Students should acquire capacity to understand:

1. general disease elements and mechanisms,
2. specific processes underlying common human diseases.

Following completion of the course students will be able to:

1. identify general factors leading to cell and organ damage,
2. describe body’s compensatory response to specific disease elements,
3. analyze mechanisms of energy metabolism disorders and ischemia-reperfusion injury,
4. explain mechanisms of selected disorders of hormones,
5. characterize factors leading to occurrence and progression of malignant tumours,
6. describe pathways of selected disorders of cardiovascular system,
7. explain mechanisms of selected disorders of respiratory system,
8. analyze mechanisms of selected disorders of kidney system and
9. describe mechanisms of selected disorders of gastrointestinal system and liver.

1. Introduction. Health and diseases: principles of homeostasis (feedback and feedforward regulatory loops); dynamic systems; normal range; laboratory data quality control; mechanisms of adaptation; autophagy; unfolded protein response; hypertrophy; hyperplasia; atrophy; dystrophy; non-linear responses of biological systems; ageing.
2. Disease etiology and pathogenesis: genetic, epigenetic and environmental (physical, chemical and biological) factors; infection; oxidative stress.
3. Energy metabolism disorders: ischemia-reperfusion injury; hypoxia; hypoglycemia; anemia; calcium overload; reactive oxygen species; mitochondrial permeability transition pore, preconditioning.
4. Disorders of osmolarity, body fluid compartments and electrolytes: edema (hemodynamic, oncodynamic, lymphodynamic and angiomural); disorders of osmolarity and hydration; hypovolemia; disorders of potassium; disorders of calcium (disorders of vitamin D and parathyroid hormone).
5. Acid-base disorders: metabolic and respiratory acidosis and alkalosis; lung and kidney diseases; diabetic ketoacidosis; lactacidemia; diarrhea; vomiting.
6. Inflammation and immunity disorders: mechanisms of inflammation; cytokines, inflammatory and immune cells in pathological processes; sepsis; autoimmune diseases; immunodeficiencies; hypersensitivity reactions and allergy.
7. Pathophysiology of cancer: oncogenesis; characteristics of cancer; molecular changes in cancer cells; metabolism of cancer cells.
8. Endocrinopathies: general concepts in hormonal disorders; diabetes mellitus; disorders of: growth hormone, glucocorticoids, sex hormones and thyroid hormones.
9. Cardiovascular diseases: myocardial infarction; cardiomyopathies; cardiac decompensation; arrhythmias; hypertension; atherosclerosis; shock.
10. Respiratory diseases: causes of respiratory disorders; hyper- and hypoventilation; disorders of pulmonary mechanics; disorders of ventilation-perfusion ratio; pulmonary embolism; pneumonia; obstructive and restrictive lung diseases.
11. Kidney diseases: causes of kidney diseases; disorders of glomerular membrane, nephrotic syndrome and proteinuria, disorders of kidney tubules; renal failure (uremic toxins, electrolyte disorders, blood pressure changes, acid-base disorders).
12. Gastrointestinal and liver diseases: ulcers and gastrinoma; disorders of digestion and absorption; pancreatitis; ileus; liver failure and cirrhosis (jaundice, encephalopathy, portal hypertension and ascites, metabolic disorders, coagulopathy, hypoalbuminemia).