Dictionary

Pharmacology

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

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.

TACAn abbreviation that can mean triamcinolone, tacrolimus, or a numbing gel of tetracaine, adrenaline and cocaine; ISMP advises full names.

tacrolimusA drug that weakens the immune response, used to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ.

tadalafilA PDE5 inhibitor: a drug that relaxes smooth muscle in blood vessels, used for erectile dysfunction, enlarged prostate and pulmonary hypertension.

tall man letteringWriting parts of look-alike drug names in capital letters so the difference between them stands out.

tamoxifenAn oral drug that blocks estrogen in breast tissue, used to treat and prevent breast cancer.

tamsulosinAn alpha-1 blocker that relaxes the muscle of the prostate and bladder neck so urine flows more easily.

tardive dyskinesiaA movement disorder with repeated movements a person cannot control, most often of the face, lips and tongue.

tartrateA salt of tartaric acid that appears as part of some drug names, such as metoprolol tartrate.

tazobactamA drug combined with certain antibiotics to block the bacterial enzymes that would destroy them.

TCAAn abbreviation for tricyclic antidepressant, an older class of antidepressant drugs; in biology, it can mean the tricarboxylic acid cycle.

teratogenAnything a pregnant person is exposed to that can cause birth defects in the developing baby.

terbinafineAn antifungal drug used on the skin for athlete's foot and ringworm, and by mouth for fungal nail infections.

terbutalineA beta-2 agonist drug that relaxes smooth muscle in the airways and the uterus.

testosteroneThe main male sex hormone, made mostly in the testes and in small amounts by the ovaries and adrenal glands.

thalidomideAn oral drug that changes the immune response, used for multiple myeloma and a complication of leprosy.

THCTetrahydrocannabinol: the main chemical in cannabis that produces a high.

theophyllineA bronchodilator taken by mouth that relaxes and opens the airways, used long term for asthma and COPD.

theophylline levelA blood test that measures how much of the bronchodilator theophylline is in the blood.

therapeutic effectThe helpful effect a drug or treatment is given to produce.

therapeutic rangeThe span of blood levels of a drug that is high enough to work but low enough to avoid toxic effects.

thiamineVitamin B1, which the body needs to use glucose for energy, especially in the brain, nerves and heart.

three times a dayA medication schedule in which a dose is given three times during the day, often written TID.

thrombolyticA drug that dissolves blood clots that have already formed.

tiotropiumA long-acting inhaled drug, taken once a day, that keeps the airways open.

titrateTo adjust the dose or rate of a drug step by step until the wanted effect is reached.

TIWAn abbreviation for "three times a week" that ISMP advises against; write "3 times weekly."

TNKAn abbreviation for TNKase (tenecteplase), a clot-dissolving drug; ISMP advises writing the full drug name.

tobramycinAn aminoglycoside antibiotic given by IV, by inhalation or as eye drops for serious gram-negative infections.

toleranceA reduced response to a drug after repeated use, so a higher dose is needed for the same effect; also the ability to endure something.

topicalApplied to a surface of the body, such as the skin, eyes or mucous membranes.

topiramateAn anticonvulsant drug used to prevent seizures and migraine headaches.

toxicityThe harm a substance does to the body, or a state in which a drug has built up to a harmful level.

TPAAn abbreviation for tissue plasminogen activator (alteplase), a clot-dissolving drug; ISMP advises writing the full drug name.

trailing zeroA zero written after the decimal point in a whole-number dose, as in 1.0 mg; it must not be used.

tramadolAn opioid pain drug, taken by mouth, for moderate to severe pain.

tranexamic acidA drug that reduces bleeding by stopping the body from breaking down blood clots.