C.iv · Pharmacodynamics

This VIVA will examine adrenergic and steroid pharmacology. Describe the beta-adrenergic receptors and how signal transduction occurs?

This viva will explore your knowledge of smooth muscle and G proteins. What types of smooth muscle are there?

This viva will initially test your knowledge on structure-activity relationships. Can you name this chemical compound? (Image removed from report.)

This viva will examine adreno-receptors, second messengers and calcium. Classify adreno-receptors and their secondary messenger systems.

This was a general pharmacology viva about drug receptor interactions, receptor classification and concepts of affinity and rate constants. The viva explored knowledge of dose response curves and the concepts of potency and efficacy. The viva went on discuss plasma concentration curves, exponential functions and drug kinetics and compartment distributions.

CH2 CH2 NH2 Candidates were expected to recognise ‘phenylethylamine’ and appreciate that it is the precursor molecule for the naturally occurring catecholamines. A brief overview of its structure activity relationships, particularly with respect to substitutions on the phenyl ring, β carbon and amine group (producing dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline) was expected. Questioning then progressed to discuss the pharmacology of noradrenaline in more detail. Changing questions, candidates were asked to provide a very brief overview of what the autonomic nervous system was before exploring the physiology of the valsalva manoeuvre in some detail. Syllabus: G3a2d, G3a2b and G3a1