Module Specification
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title CARDIOVASCULAR PHARMACOLOGY
Code LIFE401
Coordinator Dr A Alfirevic
Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology
Ana.Alfirevic@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2016-17 Level 7 FHEQ First Semester 7.5

Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):
LIFE207; LIFE206 None 

Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:
 

Co-requisite modules:
 

Linked Modules:
 

Teaching Schedule
  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 16
Lectures to introduce key concepts
        3
1 hour activity where tasks are explained in detail by the lecturers and 2 hours during which students present their work in groups
19
Timetable (if known)           Compulsory attendance on all sessions
  		 
Private Study 56
TOTAL HOURS 75

Assessment
EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Unseen Written Exam  90  End of semester 1  80  Yes    Exam 
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Coursework  500 words plus 5 min  Semester 1  20  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Summative exercise Notes (applying to all assessments) Assessment 1 will be a written examination. Assessment 2 will be prepared in small groups. Students will (individually) produce a 250 word abstract and answer short questions. As a group they will present their findings using PowerPoint slides during one of the tutorials. Therefore it cannot be anonymous. 

Aims

The aims of the module are to provide the students with the opportunity to develop advanced knowledge and understanding of cardiovascular pharmacology and to develop an awareness of how dysfunction of these systems can be treated with current drugs, and how improved understanding can lead to development of of improved drugs. We will raise awareness of the specific problems associated with drug side-effects in the cardiovascular system, and the approaches taken to test for these during drug development.

Learning Outcomes

To critically discuss the pathophysiology of major cardiovascular diseases  

To appraise current knowledge of the mechanisms of action and side-effects of current drugs at the molecular, cellular, organ and systemic levels in health and disease

To discuss the latest understanding of principles underlying the development of new drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Lecture - Lectures to introduce key concepts

Tutorial-Summative exercise - 1 hour activity where tasks are explained in detail by the lecturers and 2 hours during which students present their work in groups

Compulsory attendance on all sessions

Group-work - Students prepare their group work assignment

Syllabus
1 


Atherosclerosis and Lipid Lowering Therapy

Anticoagulants

Antithrombotics

Pharmacogenetics of cardiovascular medicine

Clinical Pharmacology of Heart Failure: Pathophysiology and Treatment

Treatment of Hypertension

Treatment of Ischaemic Heart Disease

Cardiac ion channels and action potentials

Mechanism of Arrhythmia and Antiarrhythmic Drugs (including QT Prolongation and Torsades de Pointes)

Vascular pharmacology and diseases affecting the vascular system

Adverse effects of the drugs on the heart and vascular system: cardiovascular toxicity


 

Recommended Texts
Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
Explanation of Reading List:

Reading lists support directed learning by including mandatory and optional reading selected by the course lecturers.

An example of the reading list is given below:

Fareed J, Thethi I, Hoppensteadt D (2012) Old versus new oral anticoagulants: focus on Pharmacology (Review). Ann Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 52:79-99.

 

Michelson AD. Antiplatelet therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular disease (2010) Nature Rev drug Disc 9:154-169.

 

Cooper GM, Johnson JA, Langaee TY, Feng H, Stanaway IB, Schwarz UI, Ritchie MD, Stein CM, Roden DM, Smith JD, Veenstra DL, Rettie AE and Rieder MJ (2008) A genome-wide scan for common genetic variants with a large influence on warfarin maintenance dose. Blood 112(4):1022-1027.

 

Daly AK and King BP (2003) Pharmaco genetics of oral anticoagulants. Pharmacogenetics 13(5):247-252.

 

Lenzini et al. Integration of Genetic, Clinical, and INR Data to Refine Warfarin Dosing (Original article) Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics 2010;87(5):572-8.

Shuldiner et al. Association of CYP2C19 genotype with the antiplatelet effect and clinical efficacy of clopidogrel therapy. JAMA 2009;302(8):849-858. (Original article)

+ Editorial by Bhatt,D. JAMA 2009;302(8):896-7.

Mega et al. Reduced-function CYP2C19 genotype and risk of adverse clinical outcomes among patients treated with clopidogrel for PCI- A meta-analysis. JAMA 2010;304 (16):1821-30.

The Search Collaborative Group. SLCO1B1 variants and statin-induced myopathy- a genomewide study. N Engl J Med 2008;359:789-99. (Original article)

Attia et al. How to use an article about genetic association:  Background concepts JAMA 2009;301(1):74-81 (Review)

Budnitz et al. Emergency hospitalizations for adverse drug events in older Americans. N Engl J Med 2011;365(21):2002-12.