Course Summary

The principles of pharmacology and toxicology provide the scientific foundation for understanding the actions of drugs, therapeutic practice, the assessment of adverse events and drug interactions. There are 3 main topics in this course: pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and human toxicology.

Pharmacodynamics is the study of how drugs affect the body and the mechanisms of drug action. Pharmacodynamics explains how drugs interact with target molecules to produce a biological response, and the relationship between the concentration of a drug and its effect.
Pharmacokinetics is the study of how drugs enter, move through, and exit the body. The pharmacokinetic principles of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion influence drug dosing, drug interactions, and adverse effects.
Human toxicology is the study of the toxic effects of chemical, physical or biological agents. Human toxicology is essential for ensuring the safe use of drugs and medications.

Course Overview