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Curriculum standards

Knowledge guides

LG13: Clinical pharmacology by system

Key presentations and conditions

Advanced Trainees will have a comprehensive depth of knowledge of these presentations and conditions.

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Less common or more complex presentations and conditions

Advanced Trainees will understand these presentations and conditions.

Advanced Trainees will understand the resources that should be used to help manage patients with these presentations and conditions.

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Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical sciences

Advanced Trainees will have a comprehensive depth of knowledge of the principles of the foundational sciences.

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Investigations, procedures, and clinical assessment tools

Advanced Trainees will know the scientific foundation of each investigation and procedure, including relevant anatomy and physiology. They will be able to interpret the reported results of each investigation or procedure.

Advanced Trainees will know how to explain the investigation or procedure to patients, families, and carers, and be able to explain procedural risk and obtain informed consent where applicable.

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Important specific issues

Advanced Trainees will identify important specialty-specific issues and the impact of these on diagnosis and management and integrate these into care.

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Presentations
  • Patients referred for care
Conditions - cardiovascular
  • Arrhythmia
  • Heart failure
  • Hyperlipidemia
  • Hypertension
Conditions – dermatological
  • Cellulitis
Conditions – endocrine
  • Diabetes:
    • type 1
    • type 2
  • Thyroid disorders:
    • hyperthyroidism
    • hypothyroidism
    • thyroid nodules
    • thyroiditis
Conditions – gastrointestinal
  • Acid peptic disease:
    • gastritis
    • gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
    • peptic ulcer disease
  • Motility disorders:
    • gastroparesis
    • irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Conditions – haematologic
  • Anaemia
Conditions – kidney and urinary system
  • Kidney failure:
    • acute injury (AKI)
    • chronic (CKD)
Conditions – musculoskeletal
  • Arthritis:
    • osteoarthritis
    • rheumatoid arthritis
  • Gout
  • Musculoskeletal disorders:
    • fibromyalgia
    • osteoporosis
    • soft tissue injury
Conditions – nervous system
  • Epilepsy
  • Neuropathies
  • Stroke
Conditions – respiratory
  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Pneumonia
  • Pulmonary embolism

AIM

  • Multimorbidity
  • Psychiatric comorbidities

Geriatric syndromes

  • Cognitive impairment
  • Delirium
  • Dementia
  • Falls
  • Fractures
  • Incontinence
  • Vertigo

For each presentation and condition, Advanced Trainees will know how to:

Synthesise
  • recognise the clinical presentation
  • identify relevant epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical science
  • take a relevant clinical history
  • conduct an appropriate examination
  • establish a differential diagnosis
  • plan and arrange appropriate investigation
  • consider the impact of illness and disease on patients and families, and their quality of life
Manage
  • provide evidence-based management
  • prescribe therapies tailored to patients’ needs and conditions
  • recognise potential complications of disease and its management, and initiate preventative strategies
  • involve multidisciplinary teams
Consider other factors
  • identify individual and social factors and the impact of these on diagnosis and management
Presentations
  • Patients referred for care
Conditions - dermatological
  • Cancer – skin
  • Infection
  • Psoriasis
Conditions – haematologic
  • Cancer
  • Clotting disorders
  • Leukaemia
  • Lymphoma
Conditions – immune
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Deficiencies
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Conditions – kidney
  • Glomerulonephritis
  • Nephrotic syndrome
Conditions – neurological
  • Multiple sclerosis
Conditions – reproductive system
  • Infertility
  • Menstrual disorders
  • Prostate conditions
  • Sexually transmitted infections
Less common conditions
  • Genetic disorders, rare

PCH

  • Neonatal abstinence syndromes
Synthesise
  • recognise the clinical presentation
  • identify relevant epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical science
  • take a relevant clinical history
  • conduct an appropriate examination
  • establish a differential diagnosis
  • plan and arrange appropriate investigation
  • consider the impact of illness and disease on patients and families, and their quality of life
Manage
  • provide evidence-based management
  • prescribe therapies tailored to patients’ needs and conditions
  • recognise potential complications of disease and its management, and initiate preventative strategies
  • involve multidisciplinary teams
Consider other factors
  • identify individual and social factors and the impact of these on diagnosis and management
  • Anatomy and physiology of organ systems
  • Clinical sciences, epidemiology, and pathophysiology of the conditions listed above in ‘Key presentations and conditions’
  • Clinical sciences of therapies used to treat cancer, such as:
    • chemotherapy
    • radiotherapy
  • Impact of drugs on organ systems, such as:
    • bone health, such as:
      • bisphosphonates
    • kidney function
  • Pharmacology and toxicology of medications to treat or manage the conditions listed above in ‘Key presentations and conditions’, such as:
    • cardiovascular conditions:
      • angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
      • angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
      • anticoagulants
      • antiplatelets
      • calcium channel blockers
      • HMG CoA reductase
      • loop diuretics
      • thiazide and thiazide-like diuretics
    • endocrine conditions:
      • antiresorptive
      • biguanides
      • carbimazole
      • dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4)
      • glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP1RA)
      • insulin
      • sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i)
      • sulfonylureas
      • thyroxine
    • gastrointestinal conditions:
      • aperients
      • proton pump inhibitors
    • haematologic conditions:
      • antiplatelets
      • direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs)
      • heparins
      • low molecular weight heparin (LWMH)
      • warfarin
    • immune conditions:
      • steroids
    • nervous system conditions:
      • anaesthetics
      • analgesics
      • anti-epileptics
      • antipsychotics
    • respiratory conditions:
      • bronchodilators
      • inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)
      • long-acting beta-agonists (LABA)
      • long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA)
      • short-acting beta agonists (SABA)
  • Importance of informatics within health care, such as:
    • electronic health records
    • health roundtables
    • hospital-acquired complications
  • Management of oncological conditions with therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy
  • National and local guidelines for the quality use of medicines