Drug Name Patterns in Pharmacology

Jun 20, 2025

Overview

This lecture introduces the importance of recognizing drug prefixes and suffixes in pharmacology to efficiently identify drug types and their side effects.

Importance of Prefixes and Suffixes in Pharmacology

  • Recognizing drug suffixes and prefixes helps identify drug types without memorizing every drug name.
  • Grouping drugs by their name endings allows you to recognize medication categories quickly.
  • Knowing these naming patterns improves recall and understanding during exams like NCLEX.

Use of Tables and Study Aids

  • Organizing suffixes and prefixes in a table with drug types, rationale, and side effects aids learning.
  • Understanding at least two side effects per medication is essential for exam preparation.

Study Resources Mentioned

  • A table summarizing drug suffixes/prefixes, types, rationales, and side effects is available in the "70 diseases NCLEX cheat sheet."
  • Resources are available in both physical and ebook formats.

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Suffix — the ending of a drug name that often indicates its drug class (e.g., -olol for beta blockers).
  • Prefix — the beginning part of a drug name that may help identify its group.
  • NCLEX — National Council Licensure Examination, a test for nursing licensure.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Review and study tables that list drug prefixes, suffixes, and their associated types and side effects.
  • Learn at least two side effects for each major drug class.
  • Access the "70 diseases NCLEX cheat sheet" in either physical or ebook format for further study.