Terms
Antibiotics
A chemical substance with the ability to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria by interfering with bacteria life processes.
Antihyperlipidemic drugs
A class of cardiovascular drugs that fight high cholesterol and triglycerides.
Atypical antipsychotics drugs
First-line therapy for schizophrenia and other psychoses that address specific neurotransmitters.
Corticosteroids
Steroid hormones produced naturally by the adrenal cortex, used to reduce inflammation and pain.
Analgesia
Substance used to relieve pain.
Anticonvulsants
A drug to control seizures.
Antihypertensive Agents
Drugs that work against high blood pressure
Benzodiazepines
A class of drugs that act as sedative, hypnotic, anti-anxiety medication, and anticonvulsant.
Depression
A condition characterized by anxiety, hopelessness, irritability, intense sadness, loss of concentration, pessimism, and problems with eating and sleeping.
Bioequivalent drugs
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 removes swelling from skin and internal organs.
Beta-adrenergic blockers
A class of drugs that block beta receptors to slow the fight or flight response to stress and make the heart beat slower with less force.
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 backward flow of acidic stomach contents across an incompetent lower esophageal sphincter, also referred to as heartburn.
Anti-diabetic drugs
A class of drugs that supply insulin to lower sugar or stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin. The sulfonylureas class of drugs are the most common ones.
Antipsychotic drugs
Medications used to manage disordered thought and personality behaviors, such as delusions, hallucinations, mania, and severe agitation.
Calcium Channel Blockers
A class of drugs that block 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 has 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, over-activity, and difficulty with impulse control.
Cephalosporin antibiotics
A class of antibiotics used to treat a wide variety of infections for short-term use in both the community and hospital pharmacy.
NSAID (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)
A class of drugs that provide pain, swelling, and fever reduction.
Hyperthyroidism
An underactive thyroid, producing too little thyroid hormone.