Dictionary

Pharmacology

Drugs, drug classes and the words used to give medications safely.

labetalolA drug that blocks both alpha and beta receptors to lower blood pressure, given IV or by mouth.

lactated Ringer's solutionAn isotonic IV fluid containing water, sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and lactate.

lactuloseA man-made sugar syrup that draws water into the bowel and lowers ammonia in the blood.

lamivudineAn oral antiviral drug used with other drugs to treat HIV, and alone to treat chronic hepatitis B.

lamotrigineAn anticonvulsant drug used to prevent seizures and to keep mood stable in bipolar disorder.

lansoprazoleA proton pump inhibitor: a drug that sharply lowers the amount of acid the stomach makes.

laxativeA drug that loosens stool or helps the bowels move, used to treat or prevent constipation.

leading zeroA zero written before the decimal point of a number less than one, as in 0.5 mg.

levetiracetamAn anticonvulsant drug, given by mouth or IV, used to prevent and treat seizures.

levodopaThe main drug for Parkinson disease, which the brain turns into dopamine.

levofloxacinA fluoroquinolone antibiotic, given by mouth or IV, used for lung, urinary and other bacterial infections.

levonorgestrelA progestin hormone used in birth control pills, hormonal IUDs and the morning-after pill.

levothyroxineA man-made form of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4), taken to replace hormone the thyroid does not make.

lidocaineA local anesthetic that numbs an area, also given by IV to treat some fast, abnormal heart rhythms.

lindaneA shampoo or lotion that kills lice and scabies mites, used only when safer treatments have failed or cannot be used.

lisinoprilAn ACE inhibitor drug that lowers blood pressure and protects the heart and kidneys.

literA metric unit of volume equal to 1,000 milliliters, a little more than a US quart.

lithiumA mood-stabilizing drug used mainly to treat and prevent the mood episodes of bipolar disorder.

lithium levelA blood test that measures how much of the mood-stabilizing drug lithium is in the blood.

local anesthesiaNumbing medicine applied to or injected into one small area, so a procedure there is not felt while the person stays awake.

local anestheticA drug that blocks feeling in one part of the body without making the person unconscious.

look-alike sound-alikeDescribes drug names that look or sound similar to other drug names and so are easily confused.

loop diureticA strong type of diuretic that makes the kidneys pass more salt and water by acting on the loop of Henle.

loperamideAn antidiarrheal drug that slows the movement of the intestines.

loratadineA non-drowsy antihistamine taken once a day for allergy symptoms and hives.

lorazepamA benzodiazepine drug that calms anxiety, causes sleepiness and stops seizures.

losartanAn angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) that lowers blood pressure and protects the kidneys.

lovastatinA statin drug that lowers LDL cholesterol by blocking the liver enzyme that makes cholesterol.

low-molecular-weight heparinAn anticoagulant drug given by subcutaneous injection to prevent and treat blood clots.

lurasidoneA second-generation antipsychotic drug taken by mouth for schizophrenia and bipolar depression.