Body Systems, Disease, and Drug Treatment Across the Lifespan

In this course we will examine the normal physiological function of organ systems, mechanisms for the maintenance of health, pathophysiological alterations that lead to disease, and the fundamentals of pharmacological treatment of disease. We will focus on diseases that commonly occur across the lifespan, examining common etiologies, pathogenetic mechanisms, clinical manifestations, and common drug treatments of each. Basic principles of pharmacology will also be discussed, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicities.  There will be an overall focus on major pharmacologic agents used to treat the most common disease states with emphasis on relating the mechanism of action to the therapeutic use.