Generic Drug suffixes

Recognizing Generic Drug Names by Suffix

Why learn generic drug suffixes? Memorizing the top 200 drug names is one of the most challenging parts of studying for the PTCB of ExCPT exams. One thing to consider and embrace is that there is some lingo in pharmacy. In generic names, there are several suffixes that will help you to remember what the medication does. In this case, the suffixes are a group of letters added to the end of a words root which help better describe it's function. The chart below lists some of the suffixes you will see when studying the top 200 drugs.

  Generic Drug Suffix Chart

Suffix
Drug Class
STATIN
CHOLESTEROL
(HMG CoA Reductase Inhibitor)
RAZOLE
PROTON PUMP
INHIBITOR
ARTAN
A2RB
(Angiotensin 2 receptor blocker)
PAM
BENZODIAZEPINES
(BENZOS)
OLOL
BETA BLOCKER
PRIL
ACE INHIBITOR
(Angiotensin Converting Enzyme)
AZOSIN
ALPHA BLOCKER
ITIDINE
H2 ANTAGONIST
CILLIN
PENICILLIN
ANTI-BIOTICS
FLOXACIN
FLUOROQUINOLONE
ANTIBIOTICS
CYCLINE
TETRACYCLINE
ANTIBIOTICS
ROMYCIN
MACROLIDE
ANTIBIOTICS
LAX
LAXATIVE
VIR
ANTI-VIRAL
     

Unfortunately, only a fraction of the top 200 drugs end in a common Generic Drug suffix. However, learning them may help you immensely to memorize the top 200 drugs.

There are plenty more common suffixes an prefixes in generic drug names. The above list is geared to apply to the Top 200 Drug name suffixes only.





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