Pharmacology

An abbreviation that can mean either discharge or discontinue; it should not be used because the two are easily confused.

An antitumor antibiotic chemotherapy drug given IV for childhood cancers such as Wilms tumor and some sarcomas.

A synthetic hormone related to testosterone, taken by mouth for endometriosis and to prevent attacks of hereditary angioedema.

A muscle relaxant that acts inside muscle cells, given by IV for malignant hyperthermia or by mouth for spasticity.

A drug that shrinks swollen blood vessels in the nose to relieve a stuffy nose.

A state in which the body has adapted to a drug, so that stopping it suddenly causes withdrawal symptoms.

A neuromuscular blocking agent that relaxes muscles by first stimulating them, then holding the muscle cells unable to respond; succinylcholine is the only one.

A volatile inhaled anesthetic that takes effect and wears off faster than any other, used to keep patients asleep.

A long-acting (basal) insulin given under the skin once or twice a day.

A strong, long-acting corticosteroid drug that reduces inflammation and calms the immune system.

A central nervous system stimulant used for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy.

A non-opioid cough suppressant sold without a prescription in many cough and cold products.

A form of glucose sugar given by mouth or IV for energy or to raise a low blood sugar.

An IV fluid of 5 grams of glucose in every 100 mL of water, written D5W.

A long-acting benzodiazepine drug used for anxiety, muscle spasm, alcohol withdrawal and seizures.

A man-made estrogen, once given in pregnancy to prevent miscarriage, no longer used in the US.

A drug that makes the heart beat more strongly and more slowly.

A blood test that measures how much of the heart drug digoxin is in the blood.

A calcium channel blocker that slows the heart rate and relaxes blood vessels, given by mouth or IV.

A liquid, such as sterile water or saline, added to a drug to dissolve a powder or to make a solution weaker.

To make a liquid weaker by adding more liquid, as when a diluent is added to a drug; as an adjective, weakened or watery.

An antihistamine taken to prevent and treat motion sickness, nausea and vertigo.

An injected chelating drug that binds heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, gold and lead so the body can remove them.

A first-generation antihistamine used for allergies, itching, motion sickness, sleep and some drug reactions.

The state ketamine produces, in which the patient may look awake, with eyes open, yet is unaware and feels no pain.

In pharmacology, the carrying of a drug by the blood from where it was absorbed to the tissues where it acts; the second step of pharmacokinetics.

A drug taken by mouth to help people stay away from alcohol by causing an unpleasant reaction if they drink.

A drug that makes the kidneys pass more water and salt out of the body as urine.

The Joint Commission's official list of abbreviations, symbols and dose forms that must never be used in orders or medication records.

An IV drug that makes the heart muscle squeeze harder, used for short-term support of a weak heart.

A stool softener that lets water and fat mix into the stool so it is easier to pass.

A drug that raises acetylcholine in the brain, used to ease memory and thinking symptoms in Alzheimer disease.

A natural brain chemical, also given as an IV drug that raises blood pressure and makes the heart pump harder.

An inhaled enzyme that thins thick mucus in the lungs, used mainly in cystic fibrosis.

The amount of a drug and how often and for how long it is given.

The amount of a drug given at one time.

An alpha-1 blocker that relaxes blood vessels and the smooth muscle of the prostate and bladder neck.

A tricyclic drug used at regular doses for depression and anxiety, at low doses for insomnia and as a cream for itching.

A tetracycline antibiotic, usually taken by mouth, that treats many kinds of bacterial infection.

A continuous IV infusion of fluid or a drug, given slowly over time by gravity or a pump.

A man-made form of THC taken by mouth to ease nausea from chemotherapy and to boost appetite in AIDS-related weight loss.

A neuroleptic drug given by vein to sedate a patient and to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting after surgery.

A change in how a drug works when it is taken with another drug, a food, a drink or a supplement.

An SNRI antidepressant that raises serotonin and norepinephrine; it is also used for some kinds of long-term pain.

How long a drug keeps working, from its onset until its effect is gone.

Muscle contractions that a person cannot control, which twist part of the body into an unusual position.