Common Classes of Medications, Examples, Suffixes, and Roots

Analgesics

Example: lidocaine

Analgesics

Common Suffixes: -caine

Common Roots: -morph, -morphe, -morphic

Antacids

Example: omeprazole

Antacids

Common Suffixes: -azole

Common Roots: -tidine

Antibiotics

Example: levofloxacin

Antibiotics

Common Suffixes: -mycin, -floxacin

Common Roots: bacter-, vir-, -cidal

Anticoagulants

Example: warfarin

Anticoagulants

Common Suffixes: -arin

Common Roots: coagul-

Antidepressants

Example: fluoxetine

Antidepressants

Common Suffixes: -oxetine, -ipramine

Common Roots: serotonin, norepinephrine

Antihistamines

Example: diphenhydramine

Antihistamines

Common Suffixes: -dine, -mine

Common Roots: hist-

Anti-inflammatory

Example: cortisone

Anti-inflammatory

Common Suffixes: -one

Common Roots: -corti-, -flam-, -prost-

Antipsychotics

Example: olanzapine

Antipsychotics

Common Suffixes: -azine, -apine

Common Roots: dopa-, sero-, -plegia

Beta-blockers

Example: metoprolol

Beta-blockers

Common Suffixes: -olol

Common Roots: adrenergic, beta-

Bronchodilators

Example: albuterol

Bronchodilators

Common Suffixes: -terol

Common Roots: bronch-, -pnea

Corticosteroids

Example: prednisone

Corticosteroids

Common Suffixes: -sone or -solone

Common Roots:

Diuretics

Example: furosemide

Diuretics

Common Suffixes: -semide, -thiazide

Common Roots: -uret-, -osm-

Hypoglycemics

Example: glipizide

Hypoglycemics

Common Suffixes: -ide

Common Roots: gluc-, insulin-

Statins

Example: atorvastatin

Statins

Common Suffixes: -statin

Common Roots: cholesterol, lipid-