Course Description
Are you interested in understanding how some of the most common prescription medications work, why they are used, and how they should be used when treating common ailments? Perhaps you would like to recognize the most common causes of specific diseases, identify their symptoms, and recognize the diagnostic criteria associated with them. Throughout this course, you will learn why some medications can’t be used by certain people, understand how prescription drugs are regulated, and examine the correlation between common prescription drugs and diseases. Additionally, you will learn how to find reliable sources of drug information and explore how to use those resources.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Describe prescription drug regulation and objectively assess drug advertisements
- Choose the appropriate drug information source to answer a medical question
- Describe the role of the pharmacist in drug information
In addition, for each condition discussed, students will be able to:
- Recognize the most common causes
- Identify the most common symptoms and diagnostic criteria
- List the goals of therapy
- Summarize the medications available for treatment including:
- Basic mechanism of action (how they work)
- Benefits of the drug
- Main side effects
Topics
- Drug Regulation, Advertising, and Information
- Contraception and Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Hypertension and Dylipidemia
- Asthma and Smoking Cessation
- Mental Health, Insomnia, and Pain