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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Deanery of Biomedical Sciences : Biomedical Sciences

Undergraduate Course: Cardiovascular Pharmacology & Therapeutics (BIME10029)

Course Outline
SchoolDeanery of Biomedical Sciences CollegeCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryCardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics will focus primarily on drugs used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, both current drug classes and those in development. The aim is to understand how these drugs work and where new development is required. The course will introduce the basics of vascular biology, including a practical class on function of the vascular endothelium; as well as blood pressure control and the kidney, and mechanisms of angiogenesis. The course will then cover the major cardiovascular diseases, including the role of the endothelium in protection against vascular disease, antioxidants, and the the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis that can result in thrombosis, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. The course will also address the potential for new treatments to reduce injury associated with MI and to treat heart failure. Non-drug related therapeutics, such as stem cells and microRNAs will also be covered within these topics. The course will be taught as a combination of traditional lectures and linked tutorials based on analysis of original research papers. Students will be expected to contribute to tutorial sessions and will be required to make presentations to their classmates related to the themes of the course. The teachers on this course are drawn from a variety of backgrounds, mostly active researchers and clinicians from the Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Little France.
Course description Not entered
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Pharmacology 3 (BIME09003) AND Biomedical Sciences 3 (BIME09008)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements Students who are either enrolled on the BSc (Hons) Medical Sciences, or who spent their third year abroad, or who are taking an intercalated year, are exempt from the requirement to have taken and passed Biomedical Sciences 3.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  0
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 11, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 16, Formative Assessment Hours 2, Summative Assessment Hours 10, Revision Session Hours 5, Other Study Hours 4, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 137 )
Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) learning skills session
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 50 %, Coursework 50 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Feedback Feedback will be available throughout the course in many forms:
: tutorials will allow direct feedback from the tutor.
:analysis of data generated during the practical will provide the opportunity for feedback on performance in the practical and on ability to interpret data.
¿ from course organiser and peers on your presentations to the class
¿ a focussed session at the end of the course to go over exam questions and techniques as well as specific student questions about topics.
¿ exam performance
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)Cardiovascular Pharmacology & Therapeutics2:135
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand the roles of the vascular endothelium in cardiovascular health and disease, including regulation of vascular tone and angiogenesis, and experimental investigation of its function
  2. Develop a clear understanding of cardiovascular risk factors and the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (hypertension, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure)
  3. Understand the mechanisms of current (e.g. ACE inhibitors, statins) and the basis for new (e.g. novel anti-platelet and anti-coagulant drugs, neprilysin inhibitors) therapeutic approaches to treat cardiovascular disease
  4. Develop the skills to interpret original experimental data and to critically review scientific literature
  5. Develop the skills to work in a group to frame clear hypotheses and aims, to design appropriate experimental protocols for investigation of new cardiovascular drugs and to present outcomes in a poster and orally
Reading List
Martin, W, Villani, GM, Jothianandan, D & Furchgott, RF, (1984). Selective blockade of endothelium-dependent and glyceryl trinitrate-induced relaxation by haemoglobin and by methylene blue in the rabbit aorta. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics: 232 (3), 708-716.

Martin, W, Furchgott, RF, Villani, GM & Jothianandan, D (1986). Depression of contractile responses in rat aorta by spontaneously released endothelium-derived relaxing factor. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics: 237 (2), 529-538.

Bullock. GR, Taylor, SG, Weston, AH (1986) Influence of the vascular endothelium on agonist-induced contractions and relaxations in rat aorta. Br. J. Pharmacol., 89, 819-830.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Special Arrangements Require access to the Basement lab, 1, George Square, for practical classes.
The majority of teaching will take place in the Chancellors Building at Little France.
KeywordsCVP&T
Contacts
Course organiserDr Patrick Hadoke
Tel:
Email: Patrick.Hadoke@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Sarah Reilly
Tel:
Email: sreilly2@ed.ac.uk
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