Suffix families

The fastest way through the Top 200: learn the patterns, not 200 separate facts

Most of the drug list follows naming conventions. Learn the ending and you get the class, and usually what it treats, for free — including for drugs you have never seen before.

-azepam — benzodiazepine

Used for anxiety, seizures, sedation.

lorazepam clonazepam temazepam diazepam

-azolam — benzodiazepine

Used for anxiety, sedation.

alprazolam

-cillin — penicillin antibiotic

Used for infection.

amoxicillin / clavulanate

-dipine — dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker

Used for blood pressure.

amlodipine nifedipine

-floxacin — fluoroquinolone antibiotic

Used for infection.

ciprofloxacin levofloxacin

-gliflozin — SGLT2 inhibitor

Used for type 2 diabetes.

dapagliflozin canagliflozin empagliflozin

-gliptin — DPP-4 inhibitor

Used for type 2 diabetes.

sitagliptin / metformin sitagliptin

-glitazone — thiazolidinedione

Used for type 2 diabetes.

pioglitazone

-mycin — macrolide or aminoglycoside antibiotic

Used for infection.

clindamycin tobramycin / dexamethasone azithromycin

-olol — beta blocker

Used for blood pressure, rate control.

nebivolol propranolol atenolol timolol

-prazole — proton pump inhibitor (PPI)

Used for stomach acid.

aripiprazole esomeprazole lansoprazole omeprazole pantoprazole

-pril — ACE inhibitor

Used for blood pressure and heart failure.

ramipril lisinopril enalapril

-sartan — ARB (angiotensin II receptor blocker)

Used for blood pressure.

irbesartan olmesartan losartan valsartan losartan / HCTZ

-semide — loop diuretic

Used for fluid overload.

furosemide

-setron — 5-HT3 antagonist

Used for nausea and vomiting.

granisetron ondansetron

-statin — HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin)

Used for cholesterol.

rosuvastatin atorvastatin pravastatin simvastatin

-tidine — H2 receptor antagonist

Used for stomach acid.

famotidine cimetidine ranitidine

-triptan — triptan

Used for migraine.

sumatriptan rizatriptan