Pharmacology And Therapeutics In Public Health
- Health Sciences
- 800 level
- 2 credit units
- 351 pages
- 25 units
This course is a biomedical science that explores drugs and their actions on biological systems, emphasizing the importance of pharmacology in public health. It covers pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, metabolomics, and pharmacogenetics, focusing on therapeutic and adverse drug effects. Students will study drug compliance, substance abuse, drug interactions, and toxicology. Emerging public health issues related to pharmaceuticals and phytochemicals are discussed under evidence-based pharmacotherapeutics.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 208 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, practical, case study
- Practical work
- Yes
- Self Assessment Exercises
- Tutor Marked Assignments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of PHS810, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
PHS810 · MODULE 1
WHO 1996 Define drug as any substance or product that is used or intended to be used to modify or explore physiological system or pathological states for the benefit of the recipients.
What you should be able to do
- Define key terms in pharmacology and toxicology
- Explain the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
- Analyze mechanisms of drug action in various diseases
- Describe drug compliance and substance abuse
- Discuss drug interaction and toxicology
- Manage emerging public health problems related to pharmaceuticals and phytomedicines
What it prepares you for
- Public Health Officer
- Pharmacovigilance Specialist
- Drug Safety Monitor
- Health Educator
- Pharmaceutical Researcher
- Pharmaceutical Industry
- Public Health Organizations
- Regulatory Agencies
- Research Institutions
- Hospitals
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- MODULE 1 BASIC PRINCIPLESOF PHARMACOLOGY
Unit 1: Basic Principles and Pharmacokinetics
The complex interplay of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion requires a strong understanding of physiological processes and mathematical concepts.
- MODULE 2 APPLIED PHARMACOLOGY IN PUBLIC HEAL TH
Unit 1: Principles of Drug Action and Effects (Pharmacodynamics)
Understanding the nuances of drug-receptor interactions, signal transduction pathways, and factors modifying drug effects requires critical analysis and integration of biochemical and physiological principles.
- MODULE 3 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Unit 2: Pharmacovigilance/Pharmacovigilance in Public Health Programmes
Causality assessment involves complex reasoning and judgment, requiring careful consideration of temporal relationships, alternative explanations, and response to dechallenge and rechallenge.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 51 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1MODULE 1 BASIC PRINCIPLESOF PHARMACOLOGY
Unit 1: Basic Principles and Pharmacokinetics · 3 hours
Define key terms related to drugs and their actions.. Understand the nature and sources of drugs.. Explore pharmacokinetic processes including drug administration, absorption, and bioavailability..
- Week 2MODULE 1 BASIC PRINCIPLESOF PHARMACOLOGY
Unit 2: Toxicology and Adverse Drug Reaction · 3 hours
Define terms in toxicology.. Understand routes of drug toxicity and mechanisms.. Classify toxic agents and poisons that can heal..
- Week 3MODULE 1 BASIC PRINCIPLESOF PHARMACOLOGY
Unit 3: Drug Discovery/Development/Toxicity/Phytomedicine · 3 hours
Learn about preclinical drug discovery and clinical drug development phases.. Understand ethics in clinical trials and clinical trial design.. Explore phytomedicine, its characteristics, and uses of herbal preparations..
- Week 4MODULE 2 APPLIED PHARMACOLOGY IN PUBLIC HEAL TH
Unit 1: Principles of Drug Action and Effects (Pharmacodynamics) · 3 hours
Understand principles of drug action and effects (pharmacodynamics).. Explore receptor families and factors modifying drug effects in man.. Learn about assaying receptor affinity and binding, and monitoring drug therapy..
- Week 5MODULE 2 APPLIED PHARMACOLOGY IN PUBLIC HEAL TH
Unit 2: Mode of Action of Antimicrobial and Chemotherapeutic Drugs · 3 hours
Learn about mode of action of antimicrobial drugs.. Understand types of antimicrobials and features of antimicrobial drugs.. Explore anti-infective drugs, anti-bacterial, antifungal, and antiviral drugs..
- Week 6MODULE 2 APPLIED PHARMACOLOGY IN PUBLIC HEAL TH
Unit 3: Mode of Drug Action in Diseases · 3 hours
Understand mode of drug action in diseases.. Explore drugs acting on the uterus, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, and anticonvulsants.. Learn about anti-diabetes drugs and drugs acting on the heart..
- Week 7MODULE 3 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Unit 1: Taking Drug History and Evidence Based Medicine · 3 hours
Learn about obtaining medication history and taking drug history.. Understand information sources and challenges with difficult clients.. Explore tips for performing medication history and client education..
- Week 8MODULE 3 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Unit 2: Pharmacovigilance/Pharmacovigilance in Public Health Programmes · 3 hours
Understand pharmacovigilance as science of ADR reporting.. Explore origins of pharmacovigilance and detection of adverse drug reactions.. Learn about causality assessment and pharmacovigilance in public health programmes..
- Week 9MODULE 3 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Unit 3: Rational Use of Medicines/Drug Dependence and Substance Abuse · 3 hours
Understand rational use of medicines and drug dependence.. Explore substance abuse and common inappropriate prescribing practices.. Learn about irrational drug combinations and factors underlying irrational use of drugs..
- Week 10MODULE 1 BASIC PRINCIPLESOF PHARMACOLOGY
Unit 1: Basic Principles and Pharmacokinetics · 3 hours
Review Module 1: Basic Principles of Pharmacology. Focus on key concepts and definitions.. Prepare for Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA)..
Unit 2: Toxicology and Adverse Drug Reaction · 3 hours
Review Module 1: Toxicology and Adverse Drug Reaction. Focus on classification of toxic agents and poisons.. Prepare for Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA)..
- Week 11MODULE 2 APPLIED PHARMACOLOGY IN PUBLIC HEAL TH
Unit 1: Principles of Drug Action and Effects (Pharmacodynamics) · 3 hours
Review Module 2: Applied Pharmacology in Public Health. Focus on principles of drug action and antimicrobial drugs.. Prepare for Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA)..
Unit 3: Mode of Drug Action in Diseases · 3 hours
Review Module 2: Mode of Drug Action in Diseases. Focus on specific diseases and drug actions.. Prepare for Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA)..
- Week 12MODULE 3 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Unit 1: Taking Drug History and Evidence Based Medicine · 3 hours
Review Module 3: Pharmacotherapeutics in Public Health. Focus on taking drug history and pharmacovigilance.. Prepare for Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA)..
Unit 3: Rational Use of Medicines/Drug Dependence and Substance Abuse · 3 hours
Review Module 3: Rational Use of Medicines. Focus on drug dependence and substance abuse.. Prepare for Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA)..
- Week 13Course Review
Basic Principles of Pharmacology, Applied Pharmacology in Public Health, Pharmacotherapeutics in Public Health · 6 hours
Comprehensive course review.. Focus on key concepts from all modules.. Final exam preparation and revision..
Preparing for the exam
- Create concept maps linking pharmacokinetic processes (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion).
- Practice applying the Naranjo scale to assess causality in adverse drug reactions.
- Review case studies on rational drug use and identify potential interventions.
- Focus on understanding the mechanisms of action for key drug classes (antimicrobials, antihypertensives, etc.).
- Develop a study schedule that allocates sufficient time for each module and unit.
- Practice answering past exam questions to familiarize yourself with the format and content.
- Create flashcards for key terms and definitions in pharmacology and toxicology.
- Form a study group with other students to discuss challenging concepts and share insights.
- Review all Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and incorporate feedback into your study plan.
- Prioritize studying the peak difficulty periods identified in the course guide.
Questions students ask about this course
What is PHS810 about?
This course is a biomedical science that explores drugs and their actions on biological systems, emphasizing the importance of pharmacology in public health. It covers pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, metabolomics, and pharmacogenetics, focusing on therapeutic and adverse drug effects. Students will study drug compliance, substance abuse, drug interactions, and toxicology. Emerging public health issues related to pharmaceuticals and phytochemicals are discussed under evidence-based pharmacotherapeutics.
How many units does PHS810 have?
PHS810, Pharmacology And Therapeutics In Public Health, has 25 units across 3 modules, over 351 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is PHS810?
PHS810 carries 2 credit units, at 800 level in Health Sciences.
Is PHS810 hard?
PHS810 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.
How long does PHS810 take to study?
About 208 hours of study, spread across its 25 units.
How is PHS810 assessed?
PHS810 is assessed by Self Assessment Exercises, Tutor Marked Assignments and Final Examination.
What can I do with PHS810?
Public Health Officer, Pharmacovigilance Specialist, Drug Safety Monitor, Health Educator and Pharmaceutical Researcher.