Dictionary

Pharmacology

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

salineA solution of salt (sodium chloride) in water, used for IV fluids, flushes, wound cleaning and other care.

salmeterolA long-acting inhaled bronchodilator, used twice a day to keep the airways open in asthma and COPD.

SCAn abbreviation for subcutaneous, meaning into the fatty layer under the skin.

scopolamineAn anticholinergic drug, most often used as a skin patch behind the ear to prevent motion sickness and nausea after surgery.

sedationA calm, relaxed or sleepy state brought on by drugs, or the use of drugs to cause it.

sedative-hypnoticA drug that calms a person (sedative) or helps them fall asleep (hypnotic); the same drug can do either, depending on the dose.

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitorA type of antidepressant that raises serotonin levels between nerve cells by slowing its reuptake.

selegilineAn MAO-B inhibitor drug used for Parkinson disease and, as a skin patch, for depression.

sennaA plant-based stimulant laxative that makes the bowel muscles push stool along.

serotoninA chemical messenger in the brain, gut and blood that helps control mood, sleep, appetite and other functions.

serotonin syndromeA drug reaction caused by too much serotonin activity in the nervous system.

sertralineAn SSRI antidepressant used for depression, anxiety disorders, OCD and PTSD.

short-acting insulinInsulin that starts working in about 30 minutes and lasts several hours; regular insulin is the main example.

side effectAn effect of a drug, other than the one it is given for, that is known and expected to happen in some people.

sildenafilA PDE5 inhibitor that relaxes certain blood vessels, used for erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

silver sulfadiazineA white antibacterial cream, made of silver joined to a sulfa drug, put on burns.

simethiconeA drug that breaks up gas bubbles in the stomach and intestines so gas passes more easily.

simvastatinA statin drug that lowers LDL cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

sitagliptinA diabetes pill that helps the body release more insulin after meals.

skeletal muscle relaxantA drug that relieves muscle spasms or stiffness in the muscles that move the body.

sodium bicarbonateAn alkaline drug, given by mouth or IV, that neutralizes acid in the stomach or the blood.

sodium chlorideSalt: a compound of sodium and chloride, used in IV fluids, flushes, tablets and rinses.

sodium polystyrene sulfonateA resin, taken by mouth or as an enema, that trades sodium for potassium in the bowel so potassium leaves in the stool.

sotalolA drug that is both a beta blocker and a potassium channel blocker, used to control serious heart rhythm problems.

spironolactoneA diuretic that removes extra water from the body while keeping potassium in.

SQAn abbreviation for subcutaneous (under the skin) that ISMP lists as error-prone; ISMP advises SUBQ instead.

statImmediately; at once.

statinA drug that lowers cholesterol by blocking an enzyme the liver uses to make it.

steroidA fat-based chemical built from cholesterol; the group includes hormones such as cortisol and estrogen, and many drugs.

stool softenerA drug that lets water and fat mix into stool so it is softer and easier to pass.

streptomycinAn aminoglycoside antibiotic given by injection, used mainly for tuberculosis and a few rare infections.

subcutaneousUnder the skin; in the fatty layer between the skin and the muscle.

subcutaneous injectionAn injection of medicine into the layer of fat just under the skin.

sublingualUnder the tongue.

succinylcholineA fast, short-acting drug that relaxes and paralyzes the muscles, used to place a breathing tube.

sucralfateA drug taken by mouth that forms a protective coating over ulcers in the stomach and duodenum.

sulfamethoxazoleA sulfonamide antibiotic, almost always given combined with trimethoprim.

sulfasalazineAn anti-inflammatory drug made of a sulfa drug joined to a salicylate, taken by mouth.

sumatriptanA triptan drug, taken by mouth, nose spray or injection, used to stop a migraine headache once it starts.

supplementA product taken to add vitamins, minerals, herbs or other substances to the diet.

supplementationAdding something to the diet, such as a vitamin, mineral or extra food, to meet the body's needs.

suppositoryA small, solid, cone-shaped dose of medicine that melts after it is put into the rectum, vagina or urethra.

surfactantA fatty substance coating the inside of the lungs' air sacs that lowers surface tension so they stay open.

sympathetic nervous systemThe branch of the autonomic nervous system that gets the body ready for stress or danger ("fight or flight").

synapseThe tiny gap where a nerve cell passes a signal to another nerve cell, a muscle or a gland.