PHR2142 · Comprehensive care: Cardiovascular

Overview

This unit provides the knowledge and skills required for the diagnosis and therapeutic management of patients with cardiovascular conditions. Specifically, the unit will cover cardiovascular diseases and disorders such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia, heart failure, and atherosclerosis and thromboembolic disorders. This unit will relate the pathophysiology and epidemiology of these conditions with the rational design and clinical use of medicines. The chemistry, pharmacology, disposition, and clinical and therapeutic aspects of medicines associated with each condition are presented in an integrated fashion. This unit will involve the development of pharmacy relevant skills such as medication-related clinical problem solving and decision making, critical thinking and oral and written communication skills. Drug therapy principles for treating cardiovascular conditions will be emphasised, enabling you to acquire the skills necessary to optimise medication adherence and improve treatment outcomes across diverse, complex patient cases and cultural contexts.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.

Final examination 50%; in-semester assessment 50% This unit contains one or more competency hurdle assessment tasks that you must successfully complete to be able to pass the unit. You have one attempt, plus an additional assessment capped at 50% of the available marks for the task, to demonstrate your competency in the competency hurdle assessment task. If you fail to meet the hurdle requirement, you will receive a fail grade for the unit regardless of the total marks you achieve.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Describe how the structure and function of the cardiovascular system is affected by disease
2. Describe the epidemiology and clinical aspects of disease state management for selected cardiovascular conditions, including primary and secondary prevention strategies
3. Describe the signs and symptoms, and identify diagnostic methods used to detect cardiovascular conditions
4. Explain the mechanism of action of drugs used in treatment of selected cardiovascular conditions, and predict their therapeutic effects and potential side effects based on these mechanisms
5. Identify and prioritise pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options for the management of acute and chronic cardiovascular conditions
6. Evaluate a patient's cardiovascular condition and create a patient specific care plan which applies established clinical guidelines, incorporating a comprehensive clinical review of potential drug-related problems
7. Evaluate and justify when referral for medical assessment is required, with a particular emphasis on symptoms indicative of referral
8. Apply counselling strategies that provide support and optimise behavioural change for patients with cardiovascular conditions
9. Using a multidisciplinary healthcare team approach, develop and articulate appropriate clinical and communication strategies to treat cardiovascular conditions

Workload

• Seventy-two hours of independent study • Twenty-four hours of pre-learning activities (up to 4 hours per week for 6 weeks) • Twenty-four hours of active learning applied sessions (4 hours per week for 6 weeks) • Twenty-four hours of small group classes including assessment (4 hours per week for 6 weeks)

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.