)
    2. Be able to distinguish between the following: Narrow therapeutic window, Half life, Wide therapeutic window, Zero order kinetics, First order kinetics, Trough levels (CSP3)
    3. Demonstrate the ability to appropriately adjust dosage regimens by the use of therapeutic drug monitoring (CSP3)
    4. Describe how to obtain information needed to evaluate plasma drug concentrations e.g. time of sample, history of drug administration, concurrent drug therapy, accurate sample (CSP3)
    5. Know that other drugs that may also require therapeutic drug monitoring e.g. Ciclosporin, lithium (CSP3)
    6. Know the impact of pharmacogenetics on drug dosing, give examples (CSP3)
    7. Recognize the differences between wide and narrow therapeutic windows (CSP3)
    8. Understand the rationale of therapeutic drug monitoring as a guide to therapy and outline areas where it is useful (CSP3)
  • Specialist Drugs
    1. To understand the new biological for RA (LOC2)
  • Adverse Drug Reactions
    1. Be able to inform the patient of common and serious adverse effects and advise them on what to do. (CSP3)
    2. Define and distinguish between pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions (CSP3)
    3. Describe other unwanted effects arising from long-term therapy with glucocorticoids (MET2)
    4. Be able to describe different forms of pharmacokinetic interaction: absorption/distribution/metabolism/excretion (CSP3)
    5. Be able to monitor for adverse drug reactions: subjective - symptomatic side effects; objective - blood tests, therapeutic drug monitoring (CSP3)
    6. Understand the side-effects and how newer drugs can reduce side effects (LOC2)
    7. Understand that drug interactions are mostly unwanted and increase patient risk although some are beneficial (CSP3)
    8. Give graphic illustrations of some of the serious side effects of corticosteroid use (LOC2)
    9. Be able to prevent adverse drug reactions (ADR's). Using the BNF, learn common and serious ADRs for key drugs prescribed by FY1's; avoid harmful interactions; use prophylaxis if necessary; be aware of susceptible patients; use the appropriate dose regimen (CSP3)
    10. Be able to use appendix 1 of the BNF in order to look up information regarding drug interactions (CSP3)
    11. Know and identify which patients / patient groups have increased susceptibility to adverse effects of certain drugs (A SAD GAP - Age, Sex, Diseases, Genetic, Altered Physiology, pregnancy); take necessary precautions, avoid such drugs or adjust doses (CSP3)
    12. Know how to classify adverse drug reactions using DOTS - Dose - dependent (Type A); independent (Type b); Time dependent; Independent; Susceptible patients (CSP3)
    13. Know how to diagnose an adverse drug reaction (ADR) and be able to differentiate a suspected ADR from known common and serious ADRs (CSP3)
    14. Know how to treat adverse drug reactions (ADR): stop drug; supportive and /or specific treatments if indicated eg for anaphylaxis (CSP3)
    15. Know which adverse reactions (ADRs) to report and how. (CSP3)
  • Drug Interactions
    1. To describe the basic principles of anti-HIV therapy, including major side-effects and interactions of therapy (I&I 4)
    2. Define pharmacodynamic interactions ie what drugs do to the body. (CSP3)
    3. Define pharmacokinetic interactions ie what the body does to the drug - absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (CSP3)
    4. Know how to avoid harmful (adverse) interactions (CSP3)
    5. Know how to identify potential or actual interactions by looking up in Appendix I in the BNF and learning common and important interactions by understanding the mechanisms (CSP3)
    6. Know key drugs that modify pharmacokinetic processes (CSP3)
    7. Give examples of antimicrobial side effects and interactions (CSP3)
    8. Use beneficial interactions (CSP3)
  • Evidence Based Pharmacology
    1. Be able to describe the levels of evidence and recommendations for drug therapeutic strategies (CSP3)
    2. List some synthetic steroids with mainly glucocorticoid activity. Explain the reason for the development of such compounds (MET2)
    3. Define the phases of clinical trials (CSP3)
    4. Be aware of the various milestones and pitfalls in drug development (FM1)
    5. Discuss attempts to produce new drugs which work in the same way as steroids but without the side-effects (LOC2)
    6. Highlight the central importance of volunteer and patient safety (CSP3)
    7. Be able to describe, discuss and assess harm:benefit ratio (CSP3)
    8. Understand the importance of the consent process throughout a clinical trial (CSP3)
    9. Be able to define the following: Randomised trial; double blind; multi-centre; placebo-controlled; cohort study; case control study; systematic review/meta-analysis; case-series; risk:benefit ratio; phase 1,2,3,4 trials (CSP3)
    10. Understand the importance of the ten principles of safe prescribing within clinical trials (CSP3)
    11. Provide an overview of the widespread use of corticosteroids in clinical medicine (LOC2)
    12. Understand the limitations of using information from clinical trials eg extrapolating results to individual patients (CSP3)
    13. Be aware of the importance of clear diagnosis and documentation of this (CSP3)
    14. Use evidence obtained from studies to guide drug selection (CSP3)
    15. Use sources such as BNF, NICE Guidelines, Clinical Evidence, Cochrane Database, medical journals, PubMed to guide drug selection (CSP3)
    16. Understand the need to share the patient’s ideas, concerns and expectations of treatment (CSP3)
    17. Be aware that making sure that the patient understands the equipoise that lies at the heart of a comparative trial “what is the question?” (CSP3)
    18. Understand the need to make sure that the patient understands their role in the trial and what is expected from them (CSP3)
    19. Be aware of the need for a clear understanding of medication history and previous adverse reactions or allergies (CSP3)
    20. Be aware of paper and electronic case report forms, study monitoring and audit Be able to describe the roles of endpoint committees and data safety monitoring boards in endpoint trials (CSP3)
    21. Distinguish between audit and regulatory inspection (CSP3)
    22. Be able to describe a clinical trial which has changed clinical practice and guidelines (CSP3)
• Cardiovascular Pharmacology
  • General Outcomes for Cardiovascular Pharmacology
    1. Know and understand the primary drug classes and members used in patients with cardiovascular disease, their indications, contra-indications, common side effects and interactions: (HCOE4)
    2. Briefly describe how drugs may be used for treatment of hypertension and angina. (CR1)
    3. Describe the actions of the main groups of treatments used to prevent heart disease. (CR2)
    4. Describe the newer anti-thrombotic agents, e.g. fondaparinux, direct thrombin inhibitors, antiplatelet drugs and thrombolytic agents (CR2)
  • Anticoagulation
    1. Explain the mechanism of action of Heparin, Warfarin, Aspirin and Stroptokinase; indicate under what circumstances it is appropriate to administer them (CR1, GEP/CO2)
  • Heart Failure
    1. Understand what is meant by acute and chronic heart failure (CSP3)
    2. Appreciate NICE guidance for chronic heart failure (CSP3)
  • Anaemia
  • IV Fluids
  • Cardiac Arrest and Anti-dysrhythmics
  • Cardiovascular Risk (inc. Hypertension)
    1. Define Essential/Secondary hypertension and CV risk (CSP3)
    2. Understand the difference between primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CSP3)
    3. Manage the Therapeutics of hypertension using BHS Guidelines: Non-pharmacological measures; Drug treatment of hypertension (CSP3)
    4. Explain how the five main drugs used for blood pressure control work: a) diuretics; b) beta blockers; c) calcium channel blockers; d) ACE inhibitors / AT1 blockers; e) alpha blockers (CR2)
    5. Know the Clinical Pharmacology of the main classes of anti-hypertensives (Thiazides, ACEi & ARBs, CCBs, ?-blockers, MR antagonists) (CSP3)
    6. Explain why only some anti-hypertensive drugs cause postural hypotension. (CR2)
  • Ischaemic Heart Disease
  • Blood Transfusion
• Respiratory Pharmacology
  • General Outcomes for Respiratory Pharmacology
    1. List and describe the actions of the autonomic nervous system on bronchial smooth muscle and secretory mucosa, relating these actions to the microscopic structure of the airway. (CR1, GEP/CO2)
    2. Know and understand the primary drug classes and members used in patients with respiratory disease, their indications, contra-indications, common side effects and interactions (click to see list) (HCOE4)
    3. List and give mode of action of agents which induce bronchoconstriction and bronchosecretion. (CR1, GEP/CO2)
    4. Outline the consequences of antigen interaction with fixed mast cell antibody and the actions of mediators released from mast cells. (CR1, GEP/CO2)
  • Oxygen and Respiratory Support
  • Asthma and COPD
    1. Explain, in terms of modes of action, how various agents can be used in the management of asthma, indicating possible side effects. (CR1, GEP/CO2)
  • Altitude Sickness
• Metabolism (GI, Endocrine and Renal)
  • Diabetic Non-Emergencies
  • Thyroid Disease
  • Adrenal Disease
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
  • Liver Disease
    1. Define the key changes (Pharmacodynamics/pharmacokinetics) in liver disease? (CSP3)
    2. Understand how these changes alter handling of, and responses to drugs? (CSP3)
    3. Manage altered prescribing in liver disease? (CSP3)
    4. Recognise which drugs are potentially damaging to the liver (hepatotoxic) and how? (CSP3)
    5. Recognise which drugs are beneficial in liver disease? (CSP3)
  • PUD, GORD and Dyspepsia
    1. Explain the mechanism of action of a named proton pump inhibitor used in the treatment of ulceration (GEP/DGM, MET1)
    2. Outline the use of H2 blocking drugs in the treatment of gastric ulceration (GEP/DGM, MET1)
  • Diabetic Emergencies
  • Renal Tract Disease
    1. List the major clinical indications of the uses of a diuretic (MET2)
    2. Explain the use of mannitol as a diuretic (MET2)
    3. Be familiar with drugs that are mostly or exclusively renally cleared (CSP3)
    4. Explain why diuretics increase potassium excretion, and how this may be reduced (MET2)
    5. Give the primary sites of action of thiazide, loop diuretics and spironolactone, and rank them in order of their efficacy (MET2)
    6. Understand the different locations in the nephron that drugs that act on the kidney work (CSP3)
    7. Be familiar with commonly prescribed nephrotoxic drugs and how to monitor them and patients safely (CSP3)
    8. Understand the different types of ADRs on the kidney (CSP3)
    9. Be able to dose-adjust important drugs for patients will renal failure (CSP3)
    10. Know important drugs that are used for bladder and prostate disease (CSP3)
  • Vomiting, Constipation and Diarrhoea
• Human Development (Child Health, Sexual Health, O&G, Healthcare of the Elderly)
  • Contraception and HRT
  • Breastfeeding
  • Prescribing for Children
  • Prescribing for the Elderly
    1. Outline how the body composition and organ metabolic changes impact on pharmacology (11/12 Arch)
  • Pregnancy and Labour
• Brain and Behaviour (Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Ophthalmology)
  • Synaptic Transmission
    1. Describe the neuronal structures involved in synaptic transmission. (BB2)
    2. Describe the main steps involved in neurotransmission. (BB2)
    3. Describe the effects of neurotransmitters at postsynaptic level. (BB2)
    4. List and classify major types of neurotransmitters. (BB2)
    5. Review the basic mechanisms underlying neuronal excitability. (BB2)
  • Dopaminergic Systems
    1. Describe the dopaminergic pathways in the central nervous system. (BB2)
    2. List and characterise the main types of dopaminergic receptors. (BB2)
    3. Describe the mechanism of action of drugs that act on dopaminergic systems. (BB2)
    4. Review the main circuits involved in the control of movement. (BB2)
  • 5-HT Transmission
    1. Describe the 5-HT pathways in the central nervous system. (BB2)
    2. List and characterise the main types of 5-HT receptors. (BB2)
    3. Describe the mechanism of action of drugs that act on 5-HT systems. (BB2)
  • Drug Dependence and Addiction
    1. Recognise the clinical effects of drugs of abuse (CSP3)
    2. Understand why supportive care is the mainstay of management of drugs of abuse usage (CSP3)
    3. Explain mechanisms underlying pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic tolerance. (BB2)
    4. Give examples of major drugs that cause dependence and induce tolerance. (BB2)
  • Psychosis
    1. Describe the pharmacology of typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs (BB2)
  • Migraine and Dementia
    1. Be able to describe the use of memantine and its rationale. (BB2)
    2. Be able to discuss new therapeutic approaches in Alzheimer's disease. (BB2)
  • Depression and Anxiety
    1. Review the neurobiology of depression. (BB2)
    2. Describe the mechanism of action of benzodiazepines. (BB2)
    3. Describe the pharmacology of tricyclic antidepressants (BB2)
    4. Discuss the use of benzodiazepines as anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives. (BB2)
    5. Describe the pharmacology of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (BB2)
    6. Describe the pharmacology of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. (BB2)
    7. Compare the pharmacological profile of barbiturates and benzodiazepines. (BB2)
    8. Describe non-benzodiazepine hypnotics and anxiolytics. (BB2)
  • Epilepsy
    1. Describe the mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics and adverse effects of anticonvulsant drugs. (BB2)
  • Parkinsonism
• Locomotor (Musculoskeletal and Dermatology)
  • Hypercalcaemia and Osteoporosis
  • Joint and Skin Disease
    1. Recognise and be able to distinguish between: eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, acne, ulcer, warts (CSP3)
    2. Safely treat common skin conditions (CSP3)
    3. Be familiar with the following medications: aqueous cream and emollients, benzoyl peroxide, vitamin A analogues, tetracyclines, erithromycin and other antibiotics, dithranol, octenisan, topical corticosteroids, vitamin D preparations (CSP3)
    4. Describe important adverse effects or complications of common therapies employed in the treatment of Psoriasis; Eczema and Lichen planus (DERM4)
    5. Recognise that some drugs are for use under only specialist advice and direction (CSP3)
    6. Recognise dermatological adverse reactions (CSP3)
• Infection
  • Bacterial Infection
    1. Antimicrobial therapy (LOC2)
  • Tuberculosis
  • Viral, Parasitic and Fungal Infections
• Cancer and Immunosupression
  • General
    1. Know and understand the primary drug classes and members used in palliation of patients with serious, end stage disease, their indications, contra-indications, common side effects and interactions: (HCOE4)
    2. Know and understand the primary drug classes and members used in palliation of patients with common malignancies of the elderly, their indications, contra-indications, common side effects and interactions: (HCOE4)

© 2010 Barts and The London,
School of Medicine and Dentistry
Web design by Studio 24