Classification of Drugs 1.

Analgesics - used for the relief of pain acute pain of a headache (mild) - aspirin, acetaminophen or dextropropoxyphene more severe pain of dental surgery or trauma - more potent narcotic analgesics such as codeine, oxycodone, meperidine, morphine excruciating chronic pain of arthritis and cancer - potent narcotics so severe like cancer - morphine

2. Anesthetics - used to relieve pain by interfering with nerve transmission General anesthetics - depressing cerebral nerves that carry sensory pain signals to the brain; useful during surgical procedures; gases or volatile liquids administered by inhalation; halothane and ether Local anesthetics - local nerve block in relieving pain in dental extractions or topical application to the skin and mucous membrane to relieve pain of minor trauma, sunburns, or painful canker sores; lidocaine, procaine and cocaine * lidocaine - cardiac membrane depressant to treat cardiac arrhythmias 3. Antacids - used to relieve gastric hyperacidity and the pain associated with duodenal or gastric ulcers; reduce acid irritation; permits the ulcer site to heal; sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, milk of magnesia, magnesium trisilicate 4. Antihelmintics - used to get rid of worm infestation that have gained entry into the body through the gastrointestinal tract; pyrivinium pamoate, piperazine citrate, diethylcarbamazine citrate 5. Antianginals - used to relieve the chest pain associated with increased oxygen demand by the heart muscle due to physical exertion Vasodilators - nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate beta-adrenergic blocking agents that decrease heart rate - propranolol, nadolol, labetalol 6. Anticholinergics - inhibit cholinergic nerves that are primarily responsible for gastrointestinal hypersecretions and motility; gastrointestinal antispasmodics; propantheline, belladonna, alkaloids, adiphenine, dicyclomine 7. Anticoagulants - inhibit the clotting mechanism in patients who have a propensity for clotting; used as prophylaxis to prevent possible clotting during hemodialysis and surgery; heparin, warfarin 8. Anticonvulsants - used to depressed brain nerve firing to control convulsive seizures in epilepsy; prevent or reduce convulsions in electroshock therapy, brain damage, and ingestion of certain poisons; phenyotin, trimethadione, diazepam 9. Antidiarrheals - treat diarrhea or the liquefaction of fecal discharges; decrease gastrointestinal activity, adsorb toxins, and replace the bacterial flora; opium tincture (paregoric), loperamide, diphenoxylate, kaolin-pectin mixture. 10. Antiemetics - prochlorperazine, chlorpromazine, thiethylperazine, trimethobenzamide phenothiazines - blocking the brain centers associated with vomiting metoclopramide - used before and after the treatment meclizine and cyclizine - prevent the disturbance

11. Antihistamines - used to antagonize the pathological effects of histamine that is released as a consequence of various disease states, including allergy, hayfever, common cold, asthma and others; diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, brompheniramine, promethazine, tripelennamine, terfenadine

12. Antihypertensives - lower blood pressure by reducing vascular volume, using diuretics, by relaxing blood vessels, using vasodilators, by inhibiting the sympathetic nervous system, using nerve ending blocking agents; diuretics - thiazides beta-adrenergic blocking agents - propranolol nerve ending blockers - reserpine, methyldopa, guanethidine central nervous system blockers - clonidine vasodilators - hydralazine, prazocin angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors - Captopril and Enalapril (Vasotec)

13. Anti-infectives and sulfonamides - inhibit the growth (bacteriostatic) or destroy (bacteriocidal) microorganisms. ointments, creams or irrigating solutions - bacitracin, neomycin, polymixin oral, intramuscular or intravenous administration - penicillins, cephalosporins, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, erythromycin, sulfonamides disinfectant - alcohol, acetic acid, boric acid, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, merbromin (Mercurochrome), thimerosol, gentian violet, zinc oxide, hexachlorophene, benzalkonium chloride

14. Antineoplastics - function by destroying rapidly multiplying cells associated with cancer; also destroy normal cells in the body; cisplatin, vinblastine, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, fluorouracil 15. Antitussives - prevent exhausting, non-productive cough that interferes with daily activity or sleep; depress the central nervous system cough trigger; codeine, hydrocodone, dextromethorphan 16. Antivirals - treatment of viral infections Herpes simplex infections - acyclovir (Zovirax) Group A influenza - amantadine (Symmetrel) HIV or AIDS infections - zidovudine (AZT)

17. Bronchodilators or Antiasthmatics - relax bronchial smooth muscle; permits normal respiratory air breathing; epinephrine, isoproterenol, pseudoepinephrine, theophylline 18. Cardiac Stimulants and Depressants - Cardiac depression, arrhythmias cardiac depression with a low heart rate and impulse conduction through the heart - epinephrine or isoproterenol heart failure with compromise heart muscle function - digoxin overexcitability of the heart resulting in rhythm disturbances and rapid heart rates with depressed cardiac output of blood - quinidine, procainamide, propranolol

19. Decongestants - vasconstrictors; shrinking of mucous membrane, permitting improved air transit through the nasal and other passages; used in cold medication combination products; pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, phenylephrine, disopyramide 20. Digestants - promote digestion of food in the gastrointestinal tract in individuals; Hydrochloric acid, bile acids, pancreatin, pepsin, diastase Simethicone - used in conjunction with these agents to alleviate trapped gas (flatulence) in the gastrointestinal tract

21. Diuretics - act on the kidney to increase the output of the urine; thus, reducing edema fluid accumulation; hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, ethacrynic acid, bumetanide, spironolactone, acetazolamide 22. Emetics - used to induce vomiting; useful to eliminate poisonous substances that have been ingested; ipecac syrup, apomorphine

23. Hormones - produced endogenously by the endocrine glands of the body pituitary hormones or releasing factors - regulate the release of glandular hormones growth hormones - regulate growth thyroid hormone - regulates the activity of all body cells follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) - control sexual growth and development corticotropin (ACTH) - regulates corticosteroid release from the adrenal glands vasopressin - released by posterior pituitary, maintain blood pressure in shock oxytocin - used in obstetrics to induce uterine contractility during labor pancreatic hormones include insulin - used to replace deficiencies seen in diabetes mellitus ovarian hormones such as estrogens and progesterones - used to replace a lack of these substances during menopause or ovarian dysfunction male androgens - used to prevent negative nitrogen balance in debilitating disease, to promote normal sexual function, and to treat osteoporosis and inoperable breast cancer adrenal cortical hormones such as hydrocortisone and cortisone - antiflammatory, regulate water balance together with epinephrine and norepinephrine and maintain blood pressure

24. Hypnotics and Sedatives - produce and maintain sleep; treatment of patients with sleep disturbances called insomnia barbiturates - secobarbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, benzodiazepine sleep-producing drugs - flurazepam, temazepam, triazolam

25. Laxatives and Cathartics - promote defecation in patients who are constipated or unable to empty the gastrointestinal tract of its waste materials; castor oil, prunes, magnesium salts, phenolphthalein, psyllium seed, mineral oil, dioctylsodiumsulfosuccinate, and senna 26. Tranquilizers - produce a sense of detach calmness without depression of mental faculties or clouding of consciousness; treatment of mental and emotional disorders; used for secondary problems such as emotional distress or agitation due to surgery or cancer; phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, meprobamate 27. Miscellaneous drugs diagnostic aids - used to determine a specific disease state histamines - used for the diagnosis of achlorhydria barium sulfate - identify gastrointestinal tract lesions or ulcers sodium diatrizoate radiopaque dye - used for angiography of the brain and heart and urographically for the urinary tract to visualize vascular insufficiency or aneurysms radioisotopes - used to identify and treat certain tumors; iodine, phosphate, gold, cobalt, sodium vitamins - organic catalysts that are required daily by the human body in small amounts for the proper functioning of certain enzyme systems that mediate chemical reactions of the cells and maintain body tissues B vitamins - thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin, folic acid, biotin vitamin C vitamin E vitamin A vitamin D vitamin K