Drug facts

Drug suffixes have a clue about the drug class

Drugs are classified into groups, but as a pharmacist you could know what is the class of certain drug as long as the drug has a very common suffix.

The most popular example is -statin , as long as the drug name has the suffix statin, it is immediately known as cholesterol lowering agent.

So, here is the most common suffixes and its related drug classes:

caine   : Local anesthetics

cillin   :   Antibiotics

dine : Antiulcer agents

done : Opioid analgesics

ide : Oral hypoglycemics

iam  : Antianxiety agents

micin : Antibiotics

mide :  Diuretics

mycin : Antibiotics

nium : Neuromuscular blocking agents

olol : Beta blockers

oxacin : Antibiotics

pam : Antianxiety agents

pril : ACE inhibitors

sone : Steroids

statin :  Cholesterol lowering drugs

vir : Antiviral agents

zide : Diuretics

cycline : Antibiotics ( Tetracycline)

 

Remember , it is not a role but as I mentioned it might help you to recognize the drug class or its mechanism of action.

 

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