Drug name stems
Recognising a drug's class from its name: sixteen stems of the international non-proprietary names of the classes in the programme (-olol, -pril, -sartan, -statin, -prazole, -cillin, -floxacin, -mab, -tinib…), with their examples and traps.
- 42 cards
- 3 topics
- Free
The outline, topic by topic
Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.
- Concepts
- Scenarios
- Understand
A few cards from the deck
-olol: what is it?
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Beta-blockers: atenolol, bisoprolol, propranolol, metoprolol.
They slow the heart and lower blood pressure.
A patient takes 'ramipril'. Which class is it?
- An ACE inhibitor
- A beta-blocker
- An ARB
- A statin
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An ACE inhibitor
The -pril stem marks ACE inhibitors.
-pril: what is it?
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Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors): ramipril, perindopril, enalapril.
Their typical side effect is a dry cough.
What is the international non-proprietary name (INN) for?
- To name the brand
- To show the price
- To name the molecule itself, the same in every country, whatever the brand
- To show the dose
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To name the molecule itself, the same in every country, whatever the brand
Prescribing by INN avoids giving the same drug twice under two brands.
-sartan: what is it?
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Angiotensin II receptor blockers: losartan, valsartan, irbesartan, candesartan.
Unlike ACE inhibitors, they do not cause a cough.
A patient allergic to penicillins is prescribed 'amoxicillin'. What should be done?
- Give it, it is not a penicillin
- Alert the prescriber: it is a penicillin
- Double the dose
- Give it with milk
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Alert the prescriber: it is a penicillin
The -cillin stem must ring a bell in a known allergy.