Cardiac Pharmacology

This course gives an overview of the pharmacological agents commonly used in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Brief treatment will also be given to non-cardiac medications used in cardiac patients and their potential interactions.

Students will learn how the various drugs act, are classified, and employed in stable patients and those undergoing emergency procedures, electrophysiological studies, catheterization, and other diagnostic studies.

Drug classes examined include thrombolytic, anticoagulant, antiarrhythmic, antianginal, antihypertensive, diuretic, lipid-lowering, antiglycemic, and contrast agents.

Prerequisite(s)

• 60% in BHSC 3302† and S in CARD 3252 († may be taken concurrently)

Domestic Fees

$696.38

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Identify the various classifications and sub-classifications of cardiac drugs.
• Find relevant drug information from print and online reference materials.
• Understand the physiology behind the actions of pharmacological agents relevant to diagnosis or treatment of cardiac disorders.
• Recognize common non-cardiac medications likely to be used by cardiac patients and understand their pharmacological effects and interactions.
• Explain how drugs are used in noninvasive cardiovascular diagnosis.
• Explain how drugs are used in diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization.
• Describe which agents are used specifically in cardiac electrophysiology studies.
• Identify how drug therapy is used in conjunction with device therapy, such as cardiac pacing.
• Relate pharmacologic agents to the type of desired physiologic effect.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of the use of medical therapy in the management of a variety of cardiac pathologies.