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Dictionary

Pharmacology

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

anticonvulsantA drug used to prevent or stop seizures; also called an antiseizure or antiepileptic drug.
antidepressantA drug used to treat depression and often anxiety, which works by changing the levels of brain chemicals such as serotonin.
antidiabeticA drug used to lower blood glucose in a person with diabetes.
antidiarrhealA drug that slows or stops diarrhea.
antidoteA substance that reverses or blocks the effects of a poison or of a drug overdose.
antiemeticA drug that prevents or relieves nausea and vomiting.
antifungalA drug that kills fungi or stops them from growing, used to treat fungal infections.
antihistamineA drug that blocks the effects of histamine, used mostly for allergy symptoms.
antihypertensiveA drug that lowers blood pressure.
antimicrobialA drug or substance that kills or slows the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites.
antineoplasticA drug used to treat cancer by killing cancer cells or stopping them from growing and dividing.
antiplateletA drug that keeps platelets from sticking together and forming clots.
antipsychoticA drug used to treat psychosis, such as hallucinations and delusions, in conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
antipyreticA drug that lowers a fever.
antiretroviralA drug used to treat or prevent HIV infection by stopping the virus from multiplying.
antispasmodicA drug that relaxes muscle spasms, most often the smooth muscle of the bowel or bladder.
antithrombinA natural protein in the blood that slows clotting, also made into a medicine.
antitussiveA drug that reduces coughing.
antiviralA drug that treats or prevents infection by a virus, usually by stopping the virus from making copies of itself.
anxiolyticA drug that relieves anxiety.
APAPAn abbreviation for acetaminophen; ISMP advises writing the full drug name.
aripiprazoleA second-generation antipsychotic taken by mouth or as a long-acting injection, used for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other conditions.
ASA short form for the left ear, from the Latin auris sinistra.
ascorbic acidVitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin needed for healthy skin, gums, blood vessels and wound healing.
aspirinA drug that eases pain, fever and inflammation and makes platelets less sticky so blood clots less easily.
atenololA beta blocker taken by mouth that slows the heart and lowers blood pressure, acting mainly on the heart.
atorvastatinA statin drug that lowers LDL cholesterol and the risk of heart attack and stroke.
atropineAn anticholinergic drug that blocks the parasympathetic nervous system, which speeds the heart rate and dries secretions.
AUEach ear (both ears): an old Latin dosing abbreviation, auris utraque, that should not be used.
azathioprineAn immunosuppressant taken by mouth to prevent transplant rejection and to calm autoimmune diseases.
azithromycinA macrolide antibiotic taken by mouth or IV for infections of the lungs, sinuses, skin and some sexually transmitted infections.
AZTAn old abbreviation for zidovudine, an HIV drug; it should not be used because it can be misread as other drugs.
aztreonamAn antibiotic given IV or IM, or inhaled, that kills many gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas.
bacitracinAn antibiotic used mostly as an ointment on the skin to prevent infection in minor cuts, scrapes and burns.
baclofenA muscle relaxant that eases muscle stiffness and spasms from nerve conditions such as multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury.
barbiturateA type of sedative drug that slows the brain and nervous system, used for some seizures and in anesthesia.
BDTwice a day: a dosing abbreviation from the Latin bis die, used mainly outside the United States.
before mealA timing direction for a medicine or test: give it before eating, often about 30 minutes before a meal.
benazeprilAn ACE inhibitor: a drug that lowers blood pressure by blocking the making of angiotensin II.
benzodiazepineA group of calming drugs that slow brain activity, used for anxiety, seizures, alcohol withdrawal and sedation.
benzonatateA cough medicine in soft capsules that numbs the stretch receptors in the lungs.
benztropineAn anticholinergic drug used to treat movement side effects of antipsychotic drugs and symptoms of Parkinson disease.
beta blockerA drug that blocks the effects of adrenaline on beta receptors, slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure.
betamethasoneA strong, long-acting corticosteroid drug given as an injection or used on the skin.
bethanecholA cholinergic drug taken by mouth that helps the bladder contract and empty.
bioavailabilityThe share of a drug dose that reaches the bloodstream in active form and can work in the body.
biologic response modifierA drug made from living cells or proteins that changes how the immune system responds.
bisacodylA stimulant laxative, taken as a tablet or rectal suppository, that makes the bowel muscles push stool along.
bismuth subsalicylateAn over-the-counter drug for upset stomach and diarrhea that contains bismuth and a salicylate related to aspirin.
bisphosphonateA drug that slows the breakdown of bone.