key terms
Antibiotics
A chemical substance with the ability to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria by interfering with bacterial life processes.
Antihyperlipidemic Drugs
A class of cardiovascular drugs that fight high cholesterol and triglycerides
Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs
First-line therapy for schizophrenia and other psychoses that address specific neurotransmitters
Corticosteroids
Steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex is often used to reduce inflammation and pain
Analgesia
Substance used to relieve pain
Anticonvulsant
A drug to control seizures
Antihypertensive Agents
Drugs that work against high blood pressure
Benzodiazepines (BZDs)
A class of drugs that act as a sedative, hypnotic, antianxiety medication, and anticonvulsant. Many of these drugs share the suffix -pam
Depression
A condition characterized by hopelessness, irritability, intense sadness, loss of concentration, pessimism, and problems with eating and sleeping
Bioequivalent Drug
A generic drug that delivers approximately the same amount of active ingredient into a healthy volunteer’s bloodstream in the same amount of time as the innovator or brand name drug
Antidepressants
Drugs that work to lift moods and/or change perceptions
Anti-inflammatory Drugs
A drug that reverses swelling from skin and internal organs
Beta-Adrenergic Blockers (Beta Blockers)
A class of drugs that slow the fight-or-flight response to stress and make the heart beat slower with less force by blocking the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline. Many of these drugs share the suffix -olol
Muscle Relaxants
Drugs that reduce or prevent skeletal muscle contraction and pain
GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
A GI disease characterized by radiating burning or pain in the chest and an acid taste; caused by backflow of acidic stomach contents across an incompetent lower esophageal sphincter; also referred to as heartburn
Antidiabetic Drugs
A class of drugs that supply insulin to lower sugar or stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin. The sulfonylurea class of drugs are the most common ones
Antipsychotic Drugs
Medication used to manage disordered thought and personality behaviors, such as delusions, hallucinations, mania, and severe agitation
Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs)
This class of drugs blocks calcium from entering the cells of the blood vessels to keep them from gaining rigidity
Narcotic
A class of drugs that numb or blunt the senses, induce sleep, or have other psychoactive properties, including the opium-based and opium-like drugs
HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein)
The “good cholesterol” that picks up floating low-density lipoproteins (the “bad cholesterol”) and sweeps them away through the bloodstream
Antihistamines
Common term for drugs that block the H1 receptors; drugs used to treat and lessen the symptoms of allergies
ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
A disorder that manifests itself in difficulty focusing or concentrating, overactivity, and difficulty with impulse control
Cephalosporin Antibiotics
Antibiotic drugs developed to act like penicillin against bacteria
NSAID (Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug)
A class of drugs that provide pain, swelling, and fever reduction
Hyperthyroidism
A condition caused by excessive thyroid hormone and marked by increased metabolic rate; also called thyrotoxicosis