Sensory Organs

This course reviews the structure and mechanics of the sensory organs. It also provides an overview of sensory organ disorders, including functional disorders, infection, inflammation, and malignant neoplasms. The classes of drugs most often used to treat disorders of the sensory organs are described. In addition, the course provides an overview of the diagnostic techniques that provide data about vision and hearing. It concludes with a discussion of several disorders, including conductive hearing loss, Ménière’s disease, conjunctivitis, and glaucoma.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to describe the anatomy and physiology of the sensory organs; describe common disorders of the sensory organs; and describe the etiology, diagnosis, pharmacology, and terminology related to sensory organ disorders. 

Who Should Take This Course

  • Sales representatives and managers who interact with healthcare professionals who specialize in the treatment of sensory disorders, including ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians, otolaryngologists, audiologists, and otologists.
  • Those who interact with healthcare professionals who treat conditions of the sensory organs secondarily or in the course of treating the whole patient, including pediatricians, oncologists, family practice physicians, nurses, and technicians. 

Career Applications/Benefits

Information provided in this course will allow individuals to discuss key features and benefits of pharmaceutical therapies with physicians, pharmacists, and others who treat patients with disorders of the sensory organs, including the eyes, ears, nose, and tongue. In addition, because of the importance of the sensory organs, the impact of other diseases and treatments on their function must often be considered by the physician. Therefore, this course also has relevance for those whose products may influence sensory function or be used to treat conditions that are often seen concurrently with disorders of the sensory organs. 

Chapter Content

Chapter One: Anatomy and Physiology of the Sensory Organs

  • Overview of Individual Organ Reception
  • Overview of Vision
  • The Mechanics of Visual Perception
  • Overview of Hearing and Equilibrium
  • The Mechanics of Hearing
  • Structures and Mechanisms of Equilibrium
  • Overview of Taste, or the Gustatory Sense
  • Overview of Smell, or the Olfactory Sense

Chapter Two: Pharmacology Related to the Sensory Organs

  • Overview of Sensory Organ Disorders
  • Pharmacology Relevant to the Sensory Organs
  • Anti-inflammatory Drugs: Corticosteroids and Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Autonomic Nervous System Drugs
  • Antihistamines
  • Miscellaneous Classes and Agents

Chapter Three: Disorders of the Sensory Organs

  • Diagnosis of Sensory Disorders
  • Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Glaucoma
  • Conductive Hearing Loss
  • Meniere's Disease

Course Consultant

Timothy S. Lesar, PharmD
Patient Care Services Director
Director of Pharmacy
Department of Pharmacy
Albany Medical Center Hospital
Albany, New York
Course:
SCI-427
Credits:
3
Edition:
Seventh
Program(s):
CMR

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