Unit Code: PHM710

Unit Name: Pharmacokinetics

Description: This course is designed to provide students with knowledge on how the body handles the drugs once administered into the body. The strategy for optimum treatment of patients with drugs is to give sufficient amounts for the required therapeutic effect to arise, but not the toxic effect. Pharmacokinetics is a branch of Therapeutics that includes; the study of mechanisms of absorption and distribution of an administered drug, the rate at which a drug action begins and the duration of the effect, the chemical changes of the drug in the body (metabolism by enzymes) and the effects and routes of excretion of the metabolites of the drug or intact drug. It examines the relationships among dose, plasma concentration and the subsequent therapeutic or toxic effect. The application of Pharmacokinetic concepts to clinical practice enables safe and effective therapeutic management of individual patients.

Learning Target Outcomes: On successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Describe the principles of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion. 2. Differentiate between the different orders of reactions. 3. Discuss principles of Bioavailability and Bioequivalence. 4. Identify the properties of modified release dosage forms. 5. Differentiate between Linear and Non - Linear Pharmacokinetics 6. Demonstrate therapeutic drug monitoring and design regimens for special patient groups. 7. Prepare extemporaneous products applying suitable compounding techniques and principles with correct calculations to dispense medications that are safe to use.

Prerequisite: PHM610

Prerequisite Sentence: N/A

Credit Point: 15

Offered In: Semester 1,2