SCIENZE MEDICHE M - Z

Module FARMACOLOGIA

Knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course, the student will be able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the general principles of pharmacology, with particular reference to the mechanisms of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs relevant to physical activity and sport. The student will be able to describe and compare the main classes of drugs of interest for Sport and Exercise Sciences, highlighting their main effects and related risk profiles. In addition, the student will be able to explain the role of drugs in maintaining health and in managing chronic conditions in physically active individuals, integrating pharmacological knowledge with exercise physiology.

Applying knowledge and understanding

The student is able to apply the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics to interpret the effects of drugs on the body during physical exercise and sports activities. The student can identify the main implications of drug use for the prescription and management of exercise in patients with chronic diseases frequently observed in physically active individuals (such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases). Furthermore, the student can recognise situations in which drug use may interfere with motor performance or with the safety of sports activities.

Making judgements

The student is able to critically evaluate the risks and benefits associated with the use of commonly prescribed drugs in motor and sports settings and to recognise inappropriate drug use and potential problems related to adverse drug reactions and drug interactions, integrating this information into his/her professional judgement and within the limits of his/her non‑medical competences.

Communication skills

The student is able to communicate clearly and accurately, using basic pharmacological terminology, with non‑specialist interlocutors such as athletes, coaches and users about the appropriate use of drugs. The student can clearly explain the essential principles related to timing and modalities of drug administration, as well as the possible adverse effects of the main drugs of interest for Sport and Exercise Sciences, and is able to interact with other health professionals using language appropriate to an interdisciplinary context.

Learning skills

The student is able to develop the skills needed to autonomously update his/her knowledge on drugs relevant to physical activity and sport, also from a lifelong‑learning perspective. Moreover, the student is able to connect pharmacological knowledge with anatomy, physiology and training methodology, in order to build personal study paths consistent with his/her professional profile.

Traditional classes.

If the teaching is given in a mixed or remote mode, necessary changes may be introduced in order to fulfill all statements in the Syllabus.

Mandatory

The course includes two sections:

1. General Pharmacology: general principles of pharmacology; development of a drug; adverse drug reactions; routes of administration; pharmacokinetics (absorption, diffusion, metabolism and elimination of drugs); pharmacodynamics (biological targets of drugs, classification of receptors, concentration-response curve, signal transduction mechanisms).

2.  Clinical Pharmacology: drugs affecting the autonomic nervous system; steroidal and non-steroidal antinflammatory drugs; diabetes mellitus medications; drugs of the cardiovascular system, blood and kidney; anxiolytic and hypnotic sedatives.

- Compendio di Farmacologia Generale e Speciale (II edizione). Amico Roxas, Caputi, Del Tacca. EDRA.

- Farmacologia per le lauree triennali e magistrali (III edizione). Taglialatela, Cantarella, Leone, Mattioli, Moretti, Pignataro, Vanzetta. SORBONA (Ed. Idelson-Gnocchi)

The examination consists of an oral exam aimed at assessing the student’s knowledge and understanding of the principles of general pharmacology and of the main classes of drugs of interest for sport and exercise sciences, as well as the ability to apply this knowledge to simple cases and situations typical of physical activity and sport. During the exam, the ability to critically connect the different topics of the programme and the appropriate use of technical language are also evaluated.

Criteria for awarding the final grade:

Grade 29–30 with honours: the student has an in‑depth knowledge of the contents of general and special pharmacology covered in the course, is able to promptly and correctly integrate and critically analyse the situations presented, solving problems independently even when they are highly complex, and shows excellent communication skills and mastery of scientific language.

Grade 26–28: the student has a good knowledge of the course contents, is able to integrate and critically and coherently analyse the situations presented, can solve complex problems with a good degree of autonomy, and presents the topics clearly using appropriate terminology.

Grade 22–25: the student has a fair knowledge of the contents, although limited mainly to the core topics; is able to integrate and critically analyse the situations presented, even if not always in a fully linear way, and presents the topics in a sufficiently clear manner, with a reasonable command of language.

Grade 18–21: the student has only the minimum knowledge of the main contents of the course, shows limited ability to integrate and critically analyse the situations presented, and presents the topics in an overall understandable way, although with poor command of specific terminology.

Exam failed: the student does not possess the minimum required knowledge of the main contents of the course; the ability to use specific pharmacological terminology is very poor or absent, and the student is not able to apply the acquired knowledge autonomously.

·       Routes of drug administration

·       Drug-receptor interactions

·       Signal transduction pathways

·       Drugs affecting the autonomic nervous system

·       Antihypertensive drugs