Is Learning better than silver and gold?

Purpose

This assignment is intended to help you learn to do the following:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of medications.
• Write a scholarly paper in Pharmacology based on evidence-based research and clinical practice guidelines.

Overview

In this scholarly paper, you will focus on describing one prescription medication and the disease process that it is used to treat. Specifically, you will provide a concise overview of the disease process in question, describe the mechanisms of how the medication works, and discuss how the medication alters the pathophysiology of the disease process. In addition, you will describe how you would explain to a patient how their medication would be used to treat this disease, using terminology simple enough for them to easily understand.

Write your paper using concise, scientific, and professional language (except for the Appendix, where you will write as if explaining the medication to a patient, using less jargon). After all, "if you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough" (Albert Einstein). Your paper must be evidence-based and cite at least six different sources, including at least two primary references (journal articles or sources from an authoritative medical organization) that you will delve into in more detail.

Outline of the Paper

Your paper must follow this structure:

• Introduction: one paragraph where one prescription medication and the disease process that the medication is used to treat are identified. Include a thesis statement.
• Section 1: Describe the disease and a broad overview of the pathophysiology of the disease process.
• Section 2: Describe the mechanism of action(s) of the medication, using scientific and professional terms, as if explaining to a peer. Include a basic 1-2 sentence overview of the pathophysiology of the disease process and then spend more time covering the pathophysiology of where the medication will alter.
• Section 3: Discuss in detail how the medication alters the pathophysiology of the disease process, using terms as if explaining it to a peer.
• Section 4: You have two options. Use scientific and professional terms in this section.
  • Option 1: Locate one peer-reviewed journal article where the chosen medication was used to treat the chosen disease. Discuss the population, interventions, and results.
  • Option 2: Obtain an evidenced-based guideline or treatment protocol from an authoritative organization. Discuss how the drug that you chose fits into the treatment guideline.
• Conclusion: one paragraph reviewing the content of your portfolio paper with paraphrased thesis statement. Keep in mind that a paragraph should be a minimum of three sentences.
• References: You must use a minimum of six different references (excluding your textbook) that have been published in the last five years. APA citations and references are required throughout this paper. Two references must be from peer-reviewed journals found using Franklin's Library database search engines. One reference needs to be from a practice guideline, such as UpToDate.
• Appendix: Describe how you would explain to a patient how the medication will treat the disease, using simple terms. Remember to include all the patient education information needed. The Appendix should be written in paragraph form with citations.

Example: Metformin and Diabetes

Let's say the paper focuses on the drug metformin and the disease process of type II diabetes mellitus (this is just an example; please do not choose this exact topic for your paper).

First, you would write a paragraph introducing the drug and disease process.

In Section 1, you would write about the decreased availability of insulin, insulin resistance, and mention gluconeogenesis.

In Section 2, you would describe how metformin is a biguanide drug used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2 and polycystic ovary syndrome, and how the drug works to combat diabetes by three different mechanisms of action. Metformin's first mechanism of action (MOA) works to improves insulin sensitivity and decreases insulin resistance, which increases glucose uptake and utilization. When the glucose arrives outside of the cell, some of the receptors do not open. This is known as insulin resistance, typically seen in patients with additional abdominal girth. Metformin increases the receptors’ ability to open, allowing the cell to utilize the glucose and decreasing postprandial glucose levels. Metformin’s second MOA decreases the amount of glucose produced by the liver. Hepatic gluconeogenesis surges around 4 a.m. and, in response, the patient’s blood glucose climbs. This is referred to as the dawn phenomenon and, like the name implies, is when we see high fasting blood glucose levels. Because metformin decreases the liver’s glucose production, it directly targets morning fasting glucose numbers. Finally, metformin’s third MOA decreases glucose absorption in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This is the reason that metformin has GI adverse reactions and why a B12 deficiency in patients taking metformin is often noted (Saathoff, 2017).

Sections 2 and 3 can be combined into one paragraph if written correctly. Note the example paragraph above. The MOA is clearly stated with a description of exactly how metformin changes the pathophysiology of the disease process.

In Section 4, you might choose Option 1 and do a library search on diabetes and metformin. There are many articles. You would need to find one primary reference that has been published in the last five years in a peer reviewed journal. The content would need describe how metformin was used to treat type 2 diabetes in a patient group. For Option 2, you might choose to use a primary reference published by an authoritative organization such as the American Diabetes Association. You could use the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes 2021 reference to discuss the use of metformin and the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Next, you would conclude by reviewing the content of your paper and paraphrasing your thesis statement.

Finally, after your references, you would provide an appendix containing a simplified version of the information in sections 1-3, explaining how metformin is used to treat this type of diabetes using common and traditionally well-understood layman's terms. Also, include patient education information specific to metformin.

Action Items

1. Write a 5-6 page scholarly paper following the outline listed above in the Overview.
2. Paper Format:
   1. The 5-6 page count does not include the title and reference pages.
   2. The document must have 1-inch margins (default on most word processors), 12-point Times New Roman font, double-spacing, and minimal spacing elements.
   3. You must follow APA style for formatting and references.
3. Prior to submitting your final paper:

1. 
   
2. • Franklin University Research Guides: APA Citation StyleLinks to an external site
   • Purdue OWLLinks to an external site.
3. Investigate GrammarlyLinks to an external site.. Grammarly is free if you sign up using your Franklin email.
4. Investigate how to use TurnitinLinks to an external site..

1. Note: When you submit an assignment, the Learning Commons writing tutor sends the professor an e-mail outlining any issues and suggestions they identified. The professor will not grade the assignment until after receiving an e-mail confirmation from the Learning Commons.
2. Your paper will be reviewed and returned by a Learning Commons writing tutor within 48 hours. It is your responsibility to submit your paper with that 48-hour turnaround time in mind.

1. Submit your paper to Turnitin (as a draft) using Portfolio Paper Draft - Turnitin before finalizing and submitting for a grade. Submit your work to Turnitin at least 48 hours prior to the due date, so that you will have time to receive your report and make any necessary changes.
2. Please refer to the grading rubrics associated with this assignment for specific information on how your draft and final paper will be evaluated.
   • Portfolio Project Overview
   • Portfolio Project – Topic Selection
3. Post a summary of your paper in Portfolio Project Paper Due - Discussion Post to share your findings with your classmates.

Submission Instructions

• By the due date indicated, upload your work.
• By the due date indicated, post your paper summary in the accompanying discussion post.