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Pharmacology

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

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.
magnesium hydroxideA magnesium salt taken by mouth as a laxative or an antacid; also called milk of magnesia.
magnesium sulfateA magnesium salt given by IV or IM to raise a low magnesium level or prevent seizures in severe preeclampsia.
magnesium sulfate toxicityHarm from a blood magnesium level that rises too high, usually during magnesium sulfate treatment.
malathionA lotion that kills head lice and their eggs, applied to the hair and scalp.
mannitolAn osmotic diuretic, given by IV, that draws water out of tissues into the blood so the kidneys can remove it.
mcgMicrogram: one millionth of a gram, or one thousandth of a milligram.
mebendazoleA chewable drug that kills intestinal worms such as pinworms, roundworms and hookworms.
mechanism of actionHow a drug works in the body: the exact process by which it produces its effect.
medication administration recordThe part of a client's record that lists every ordered drug, dose, route and time, where nurses record each dose given.
medication errorA preventable mistake at any step of prescribing, preparing, giving or monitoring a medicine, whether or not it causes harm.
medication reconciliationComparing a client's full list of current medicines with new orders at each change in care, to find and fix differences.
medroxyprogesteroneA progestin hormone given as a birth control injection every 3 months, or as tablets for menstrual problems.
melatoninA hormone made by the pineal gland in the brain, mostly at night, that helps control the sleep-wake cycle.
memantineA drug used to ease memory and thinking symptoms in moderate to severe Alzheimer disease.
menotropinsAn injected fertility drug containing the hormones FSH and LH, used to make the ovaries develop eggs.
meperidineA synthetic opioid pain drug, also called pethidine outside the United States.
mercaptopurineAn oral drug that blocks the building of DNA, used for leukemia and to calm the immune system.
mesnaA drug given with some chemotherapy drugs to protect the bladder lining from damage.
metabolismAll the chemical processes in the body's cells that make energy, build tissue and break substances down.
metforminAn oral drug for type 2 diabetes that lowers blood sugar, mainly by reducing the sugar the liver releases.
methadoneA long-acting opioid drug used to treat opioid use disorder and severe pain.
methicillinAn older penicillin-type antibiotic, no longer used in treatment, whose name lives on in MRSA.
methimazoleAn antithyroid drug that lowers the amount of thyroid hormone the thyroid gland makes.
methotrexateA drug that blocks the use of folic acid by cells, used in high doses for cancer and in low weekly doses for autoimmune diseases.
methylergonovineAn ergot drug that makes the uterus contract firmly, given after birth.
methylphenidateA central nervous system stimulant used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy.
methylprednisoloneA corticosteroid drug given by mouth, IV or injection to reduce inflammation and calm the immune system.
metoclopramideA drug that speeds emptying of the stomach and lessens nausea by blocking dopamine.
metoprololA beta blocker that slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure.
metronidazoleAn antibiotic and antiparasitic drug that treats infections caused by anaerobic bacteria and some protozoa.
mgMilligram: one thousandth of a gram.
MgSO4The chemical shorthand for magnesium sulfate, banned from medication orders by the Joint Commission.