Transcription
Hi, my name's Amanda and I'm a pharmacist. Today, we'll be talking about therapeutic drug classifications. And if you find this video useful, please press the like button, subscribe to my channel, and share it with others who may find it helpful too. And if you'd like to have lifetime ad-free access to my pharmacy learning videos and handouts of all my slides, please consider enrolling in my online course today. The link to my course is in the comments and description. Thanks, I really appreciate it.
So, with therapeutic drug classification, that's when drugs are grouped by clinical purpose. It specifies the change on the body the drug causes, but it doesn't describe anything about how the drug causes the change. And many of the therapeutic drug classifications begin with the prefix "anti," which means against. So, this is a table of some different therapeutic drug classifications, and these are the ones we're going to be going over today in detail.
So, first are the analgesics. Analgesics are medications for pain. There are non-narcotic analgesics for mild pain, such as acetaminophen, or the brand name is Tylenol, and ibuprofen, which is Motrin or Advil. And those are available over the counter. And then there are narcotic analgesics, also known as opioid analgesics, and these are for moderate to severe pain. And these are DEA controlled substances. Most are Schedule II, and some examples of those include hydrocodone with acetaminophen, which is Norco, and oxycodone with acetaminophen, which is Percocet.
Next are the antacids. Antacids are medications for indigestion and heartburn that neutralize stomach acid. Antacids are also over-the-counter drugs that do not require a prescription. And some examples of those include the chewable calcium carbonate, or Tums, and aluminum and magnesium hydroxide, which is Maalox.
Next are the antiarrhythmics. Antiarrhythmics are medications to prevent and treat arrhythmias. An arrhythmia is a heartbeat that's too fast or irregular. Some examples of these are metoprolol, or the brand name is Lopressor, Atenolol, the brand name is Tenormin, and both of these are in the pharmacologic classification of beta-blockers. There's diltiazem, which is Cardizem, Verapamil, which is brand name is Calan, and those are both calcium channel blockers, and digoxin, which is brand name is Lanoxin, and it's a cardiac glycoside.
Then we have the antibacterials or antibiotics. Antibacterials or antibiotics are medications used to treat bacterial infections. Some examples of those include amoxicillin, brand name Amoxil, amoxicillin with clavulanate, its brand name is Augmentin, and those are both penicillin antibiotics. Cephalexin, its brand name is Keflex, it's a cephalosporin. Azithromycin, brand name is Zithromax, it's a macrolide antibiotic.
Next are the anticoagulants. Anticoagulants are medications to prevent blood from clotting. They're also known as blood thinners. Some examples of the anticoagulants are warfarin, a brand name as Coumadin, and its pharmacologic classification is a vitamin K antagonist. Rivaroxaban, the brand name is Xarelto, it's a Factor Xa inhibitor, and apixaban, its brand name is Eliquis, it's also a Factor Xa inhibitor.
Next are the anticonvulsants. These are medications to prevent or treat seizures. Many of the anticonvulsants also have other indications, including nerve pain relief and migraine prevention. And some examples of the anticonvulsants are Gabapentin, brand name Neurontin, oxcarbazepine, brand name Trileptal, lamotrigine, brand name Lamictal, and levetiracetam, brand name is Keppra.
Next are the antidepressants. These are medications to treat depression. And many of the antidepressants are also used to treat other conditions, such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Some examples include sertraline, brand name is Zoloft, fluoxetine, brand name is Prozac, citalopram, brand name as Celexa, and escitalopram, brand name as Lexapro. And all these examples are SSRIs, which stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, and that is the most common type of antidepressant.
Next are the antidiabetics. These are medications to treat diabetes and lower blood sugar levels. Many different mechanisms and drug classifications are within the antidiabetics. Some examples include metformin, brand name is Glucophage, it's a biguanide. Glipizide, brand named Glucotrol, it's a sulfonylurea. Dulaglutide, which is Trulicity, it's a GLP-1 agonist. Sitagliptin, it's brand name is Januvia, it's a DPP-4 inhibitor. And there are insulins. This includes Lantus, Humalog, and Novolog are some of the most common ones.
Next are the antidiarrheals. These are medications for the relief of diarrhea. Some examples include loperamide, brand name is Imodium. This one is over the counter. Bismuth subsalicylate, Pepto-Bismol, which is also over the counter. And another example is atropine with diphenoxylate, its brand name is Lomotil. And this one is a prescription, and it's actually a DEA controlled substance, Schedule V.
Next are the antiemetics. Antiemetics are medications used to treat nausea and vomiting. Some examples include ondansetron, brand name is Zofran, and it's a 5-HT3 antagonist. And promethazine, its brand name is Phenergan, and it's an antihistamine.
Next are the antifungals. Antifungals are medications to treat fungal infections. Some examples include fluconazole, brand named Diflucan, ketoconazole, brand name as Nizoral, and nystatin, its brand name is Mycostatin.
Then there are the anti-gout agents. Anti-gout agents are medications to prevent or treat gout. Some examples include allopurinol, brand name is Zyloprim, and colchicine, it's brand name is Colcrys.
Antihistamines. Antihistamines are medications to counteract the effects of histamine. They usually, this term antihistamine is usually used to describe medications to treat allergy symptoms. So, histamine is a chemical produced by the immune system that causes allergy symptoms, but it also has other functions. So, some examples of antihistamines include loratadine, its brand name is Claritin, and cetirizine, its brand name is Zyrtec. And both of those are H1 antihistamines for allergy symptoms. And then another example of an antihistamine is famotidine, it's brand name is Pepcid, and it is actually an H2 antihistamine for heartburn and GERD. So, as I said, that histamine has other functions as well, and one of them is in the GI tract.
Next are the antihypertensives. Antihypertensives are medications to lower blood pressure. There are many different mechanisms and drug classifications within the antihypertensives. Some examples include lisinopril, it's brand name is Prinivil or Zestril, and that is an ACE inhibitor. Atenolol, it's brand name is Lopressor or Toprol XL, and that's a beta-blocker. Amlodipine, it's brand name as Norvasc, it's a calcium channel blocker. Losartan, it's brand name as Cozaar, it's an ARB or Angiotensin Receptor Blocker. Hydrochlorothiazide, it's brand name as Microzide, it's a diuretic, and it's often abbreviated HCTZ. And there's carvedilol, its brand name is Coreg, and it is a beta-blocker.
Next are the antihyperlipidemics. Antihyperlipidemics are medications to lower cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease. So, some examples include atorvastatin, it's brand name as Lipitor, rosuvastatin, brand name is Crestor, simvastatin, it's brand name as Zocor, pravastatin, it's brand name is Pravachol. And those are all in the pharmacologic classification of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. And then there's fenofibrate, which is Tricor, and gemfibrozil, which is Lopid. And those medications are in the pharmacological classification of fibrates.
Next are the anti-inflammatories. Anti-inflammatories are medications to reduce inflammation. Inflammation means redness and swelling due to increased blood flow that occurs with injuries and chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Some examples of anti-inflammatories include prednisone, which is Deltasone, and that's a steroid. And there's ibuprofen, brand name as Advil, aspirin, its brand name is Ecotrin, naproxen, brand name as Naprosyn, and meloxicam, it's brand name is Mobic. And those are all NSAIDs, which stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. So, that's its far the pharmacological classification of those medications. And I have a note here that aspirin in higher doses, it is an anti-inflammatory. In lower doses, it's used as a blood thinner.
Antineoplastics. These are medications to treat cancer by stopping tumor cells from growing and dividing. There are many different mechanisms and drug classifications within the antineoplastics. Couple examples here. There's methotrexate, it's an antimetabolite or a dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor, it's technical pharmacological classification. And there's anastrozole, its brand name is Arimidex, and it's an anti-estrogen, and it's an aromatase inhibitor.
Next are the antiplatelets. Antiplatelets are medications that prevent platelets from sticking together to decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke. Sometimes they're grouped with the anticoagulant blood thinners, but the antiplatelets don't actually interrupt the clotting process, so they are not true blood thinners. Some examples include aspirin, brand name as Ecotrin, and clopidogrel, brand name as Plavix.
Antipsychotics are medications that treat symptoms of psychosis and psychiatric disorders. And what psychosis means, it's just a term used to describe the variety of symptoms affecting the mind that can result from a loss of contact with reality. And this can be caused by a variety of factors. So, some examples of antipsychotics include quetiapine, brand name is Seroquel, aripiprazole, it's brand name is Abilify, risperidone, it's brand name is Risperdal, and olanzapine, it's brand name is Zyprexa.
Next are the antipyretics. Antipyretics are medications that reduce fever. Some examples include acetaminophen, brand named Tylenol, ibuprofen, it's brand name is Advil, naproxen, it's brand name is Aleve, and aspirin, it's brand name is Ecotrin. And those last three, ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin, are NSAIDs, which stands for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. And I also have a note here that aspirin is not to be used in children due to an increased risk for Reye's syndrome. So, it would not be used as an antipyretic or fever reducer for children.
Next are the antivirals. Antivirals are medications used to treat viral infections. Some examples include valacyclovir, brand name as Valtrex, acyclovir, brand name as Zovirax, and oseltamivir, it's brand name is Tamiflu.
Next are the anxiolytics. Anxiolytics are medications that have a calming effect and reduce anxiety. They're also known as anti-anxiety drugs. Some examples include alprazolam, brand name is Xanax, clonazepam, brand name is Klonopin, lorazepam, brand name is Ativan, and diazepam, brand name is Valium. And these are all in the pharmacologic classification of benzodiazepines.
Next are anesthetics. Anesthetics are medications used to induce anesthesia, and this is a temporary loss of sensation or awareness. So, there are the general anesthetics. These cause a reversible loss of consciousness and pain perception for surgery, and they're given IV or inhalation. Some examples of those include propofol, brand name is Diprivan, and ketamine, it's brand name is Ketalar. Then there are local anesthetics. These cause a reversible loss of sensation in a specific area, and they're applied topically. Some examples are benzocaine, and there are many brand names of that, and it's available over the counter. And there's lidocaine, its brand name is Xylocaine, and it's a prescription-only local anesthetic.
Next are bronchodilators. Bronchodilators are medications that help make breathing easier in lung diseases such as asthma. Bronchodilators dilate the bronchial tubes in the lungs when they've become narrowed by muscle spasm. Some examples include albuterol, brand name is ProAir or Ventolin, and salmeterol, its brand name is Serevent. And those are both beta-2 bronchodilators. And there's tiotropium, brand name is Spiriva, and ipratropium, it's brand name is Atrovent. And those are anticholinergic bronchodilators. And you'll also see these in combination with steroids sometimes, for products for lung diseases.
Next are the corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are medications used to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions, including asthma and allergies. They're also known as just steroids. Some examples include prednisone, brand name as Deltasone, triamcinolone, it's brand name as Aristocort or Kenalog, fluticasone, brand name is Flonase, and hydrocortisone, brand name is Cortisone.
Cough suppressants. These are medications used to decrease cough. Some examples include benzonatate, brand name is Tessalon Pearls, and this is a prescription product. And dextromethorphan, it's the generic, the brand name is Delsym. This is an over-the-counter cough suppressant. You'll also see it in products like Robitussin DM. The DM stands for dextromethorphan.
Cytotoxics. These are medications used to kill cancer cells. And just an example of those are the chemotherapy drugs.
Next are decongestants. Decongestants are medications used to relieve nasal congestion. Some examples include phenylephrine, brand name is Sudafed PE, it's available over the counter. Or pseudoephedrine is another decongestant, it's brand name is Sudafed. And it's actually a behind-the-counter product as a result of the Combat Methamphetamine Act of 2005. This requires a photo ID to buy and a logbook of the sales, and it limits the purchase of pseudoephedrine-containing products. There's a daily purchase limit of 3.6 grams and a monthly purchase limit of 9 grams. So, pseudoephedrine, it is a behind-the-counter product.
Diuretics. These are medications that are used to cause diuresis to reduce fluid retention. Diuresis just means an increased urine output. Diuretics are also known as water pills, and they're used for swelling, blood pressure, and heart failure. Some examples include hydrochlorothiazide, as I said, it's abbreviated sometimes HCTZ, and it's brand name is Microzide. That's a thiazide diuretic. Furosemide, brand name is Lasix, that's a loop diuretic. And spironolactone, it's brand name is Aldactone, it's a potassium-sparing diuretic.
Next are the expectorants. Expectorants are medications that thin mucus to help loosen chest and throat congestion. Some examples include guaifenesin, brand name is Mucinex, and it's available over the counter.
Next are the hormones. Hormones are naturally occurring chemical messengers of the body. Hormones are used as medications to correct imbalances or modify various chemical responses or functions. So, some examples of hormones include levothyroxine, brand name is Synthroid or Levoxyl, and that's a thyroid hormone. Estradiol, brand name is Estrace or Cenestin, and that's an estrogen. Progesterone, brand name as Prometrium, and norethindrone, brand name is Aygestin or Nor-Q.D., those are progesterone hormones. And there are various estrogen and progesterone combination drugs that you'll see. And also testosterone, its brand name is AndroGel or Androderm.
Next are the immunosuppressants. Immunosuppressants are medications used to prevent the body's immune reaction, to treat autoimmune diseases, and prevent the rejection of organ transplants. So, some examples include prednisone, brand name is Deltasone, and other steroids are also immunosuppressants. Cyclosporine, brand name is Neoral or Sandimmune. Tacrolimus, brand name as Prograf. Etanercept, brand name is Enbrel, and adalimumab, brand name is Humira. And those last two, Enbrel and Humira, are biologics. And just a little note here on adalimumab, when you see the medications, the generic name ending in "mab," that stands for a monoclonal antibody. So, that's a type of biologic drug.
Next are the laxatives. Laxatives are medications that increase the frequency and ease of bowel movements. Some examples include docusate, brand name is Colace. That's available over the counter. Polyethylene glycol, that's brand name is Miralax, and it's over the counter. And senna, brand name is Senokot, and that's also over the counter.
Next are the mood stabilizers. These are medications that are used to manage mood shifts and mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder. Some examples include lithium, brand name is Lithobid or Eskalith. The antipsychotic medications and several of the anticonvulsant medications are also mood stabilizers.
Next are the muscle relaxants. Muscle relaxants are medications that are used to relieve muscle spasm. Some examples include cyclobenzaprine, brand named Flexeril, tizanidine, brand name is Zanaflex, baclofen, brand name is Lioresal, and methocarbamol, brand name is Robaxin.
Next are the sedatives and hypnotics. Sedatives or hypnotics are medications that cause sleep. They're also known as sleeping pills. Some examples include temazepam, brand name as Restoril, and this is a benzodiazepine. And zolpidem, brand name is Ambien. This is a non-benzodiazepine sedative. And these medications are DEA controlled substances, Schedule IV.
Next are the stimulants. Stimulants are medications that stimulate the brain and central nervous system to improve attention and alertness. Most of these are a DEA controlled substance, Schedule II. Some examples include methylphenidate, brand name is Ritalin, dexmethylphenidate, brand name is Focalin, amphetamine with dextroamphetamine, it's brand name is Adderall, and lisdexamfetamine, it's brand name is Vyvanse.
Next are the stool softeners. Stool softeners are medications used to relieve constipation by making stool easier to pass. An example of a stool softener is docusate, brand name is Colace. It's available over the counter.
Next are thrombolytics. Thrombolytics are medications that break up clots in emergencies such as a stroke or heart attack. These are also known as fibrinolytics or clot busters. And some examples include alteplase, brand name is Cathflo or Activase, and reteplase, brand name is Retavase.
Next are the tranquilizers. Tranquilizers are medications that are used to cause a calming effect. Antipsychotics are known as major tranquilizers. Some examples include aripiprazole, brand name of Abilify, quetiapine, brand name of Seroquel. And anti-anxiety medications, these were known as anxiolytics, they are known as minor tranquilizers. And some examples of those are alprazolam, brand name is Xanax, and lorazepam, brand name is Ativan.
Next are the vasodilators. Vasodilators are medications that dilate or widen the blood vessels to allow blood to flow better and lower blood pressure. Some examples include nitroglycerin, brand name is Nitrostat or Nitro-Dur, isosorbide mononitrate, brand name is Imdur, and hydralazine, brand name is Apresoline. And I have a note here that the nitroglycerin and the isosorbide mononitrate, these are nitrate vasodilators for chest pain.
Vitamins. Vitamins are nutrients required by the body in small quantities for normal growth. Vitamin supplements may be needed for those who have vitamin deficiencies or certain diseases. So, there are the fat-soluble vitamins. With these, the excess is stored in the liver and fat tissue of the body. The fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E, and K. The water-soluble vitamins, the excess isn't stored in the body. And some examples of those include the B vitamins and vitamin C.
Supplements. Supplements are over-the-counter products such as vitamins, herbs, minerals, and enzymes that are meant to supplement the diet. Some examples include folic acid, this is a synthetic vitamin B9. Potassium, brand name is K-Dur. Cholecalciferol, brand name is Drisdol, and it's a vitamin D2 supplement. Calcium with cholecalciferol, its brand names are Caltrate and Oscal. And this is a calcium with vitamin D3 supplement.
And here is our table of just the different therapeutic drug classifications that we've just looked at. And you probably noticed that some of the medications actually fall in multiple drug classifications. And as I've said before, with the drug classifications, there, it's not always clear. There can be different ways that the drugs are classified. So, know that those aren't always clear-cut, and drugs can be in multiple classifications.
Thanks for watching. Please subscribe to see more of my pharmacy learning videos. And if you would like to have lifetime ad-free access to my pharmacy learning videos and handouts of all my slides, please consider enrolling in my online course today. The link is in the comments and the description. Thank you.