General Drug Categories (Part 1)

[ Hypo/lipidemics = Hypo- is a prefix that means "under" or "below" , lipidemic means "containing lipid (fat) in the blood". ] Hypolipidemics are used in the treatment of high levels of fats (lipids), such as cholesterol, in the blood (hyperlipidemia). They are called lipid-lowering drugs. Drugs: cholestyramine, lovastatin & simvastatin.

[ Cortic/o/ster/oid= Cortic/o is a combining form that means "cortex" or "outer region" , ster is a word root that pertains to "steriod" , -oid is a suffix term that means "resembling".] In addition to their primary use as anti-inflammatories in arthritis and asthma and immunosuppressants, corticosteroids are also useful for treating malignancies and compensating for a deficiency of natural hormones such as Addison's disease.

[ Laxat/ive = Laxat is a word root that means "loosen" , -ive is a suffix term that means "pertaining to".] Laxatives increase frequency and ease of bowel movements by stimulating the bowel wall, by increasing bowel contents, or by lubricating them. There are laxatives available by mouth as well as suppositories and enemas. Examples include bisacodyl and lactulose.

[ Hormon/e = Hormon is a word root that means "hormone" , -e is a suffix for noun ending with no specific meaning.] A hormone is a chemical naturally produced by the endocrine glands (thyroid, adrenal, ovary, testis, pancreas, parathyroid) that is prescribed to rectify a hormonal imbalance. It is known as hormone replacement therapy. Examples of hormones include estrogen and progesterone.

[ An/esthet/ics = An- is a prefix term that means "without" , esthet is a word root that pertains to "feeling", -ics is a suffix term that refers to "specialty".] Anesthetics are used to prevent pain during the surgery and other procedures. They may be given by injection, inhalation, topical lotion, spray, eye drops, or skin patch. Several types of anesthetics are local (e.g. lidocaine) & general (e.g. nitrous oxide).

[ Adren/ergic = Adren is a word root that pertains to "adrenaline (epinephrine)" or "adrenal gland" , -ergic is a suffix term that means "generated by".] Adrenergic drugs mimic the functioning of the sympathetic nervous system, which assists in regulating a person's response to stress or an emergency. Drugs and other substances that are adrenergic act similarly to, or in the same way as, epinephrine (adrenaline).

[ Anti/vir/al = Anti- is a prefix term that pertains to "against", vir is a word root that refers to "virus", -al is the suffix term that means "pertaining to".] A class of medication called antiviral drugs is used to treat viral infections. While most antivirals target specific viruses, broad-spectrum antivirals are effective against a variety of viruses at the same time.

[ Muc/o/lytic = Muc/o is a combining form that pertains to "mucus", -lytic is the suffix term that pertains to "decomposition" or "breakdown".] It is typically used to help relieve respiratory difficulties by dissolving thick mucus. This is accomplished by destroying the chemical bonds between molecules in mucus. Some examples of these drugs: acetylcysteine, ambroxol, and carbocisteine.

[ Anti/coagul/ant = Anti- is a prefix term that means "against", coagul is the word root that pertains to "clot", -ant is a suffix term that forms a word into a noun.] [ Anti/platelet = Anti- is a prefix term that means "against", platelet is a small disk-shaped particle that plays an active role in the formation of blood clots.] Medicines that prevent blood clots from forming. They also prevent existing blood clots from becoming larger. Blood thinners can be divided into two types. 1) Anticoagulants, such as heparin and warfarin (also called Coumadin), slow down your body's ability to form clots. 2) Drugs called antiplatelet agents prevent blood cells called platelets from clumping together to form a clot.

[ An/alges/ic = An- is a prefix term that means "without", alges is the word root that pertains to "sensitivity to pain", -ic is a suffix term that means "pertaining to".] Analgesics are medications that relieve pain. Analgesics are divided into two main categories: non-narcotics for mild pain, and narcotics for severe pain.