AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course of pharmacology is designed to form qualified personnel (gymnastic teachers, athletic trainers, experts of rehabilitation....etc), capable to dispense physical activity recognizing the most relevant features (indications and contraindications, side effects...etc) of pharmacologic therapies for those pathologies that are most commonly associated with sports activity. To this aim, the first part of the course examines the dinamics of interaction of drugs with human body, and the mechanisms through which drugs induces therapeutic modification of the diseases. The second part of the course is aimed to examine the most important drug cathegories that can be used in sport population, focusing on those that target sports-related pathologies.  The course will detail the pharmacologincal control of inflammation and pain, and the treatment of respiratory tract diseases. Last but not least, the course examines those drugs that, beyond their therapeutic usefulness, are abused in the absence of therapeutic needs, with the purpose of alterate physical performances of athletes. Such unnecessary and often overdosing treatments, expose athletes at high risk to suffer significant side effects or develop late-onset diseases that can severely endanger their health in post-agonistic life.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching takes place in form of lectures that will be held at the University of Genova Campus in Savona

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Overview on pharmacology

•  Definition of drug, aims of pharmacological therapy, interactions between drugs and body, clinical trials

Farmacokinetics

• Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs.
• Parameters of  pharmacokinetics (bioavailability, distribution volume, clearance, half-life)

Farmacodynamics:

• Targets and mechanisms of action of drugs
• Agonism and antagonism
• Side reactions.

Pharmacology for cathegories

• Miorelaxants
• Antinflammatory drugs (non steoidal antinflammatory drugs, antinflammatory steroids)
• Analgesic drugs  (opiates, paracetamol, adiuvants)
• Pharmacology of autonomous nerve system (use of agonists and antagonists of sympathetic and parasympathetic systems)
• Drugs used for pathologies of respiratoty system (Asthma, BCPO, allergic rinithys)
• Drug abuse in sports doping (anabolic hormones, stimulants, narcotics, diuretics, antinflammatory steroids)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The text which is best recommended to integrate the topics that have been addressed in lectures is the following:

"Lippincott's illustrated reviews: Pharmacology", Authors: Michelle A. Clark, Richard Finkel, Jose A. Rey, Karen Whalen. EDS. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins