Pharmacology: Drug Suffixes and Key Effects for HTN, Diabetes, and Mental Health

-pril

ACE inhibitor — HTN/HF — cough, hyperkalemia (lisinopril)

-sartan

ARB — HTN/HF — hyperkalemia (losartan)

-dipine

DHP CCB — HTN — edema (amlodipine)

-olol

Beta blocker — HTN/angina/HF — bradycardia (metoprolol)

-olol (carvedilol)

Beta blocker — HF/HTN — dizziness

hydrochlorothiazide (no suffix pattern)

Thiazide diuretic — HTN — hypokalemia

furosemide (no suffix pattern)

Loop diuretic — edema/HF — hypokalemia, ototoxicity

spironolactone (no suffix pattern)

K-sparing diuretic — HF/HTN — hyperkalemia, gynecomastia

-statin

Statin — hyperlipidemia — myopathy (atorvastatin)

clopidogrel (no suffix pattern)

Antiplatelet — ASCVD — bleeding

-xaban

Anticoagulant — AF/VTE — bleeding (apixaban)

warfarin (no suffix pattern)

Anticoagulant — AF/VTE — bleeding; many interactions

metformin (no suffix pattern)

Biguanide — diabetes — GI upset; rare lactic acidosis

gli- (prefix)

Sulfonylurea — diabetes — hypoglycemia (glimepiride)

-gliflozin

SGLT2 inhibitor — diabetes/HF — genital infections (empagliflozin)

-glutide

GLP-1 RA — diabetes/weight loss — GI effects; boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors (semaglutide)

insulin glargine (no suffix pattern)

Basal insulin — diabetes — hypoglycemia

insulin lispro (no suffix pattern)

Rapid insulin — diabetes — hypoglycemia

insulin detemir (no suffix pattern)

Basal insulin — diabetes — hypoglycemia

levothyroxine (no suffix pattern)

Thyroid hormone — hypothyroidism — over-replacement → palpitations

allopurinol (no suffix pattern)

Xanthine oxidase inhibitor — gout — rash (SJS/TEN)

febuxostat (no suffix pattern)

Xanthine oxidase inhibitor — gout — CV risk warning