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====== Understanding Inflammation (Office Hours Series) ======

This series is the **mechanistic backbone** for a huge portion of pharmacology:
NSAIDs, Corticosteroids, Antihistamines, Asthma Meds, Biologics, Rheum Drugs, and more.

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**Quick Links** \\ 
  * [[office_hours:series:start|← Back to Office Hours: Series]]  
  * [[allergy:start|Allergy / Hypersensitivity]]  
  * [[eicosanoids:start|NSAIDs & Leukotrienes]]  
  * [[rheum:start|Rheumatology / Immunosuppressants]]  
  * [[oncology:start|Oncology (Immunotherapy / Supportive)]]  
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===== What You’ll Learn =====

  * Acute vs chronic inflammation (what changes, and why it matters)
  * Where **histamine, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, cytokines** fit
  * How steroids differ from NSAIDs (and why biologics are “upstream”)
  * How to predict **therapeutic benefit + adverse effects** from pathway position

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You will be a better clinician if you understand the pathways, not just memorize some drugs
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===== Episodes =====

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==== Episode 1 — The Inflammation Map (Big Picture) ====

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📄 **Download Slides (PDF)** \\ 
{{:office_hours:inflammation:inflammation_map.pdf|Download Slides (PDF)}}
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→ [[office_hours:inflammation:episode_1|Open Episode 1 Page]]

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==== Episode 2 — Arachidonic Acid (NSAIDs vs Leukotrienes) ====

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📄 **Download Slides (PDF)** \\ 
{{:office_hours:inflammation:arachidonic_acid_pathway.pdf|Download Slides (PDF)}}
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→ [[office_hours:inflammation:episode_2|Open Episode 2 Page]]

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==== Episode 3 — Cytokines & JAK/STAT (Why Biologics Work) ====

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📄 **Download Slides (PDF)** \\ 
{{:office_hours:inflammation:cytokines_and_jak_stat.pdf|Download Slides (PDF)}}
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→ [[office_hours:inflammation:episode_3|Open Episode 3 Page]]

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==== Episode 4 — Hypersensitivity vs Autoimmunity ====

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📄 **Download Slides (PDF)** \\ 
{{:office_hours:inflammation:hypersensitivity_vs_autoimmunity.pdf|Download Slides (PDF)}}
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→ [[office_hours:inflammation:episode_4|Open Episode 4 Page]]

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===== High-Yield Framework — How Immune Drugs Differ =====

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^ Depth of Action ^ What The Drug Is Really Doing ^ Drug Classes ^ Typical Clinical Use ^
| Surface (symptom relief) | Blocks mediators already released | [[allergy:drug_classes:first_generation_h1|Antihistamines]], [[immunology:biologics:anti_ige|Omalizumab]] | Seasonal allergies, urticaria |
| Local chemical inflammation | Blocks inflammatory chemicals (prostaglandins / leukotrienes) | [[eicosanoids:nsaids:start|NSAIDs]], [[cardio:antiplatelet:aspirin|Aspirin]], [[respiratory:drugs:zileuton|Zileuton]], [[respiratory:drugs:montelukast|Montelukast]] | Pain, fever, mild asthma |
| Broad immune suppression | Turns off inflammatory gene production | [[endocrine:drug_classes:corticosteroids|Corticosteroids]] | Severe inflammation, flares |
| Targeted immune modulation | Blocks specific immune communication pathways | [[immunology:biologics:anti_tnf_agents|TNF inhibitors]], [[immunology:biologics:start|IL inhibitors]], [[immunology:jak_inhibitors:start|JAK inhibitors]] | Autoimmune disease, severe asthma, IBD |
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The deeper the drug acts → the stronger the disease control → the greater the infection risk.
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===== Related =====

  * [[office_hours:series:start|Office Hours: Series]]
  * [[office_hours:start|Office Hours Home]]
  * [[lectures:start|Full Lecture Series]]
  * [[start|PharmAtlas Home]]