Course Title:	NR360 - Pharmacology
Department:	Health Sciences
Instructor:	Jack Lazarre, Pharm. D., M.L.A., M.P.A. Contact Vita ADDRESS: 6892 Spickard Drive Huntington Beach, CA 92647 TELEPHONE NUMBER: (714) 847-6954 (home phone) EMERGENCY (TO REACH STAT!): 714-926-3008 (cell phone) FAX: 714-847-3114

ACTIVITIES:

WEEK ONE:

1. Respond by sending online, your bio and your email address.
2. Begin Reading: Chapters 1-5, and 28 in the Woodrow Text*
3. Respond to Discussion Questions: (10 points)
   • You have been selected to assist a drug company with a new drug for the control of diabetes, what concerns should you address regarding absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of this new drug? Like insulin, this agent is destroyed in the GI tract, which routes of administration might be the most effective? Why?
   • Defend or attack, the following statement: pediatric patients are just like adults, only smaller; geriatric patients are like any other adults, only older.
4. This week's course material will deal with an introduction to pharmacology and pharmacokinetics and effects of aging/pediatric consideration in drug therapy.
5. Begin to work on the final paper: (Due Week Eight) (25 points):
   Each student will create a 2,500 – 3,000 word, scholarly paper (approx 15 pages) on a pharmacotherapeutic subject of choice.
   • Pick an area that is of interest to you, based on your experience or your desire to learn more about the subject.
   • The paper will be in APA format.
   • Include an Abstract, Body of the Report (using APA format citations), and a Conclusion.
   • Thesis and Outline of the Paper will be due on Week #4.
   • The final draft of the paper will be submitted to the instructor as an attachment to an email on Week #8.

WEEK TWO:

1. Required Reading: Chapters 6-10 in the Text*
2. Respond to Discussion Questions: (10 points)
   • Please complete a literature search of the subject of drug interactions and adverse drug reactions: Describe the extent of the problem and what can a practioner do to help prevent drug interactions and adverse drug reactions from complicating therapy?
   • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the oral, perenteral, and topical forms of drug administration?
3. This week's course material will continue with drug interactions and adverse drug reactions.
4. Query #1: A new cephalosporin antibiotic was to be given by a single intravenous bolus injection to an adult female patient (age 75 years, weight 225 pounds.) The usual dose is 5mg/kg. What is the dose in mg for the bolus injection? Do you think that the patient's sex, age or weight should be considered? Why? (20 points)

WEEK THREE:

1. Required Reading: Chapters 13, 16, and 25, in the Text*
2. Listen to Discussion via Real Audio on a major public health concern in the next decade -- infections that don't respond to common antibiotics.
   (http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/atc/20001227.atc.13.ram)
3. Respond to Discussion Questions: (10 points)
   • Reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus is a common occurrence, with as many as 10% of adults in the United States reporting that they experience heartburn daily. Approximately 40% of the populations of the United States and Great Britain experience symptoms related to reflux at least once per month. From the text and a review of the literature, what are some new approaches, both pharmacological and life style changes to treat GERD?
   • The text indicates that one of the major reasons for antibiotic drug failure is the issue of drug resistance. Why do antibiotics become resistant to common pathogens? What measures can be taken by the medical community to decrease the chance of resistance? How might the problem of overuse of antibiotics in feed exacerbate the problem of resistance? (approx. 3 pages): (10 points)
4. Query #2: Complete the Worksheet and Case Study from Chapters 13, 16, and 25. (Worksheet #1). (20 points)
5. This week's course material will begin the discussion of gastrointestinal pharmacology, the pharmacology of infectious disease, and the pharmacology of cardiovascular drugs.

WEEK FOUR:

1. Required Reading: Review Chapters 23, 24, and17 in the Text*
2. Listen to Discussion via Real Audio on new approaches to preventing infection: Blocking Bacterial Infection--Vincent Fischetti --Professor and Co-head, Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis @ The Rockefeller University --New York, New York
   (http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=TOTN&showDate=14-Dec-2001&segNum=1&mediaPref=RM)
   
   And, listen to Discussion via Real Audio on HIV—
   (http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ATC&showDate=01-Dec-2004&segNum=14&mediaPref=RM&getUnderwriting=1)
3. Respond to Discussion Questions: (10 points)
   • How might these Real Audio segments change your thinking on the treatment of these infectious diseases?
   • Please complete a literature search of the subject of Drugs in Pregnancy: Describe the extent of the problem and what can a practitioner do to help prevent teratogenic risks in pregnancy.
   • Complete the two Case studies at the end of Chapter 13. Why are these two types of drugs important?
4. When this week's activities are complete, request the midterm exam from the instructor. The midterm will cover material, lecture notes and text book readings from the four weeks of class. (100 points)
5. Please indicate in one page or less, a brief Thesis Statement (why you are writing the paper) and a brief Outline of the final Paper.
6. This week's course material will continue with the discussion of the pharmacology of infectious disease and begin a discussion of urinary tract drugs, reproduction system pharmacology and gynecological disorders, the endocrine system, and autonomic nervous system drugs.

WEEK FIVE:

1. Required Reading: Chapters 19-21 in the Text*
2. Go into National Public Radio archives of Talk of the Nations, GUESTS: EDWARD HALLOWELL *Child and Adult Psychiatrist *Founder, The Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health, Concord, MA *Instructor in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School *Author of many books, most recently Connect (Pantheon, 1999) and Worry: Controlling It and Using It Wisely (Ballentine, 1998) ROBERT DUPONT *Psychiatrist *Former President, Anxiety Disorder Association of America *Author, The Anxiety Cure: An Eight-Step Program for Getting Well (Wiley & Sons, 1998) talk about toxic worrying.
   (http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/totn/19991215.totn.01.ram)
3. Click on National Public Radio archives with an interview with Actress Brooke Shields has written a new memoir about what she experienced following the birth of her daughter. It's called Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression.
   (http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=FA&showDate=11-May-2005&segNum=1&mediaPref=RM&getUnderwriting=1)
4. Respond to Discussion Questions: (10 points)
   • Based on your reading and the Real Audio segments, how should a general practioner deal with a depressed patient.
   • Please Complete the Worksheet at the end of Chapter 19. What are some of the major concerns of these types of drugs? Why?
5. This week's course material will deal with the pharmacology of psychoactive agents, including anti-anxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic agents, plus analgesics, sedatives, and hypnotics.

WEEK SIX:

1. Required Reading: Chapters 20 (Review), 22 and 26 in the Text*
2. Go into National Public Radio archives of All Things Considered. Listen to Heroin in America: a series on heroine abuse. Go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1688762 and listen to the 5 part series.
3. Go into National Public Radio archives of Science Friday. Listen to Improving Athletic Performance:
   (http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ME&showDate=08-Dec-2004&segNum=16&mediaPref=RM&getUnderwriting=1)
   and
   (http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?prgCode=ME&showDate=17-Nov-2004&segNum=16&mediaPref=RM&getUnderwriting=1)
4. Respond to Discussion Questions (10 points)
   
   • Please complete a literature search of the subject of Psychoactive Substance Abuse: Describe the extent of the problem and what can a practioner do to help this problem patients.
   • From your reading and listening to the Real Audio segments, What did you learn and what are your conclusions?
5. This week's course material will deal with substance abuse and anticonvulsants, antiparkinsonian, and respiratory drugs and antihistamines.
6. Query #3: Complete the Worksheet for Chapter 22 and 26. (20 points)

WEEK SEVEN:

1. Required Reading: Chapter 11, 12, 14, 18, and 27 in the Text*
2. Respond to Discussion Questions (10 points)
   • Please complete a literature search of the subjects of Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) and the "B" vitamins. Indicate why each of these substances are important and what is the latest information about doses and toxicity.
   • Please complete a literature search for the following drugs: paclitaxel, the Interferons, tamoxifen, and doxorubicin.
3. Query #4: Complete the Worksheet for Chapter 18 and 27. (20 points)
4. This week's course material will begin our discussion on vitamins, minerals, antineoplastic agents, and preoperative and local anesthetic agent.

WEEK EIGHT:

1. Reading: Review major topics (especially Chapter 11) from the text and special handout on Dietary Products*
2. Respond to Discussion Questions (10 points)
   • Please complete a literature search of the subjects of St. John's wort, Kava, and Garlic. Describe these products' indications, normal dosage, side effects, possible drug interaction, and cautions.
   • Please address the following:
     • What is the possible effect of St John's wort on anesthetic drugs such as Sublimaze and Zofran?
     • Does DHEA increase free testosterone in men with prostate cancer?
     • What is the effect of coenzyme 0 10 on the blood thinner, Coumadin and does it put a patient at risk for blood clots?
     • Does soy protein or cranberry increase the chance of kidney stones?
     • Is there a potential problem with combining kava with the cholesterol lowering agent, Zocor?
   • Many Vitamin, Herbs, and other Dietary Products have become controversial issues in the media. Hundreds of herbs and other supplements line the shelves of health-food stores and drugstores. Unfortunately, useful, accurate information about supplements is far more difficult to get than the supplements themselves. Misconceptions are widespread. What are some of these misconceptions, and from a search of the literature, what can you determine to be the truth?
3. This week's course material will continue our discussion of vitamins, minerals, and introduce herbals and dietary products.
4. Send copy of final paper at the end of week #8. (200 points)

*Textbooks:  Online Bookstore

Woodrow, Ruth. (2002). Essentials of Pharmacology for Health Occupations (4th ed.). Albany, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. ISBN-13: 9780766838901    ISBN: 0766838900