Syllabus · Current · V5 (2025) · Concepts in Pharmacology
B2 · Pharmacodynamics
B2.ii · Mechanisms of Drug Action
Explain drug actions with respect to the following: a. enzyme interactions b. physico-chemical interactions c. receptor interactions, including: i. ion channels and fluxes ii. second messengers and G-proteins iii. nucleic acid synthesis iv. regulation of receptor number and activity v. structural relationships between receptors and ligands
Written examination
SAQ history
Cell Membrane Receptor Signalling
1 exam appearance
Describe how ligands binding to cell membrane receptors can cause a change within that cell. Illustrate your answer with a detailed example for each method.
25%
Drug Action Mechanisms
1 exam appearance
Second Messengers
1 exam appearance
Describe the term second messenger. Give an example of a drug that manifests its action via a second messenger.
43%
Haloperidol vs Olanzapine vs Quetiapine
1 exam appearance
Compare and contrast the pharmacodynamics of haloperidol, olanzapine, and quetiapine, relevant to their use in intensive care, using the following headings:
a) primary mechanism of action (25% of marks).
b) extrapyramidal side effects (15% of marks).
c) other receptor mediated effects (30% of marks).
d) cardiac toxicity (15% of marks).
e) idiosyncratic adverse effects (15% of marks).
21.7%
Oral examination
VIVA history
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2023A · Day 2 · VIVA 4
This VIVA will examine adrenergic and steroid pharmacology. Describe the beta-adrenergic receptors and how signal transduction occurs?
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2020B · Day 3 · VIVA 7
This viva will explore your knowledge of smooth muscle and G proteins. What types of smooth muscle are there?
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2019B · Day 2 · VIVA 5
This viva will initially test your knowledge on structure-activity relationships. Can you name this chemical compound? (Image removed from report.)
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2018A · Day 2 · VIVA 8
This viva will examine adreno-receptors, second messengers and calcium. Classify adreno-receptors and their secondary messenger systems.
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2016A · Day 1 · VIVA 4
This viva tested knowledge of buffer systems in the body and the renal handling of acid. It went on to discuss drug ionization, pKa and dissociation and then the pharmacology of local anaesthetic agents
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2016A · Day 2 · VIVA 8
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.
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2008A · VIVA 5
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
Sources: objective text from the relevant CICM syllabus; historical SAQ and VIVA wording from CICM examiner reports.