Learning outcomes

After having completed the course, the student should be able to:

• describe how basic pharmacokinetic processes, as absorption, distribution and elimination, are defined, expressed, calculated, affected, and how these processes in combination determine drug disposition in the organism over time
• explain how pharmacokinetics together with pharmacodynamics determine the effect intensity and effect duration of a drug
• establish dosing regimens for drugs based on their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics, use given dosing regimens for calculation of concentrations, and describe how doses should be adjusted due to variability in pharmacokinetic parameter
• apply pharmacokinetic principles, including interactions, to explain individual variation in drug disposition, as well as describe the consequences of this
• write a summary of, and present an interaction with description of the drugs involved, classification, change of parameters and consequences in different patient groups
• assess what pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic information that is relevant in a meeting with a patient

Content

This is a basic course in pharmacokinetics, i.e. about the uptake and disposition of drugs in the body, and in pharmacodynamics, i.e. the description of drug effects with special focus on the time course of the effect(s).

The course deals with absorption, plasma protein binding, tissue distribution and elimination of drugs by liver and kidneys and how these processes determine the overall disposition of the drug in the organism. In addition, the relationships between dose and plasma concentration and of plasma concentration and effect are described. The course also deals with calculation and evaluation of parameters that describe pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes, both regarding single dose and repeated dose administration. Finally, it describes the theoretical basis for clinical drug dosing, reasons for and rational handling of inter-individual variation in drug disposition as well as drug-drug interactions.

During the course, the student works with an interaction assignment. Through a visit to a pharmacy, a pharmacokinetic interaction should be identified. This interaction should be investigated and written summarized with regard to how the drugs involved affect e.g. pharmacokinetic parameters and what the consequences may be in different patient groups. At a seminar different types of interactions are presented and discussed.

The student also works with an individual pharmacokinetic assignment. A drug is studied from a pharmacokinetic perspective (e.g. background for the dosing regimen) with the aim of evaluating what information is relevant to communicate to a pharmacy customer. The work is summarized in popular scientific writing.

Instruction

Teaching is provided through lectures, seminars and workshops. The interaction assignment (written and presentation parts) as well as the individual pharmacokinetic assignment are compulsory.

Assessment

Individual, written examination is arranged at the end of the course (5 credits). In order to pass the course, the student must have completed all compulsory exercises; submission and discussion of an interaction (0.5 + 0.5 credits) and pharmacokinetic assignment (1 hp) as well as the written examination.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.