Advanced Pharmacology II

Catalog description

The focus of this course is on the pharmacology of medications used in clinical anesthesia practice. Major content will include the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of general anesthetic agents, analgesics, opioids, muscle relaxants, local anesthetics and adjuvant agents used in anesthesia. Emphasis is on uptake, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and elimination of anesthetics. Drug dosage, side effects, and usual effects of anesthetic agents on various body systems will also be presented, along with fluid & electrolyte balance. The course incorporates gas laws and principles of flow in delivering inhalation anesthetic agents. Pharmacogenomics, and the importance of safety, individual patient variations, age, cultural context, and current evidence-based practice principles will be emphasized when considering the use of various pharmacologic therapies in the treatment of individual patients.