Pharmacology

4 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Pharmacology is the study of substances that affect living systems. It is an integrative science that applies the principles of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, chemistry, neuroscience, and genetics to understand drug actions. The principles of pharmacology are illustrated in the two subdivisions of the discipline: pharmacodynamics, the study of mechanisms by which drugs produce their biological effects (i.e., how drugs affect the body), and pharmacokinetics, the study of factors that determine the concentration of the drug at its site of action (i.e., how the body acts on drugs). Since pharmacology is often considered to be a bridge between the basic sciences and clinical applications of drugs, in addition to basic principles of pharmacology, this course will endeavor to provide a foundation for understanding how drugs are used in the management of diseases and disorders, as well as the basis for their adverse effects. The use of specific drugs may change during the course of your education, and they will certainly change over the course of your professional career; however, the fundamental principles of drug use and the targets and mechanisms of drug actions remain relatively consistent. This is a comprehensive pharmacology course that emphasizes an understanding of the basic principles and mechanisms of drug action while providing the most current information about specific drugs and drug classes.