How to use these flashcards
Flip a card with a click or the spacebar, then sort it as one you know or one to review again. The deck keeps a running count of what you know, so you can drill only the cards you have not mastered yet. Shuffle any time to break the order you have started to memorize by position rather than by content.
Recall practice like this pairs best with active testing. When a deck starts to feel easy, switch to the Drug Class Identification practice test to confirm the knowledge holds up under multiple-choice pressure, or work through the full set of free PTCB quizzes.
24 cards from this deck
Here are the first 24 of the 25 cards written out in full, so you can scan or print them without flipping. The deck above shuffles all 25.
| Drug class | Suffix and example drugs | Hint |
|---|---|---|
| Statins | Names usually end in -statin. Example drugs: atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, fluvastatin. | Mainly used for high cholesterol and cardiovascular risk reduction. |
| ACE Inhibitors | Names usually end in -pril. Example drugs: lisinopril, enalapril, ramipril, benazepril, quinapril, captopril. | Mainly used for high blood pressure and heart failure. |
| ARBs | Names usually end in -sartan. Example drugs: losartan, valsartan, olmesartan, irbesartan, candesartan, telmisartan. | Mainly used for high blood pressure and heart failure. |
| Beta Blockers | Names usually end in -olol. Example drugs: metoprolol tartrate, metoprolol succinate, atenolol, carvedilol, propranolol, bisoprolol. | Mainly used for high blood pressure, angina, heart failure, and arrhythmias. |
| Proton Pump Inhibitors | Names usually end in -prazole. Example drugs: omeprazole, esomeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, dexlansoprazole. | Mainly used for GERD, peptic ulcers, and other acid-related conditions. |
| SSRIs | No single suffix. Example drugs: sertraline, escitalopram, citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, fluvoxamine. | Mainly used for depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders. |
| Benzodiazepines | Names usually end in -azepam and -azolam (often shortened to -pam and -lam). Example drugs: alprazolam, lorazepam, diazepam, clonazepam, temazepam, midazolam. | Mainly used for anxiety, insomnia, seizures, alcohol withdrawal, and procedural sedation. |
| Opioids | No single suffix. Example drugs: morphine, oxycodone, oxycodone with acetaminophen, hydrocodone with acetaminophen, hydromorphone, fentanyl. | Mainly used for moderate to severe pain. |
| NSAIDs | No single suffix. Example drugs: ibuprofen, naproxen, meloxicam, celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin. | Mainly used for pain, inflammation, and fever. |
| Antidiabetic Drugs | Class-specific suffixes. Example drugs: metformin, glipizide, glimepiride, glyburide, sitagliptin, linagliptin. | Mainly used for type 2 diabetes and blood glucose control. |
| Penicillins | Names usually end in -cillin. Example drugs: amoxicillin, amoxicillin and clavulanate, penicillin V potassium, penicillin G benzathine, ampicillin, dicloxacillin. | Mainly used for bacterial infections such as strep throat, ear infections, and dental infections. |
| Cephalosporins | Cef- or ceph-. Example drugs: cephalexin, cefadroxil, cefuroxime, cefoxitin, ceftriaxone, cefdinir. | Mainly used for skin, respiratory, urinary, and surgical infections. |
| Macrolides | Names usually end in -thromycin. Example drugs: azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, fidaxomicin. | Mainly used for respiratory infections, atypical pneumonia, and some sexually transmitted infections. |
| Fluoroquinolones | Names usually end in -floxacin. Example drugs: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin. | Mainly used for urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and certain resistant infections. |
| Tetracyclines | Names usually end in -cycline. Example drugs: doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline, demeclocycline, sarecycline. | Mainly used for acne, respiratory infections, tick-borne illness, and some sexually transmitted infections. |
| Anticoagulants | Names usually end in -xaban, -gatran, -parin. Example drugs: warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, enoxaparin, heparin. | Mainly used for preventing and treating blood clots, stroke in atrial fibrillation, and DVT or PE. |
| Diuretics | Names usually end in -thiazide and others. Example drugs: hydrochlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide, spironolactone. | Mainly used for high blood pressure, heart failure, and fluid overload. |
| Corticosteroids | Names usually end in -sone, -solone, -onide. Example drugs: prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, fluticasone. | Mainly used for inflammation, asthma, autoimmune conditions, allergic reactions, and adrenal insufficiency. |
| Antihypertensives | Names usually end in -dipine, -zosin. Example drugs: amlodipine, nifedipine, diltiazem, verapamil, doxazosin, terazosin. | Mainly used for high blood pressure, angina, and some rhythm disorders. |
| Anticonvulsants | Varied. Example drugs: levetiracetam, lamotrigine, phenytoin, carbamazepine, divalproex or valproic acid, topiramate. | Mainly used for epilepsy and seizure disorders, plus nerve pain, migraine prevention, and bipolar disorder. |
| Antipsychotics | Names usually end in -apine, -idone, -azine. Example drugs: haloperidol, chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, risperidone, quetiapine, olanzapine. | Mainly used for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and some other psychiatric conditions. |
| Antiemetics | Names usually end in -setron and others. Example drugs: ondansetron, granisetron, promethazine, prochlorperazine, metoclopramide, meclizine. | Mainly used for nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, surgery, motion, or pregnancy. |
| PDE5 Inhibitors | Names usually end in -afil. Example drugs: sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil, avanafil. | Mainly used for erectile dysfunction, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. |
| Bisphosphonates | Names usually end in -dronate. Example drugs: alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate, zoledronic acid, pamidronate. | Mainly used for osteoporosis, Paget disease of bone, and cancer-related bone complications. |
More flashcard decks
Keep building recall with the other free decks:
- Top 200 Drugs Flashcards: Flip a brand name to its generic (and what it treats) for the most-dispensed US medications.
- Pharmacy Abbreviations Flashcards: Flip a sig code or abbreviation to its meaning, with a usage or safety note as the hint.