Pharmacology
This course introduces pharmacology as the study of drugs. The course begins with an explanation of therapeutic and adverse effects, in addition to the basic operation of the nervous system. Several major body systems are covered including the cardiovascular, urinary, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems, with particular emphasis on the endocrine and immune systems. The drugs that are used to treat such conditions are studied with respect to their mechanism of action, therapeutic effects, and adverse effects. Topics include muscle relaxants, anesthetics, pain medication, and psychoactive medications. As students work through this course, their understanding of how drugs impact the body, as intended and otherwise, will improve.
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Course Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Relate drug terminology to their appropriate definitions, and analyze aspects of drug actions, effects, and responses.
- Evaluate individual variation factors to drug responses, and explain drug interaction, dependence, and abuse.
- Solve dosage calculation problems involving fractions, decimals, percents, ratios, proportions and using the metric, apothecary, and household measurement systems.
- Evaluate the contribution of nutrients towards maintaining normal body function, and explain nutrition deficiency, drug and supplement interaction, and effects of supplement overdose.
- Describe brain structure and functioning, and explain how various parts of the brain regulate organ function.
- Examine the functioning of the autonomic nervous system and the stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system.
- Evaluate how drugs increase or reduce the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and autonomic nervous system activities.
- Explain how muscle relaxants act on the body and assess their effects and adverse effects.
- Compare and contrast general and local anesthetics with reference to their routes of administration, mechanisms of action, effects, and adverse effects.
- Evaluate the contribution of opioid analgesics towards pain alleviation, and assess their effects and adverse effects.
- Assess the types of nonopioid analgesics and their dosages, and relate the effects of these drugs to the treatment of inflammation and gout.
- Analyze the various types of mental disorders and evaluate the effects of antipsychotic, antianxiety, antidepressant, and antimanic drugs.
- Relate the structure and function of the heart to the actions and adverse effects of drugs used to treat congestive heart failure and blood pressure.
- Describe the normal cardiac cycle, common cardiac arrhythmias and actions and adverse effects of drugs used to treat cardiac arrhythmias and angina pectoris.
- Explain the mechanisms of action of coagulants and anticoagulants, causes and treatment of anemia, the mechanisms and actions of the various hypolipidemic drugs, and their adverse effects.
- Analyze the mechanisms of hypnotic and psychotomimetic drug action, compare and contrast the effects of barbiturates and benzodiazepines, and examine the potential abuse of psychotomimetic drugs.
- Analyze the structure and function of the kidneys, their effect on other body systems, and the actions and side effects of diuretics.
- Relate the nature of allergic reactions to the use of anti allergic and antihistamine drugs, and explain the actions of drugs used to treat respiratory diseases.
- Examine the actions, adverse effects, and interactions of drugs used to treat hyperacidity, gastroesophageal reflux disease, vomiting, ulcers, simple diarrhea, and laxatives and cathartics.
- List and explain clinical indications and contraindications, administration, and drug interactions of growth hormones, thyroid hormones, and adrenal steroids.
- Relate the function of hormones produced in the thyroid and parathyroid glands to their clinical uses.
- Relate the action of insulin and glucagon to the treatment of diabetes, and explain the aspects of drug administration including adverse effects, contraindications, and drug interactions.
- Explain how antiseptics and disinfectants work to prevent infection, the actions of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral drugs in fighting infections, and their adverse effects, contraindications, and interactions.
- Explain the actions of antiprotozoal and antiparasitic drugs drugs in fighting infections, and explain their adverse effects, contraindications, and interactions.
- Describe the characteristics and types of cancer, as well as the actions and effects of drugs used to treat them.
Topic | Title | Subtopics | Objectives |
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1 | Introduction to Pharmacology |
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2 | Dosage Calculations |
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3 | The Nervous System |
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4 | Psychological Disorders and Drugs |
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5 | Common Pain Relief Agents |
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6 | Cardiac Function, Disorders, and Blood Pressure |
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7 | Blood Clotting, Anemia, and Lipids |
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8 | Respiratory System |
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9 | Gastrointestinal Disorders and Intestinal Motility |
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10 | Endocrine System and Steroids |
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11 | Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands |
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12 | Pancreatic Hormones |
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13 | Hormones and Reproduction |
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14 | Viral, Bacterial, and Fungal Pharmacology |
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15 | Parasitic Infection and Wound Pharmacology |
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16 | Cancer and Immune Pharmacology |
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17 | Nutrition, Fluids, and Diuretics |
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18 | Review |
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There are no prerequisites to take Pharmacology.
The required eTextbook for this course is included with your course purchase at no additional cost. More information on StraighterLine eTextbooks
Prefer the hard copy? Simply purchase from your favorite textbook retailer; you will still get the eTextbook for free.

Pharmacology, 7e by Hitner/Nagle is incredibly readable, with short chapters that link theory to practice; content that is focused on the need-to-know information to not overload the reader; excellent tables and features such as Patient Administration and Monitoring Boxes; and the most up-to-date drug information. This new edition features revised Learning Outcomes for each chapter, with a more streamlined chapter structure to reflect those updates.
StraighterLine provides a percentage score and letter grade for each course. See Academic Questions section in FAQ for further details on percentage scores and grading scale. A passing percentage is 70% or higher.
If you have chosen a
to award credit for this course, your final grade will be based upon that college's grading scale. Only passing scores will be considered by Partner Colleges for an award of credit.There are a total of 1000 points in the course.
Topic | Assessment | Points Available |
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4 | Graded Exam #1 | 125 |
8 | Graded Exam #2 | 125 |
9 | Midterm Exam | 200 |
13 | Graded Exam #3 | 125 |
17 | Graded Exam #4 | 125 |
18 | Final Graded Exam | 300 |
Total | 1000 |
This course introduces pharmacology as the study of drugs. The course begins with an explanation of therapeutic and adverse effects, in addition to the basic operation of the nervous system. Several major body systems are covered including the cardiovascular, urinary, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems, with particular emphasis on the endocrine and immune systems. The drugs that are used to treat such conditions are studied with respect to their mechanism of action, therapeutic effects, and adverse effects. Topics include muscle relaxants, anesthetics, pain medication, and psychoactive medications. As students work through this course, their understanding of how drugs impact the body, as intended and otherwise, will improve.