PHAR 409 - 001

This course introduces students to the fundamental principles of pharmacology and the clinical use of the major classes of drugs currently used with a focus upon fundamental concepts. Topics include drugs and their receptors, molecular aspects of drug targets and drug action, pharmacodynamics and the quantitative aspects of drug-receptor interactions, pharmacokinetic properties of drugs influencing drug distribution and drug dosing, drug metabolism and the effects of genetics on drug action, mechanisms of drug toxicity, and scientific approaches to the discovery of new drugs. Finally, the pharmacology and clinical uses of the major classes of drugs, including drugs used to treat diseases of various systems including cardiovascular, central nervous system, endocrine/reproductive systems, and cancer are covered.