Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
Using music to teach pharmacology
Ewen MacDonald
Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology
University of Kuopio
Finland
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
Pharmacolyricism or MAL
(melody assisted learning)
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
The background
originally simply using recorded music to
quieten down the room at the start of a
lesson
what do you play when your lecture is on
beta-blockers??
The beta-blocker blues
Essential hypertension
Is what the doctor said
He didn't say the pills he gave
Would make me feel so bad
I've got the blues
Got the beta-blocker blues,
Cold feet, cold toes, cold fingers
Ice cold, beta-blocker blues
The beta-blocker blues
I tried those diuretics
But they just pissed me off
I tried to take enalapril
But all I did was cough
I've got the blues
Got no energy at all,
Blood sugar's down at zero
Got no energy at all
The beta-blocker blues
My baby's gone and left me
She says our love is dead
But bradycardia all the day
Stops fireworks in our bed
I've got the blues
Got the beta-blocker blues,
Can't satisfy my baby
Bedtime beta-blocker blues
The beta-blocker blues
The beta-blocker blues
I'm sitting in my lonely room
I'm trying to not to weep
Get breathless if I climb the stairs
Get nightmares when I sleep
I've got the blues
And even though my pressure’s swell
These pills can't stop my heartache
Beta-blockers go to hell !!!!
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
Why do it?
Reason # 1 – it’s a lot of fun!
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
A musical version of the Henderson-
Hasselbach equation?
Henderson-Hasselbach equation
describes the extent of ionization at
different pHs
But who were Henderson and
Hasselbach?
Were they – Messrs. H & H ?
Messrs. H & H
Henderson said to Hasselbach
Got to figure out how most drugs react
Henderson said to Hasselbach
We got to figure it out
Hasselbach said to Henderson
What we really need is an equation
Then our names, Messrs. H and H
Will live long after we're dead
Messrs. H & H
Drug molecules almost invariably
Two forms can you find
Ionized or non-ionized
The pH decides
And the pH where they will be
half ionized
We'll call the pKa
Messrs. H & H
Henderson said to Hasselbach
Consider the way that weak acids react
When they´re totally ionized
They just can't be absorbed
But when they're in acidic environment
Where pH is low
Predominantly they are non-ionized
Through membranes they go
And the pH where they will be half ionized
- is their pKa
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
Why do it?
Reason # 2 – it shows the
students that we are ”human”
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
Zero tolerance for you
Originally intended to be a
pharmacological ”love song”
For some reason pharmacological
terms all seem to have negative
connotations
Therefore, the song turned into a kind
of ”hate song”
Zero tolerance for you
I've zero tolerance for you,
Zero tolerance for you
Not ready to accept your lying or your
cheating
I've zero tolerance for you.
No longer dependent upon you
Not dependent on you
Withdrawal syndrome I went through
No longer dependent upon you
Zero tolerance for you
The song goes on to describe
Tachyphylaxis
Allergic reactions
Hypersensitivity
Idiosyncracy
Compliance
Bioavailability
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
Why do it?
Reason # 3 – it’s much easier
to remember song lyrics than
dry facts
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
”Down to five”
Cholesterol-reduction (the Finnish
Medical Associations have
recommended that the population
should strive to lower their
cholesterol values to 5 mmol/l or
less
The problems of prophylactic use
of medicines in non-risk subjects
Down to five
Down to five, yeah down to five
It's gotta be five to stay alive
'Cos five point five that’s far too high
Gotta get those cholesterol values
down to five
Down to five
Six months of this diet; but values have
risen
You need medication boy, we'll start
you with a resin
It's petulance and flatulence
It's belching all the day
Whenever I relieve myself
Those stools won't flush away
Other symphonic masterpieces
Nicotine replacement blues
Growth hormone hero
Cosmetic pharmacology
Cancer chemotherapy
Alzheimer Blues
Suicide by cigarette
Mouldy building blues
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
Why do it?
Reason # 4 – it’s unique
– if students don’t remember
anything else from their
pharmacology course…
The moon face blues
Long term therapy
with glucocorticoids
gives rise to very
characteristic
changes such as
”moon face” and
”buffalo hump”
The moon face blues
Glucocorticoids aren't just hormones
They will change everything that you do
If you have to take them a long time
You'll get the moon face blues
They can give you diabetes
Glucose tolerance gets worse by the day
Myopathy is also common
Watch your muscles waste away
The moon face blues - your face is like a cheese
The moon face blues - skin has a film of grease
The moon face blues - your heart begins to thump
The moon face blues - and the buffalo hump
Raising public awareness
The moon-face blues played in a local
hostelry (Henry’s Pub)
Since you can’t resist infection
Mould and fungi will thrive in your mouth
Needs an antibiotic umbrella
Just to keep those bad bugs out
The moon face blues
You may start to think
you’ve gone crazy
You’re psychotic
– a screw has come loose!
But these symptoms are
only a part of
What we call
– the moon face blues!
Lecture theatre blues –
or blues in the lecture theatre
Why do it?
Reason # 5 –
applause in
the lecture
theatre!!!
Thanks to
Jukka and Jarmo
Thanks to
The Uncle John Blues Band
Seppo Pekka Ewen Jarmo Juhja Tuomo
Thanks to
The Uncle John Blues Band
(available at very reasonable cost for weddings,
christenings, funerals ….)