Drug Classes

Thiazide Diuretics

• “water pills“

• used for high blood pressure and swelling

ACE Inhibitors

• Angiotension Converting Enzyme Blockers

• for high blood pressure and heart failure

• (-pril)

ARBs

• Angiotension II Receptor Blockers

• high blood pressure and heart failure

• (-sartan)

Beta Blockers

• high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat

• (-olol)

Calcium Channel Blockers [D]

• Dihydropyridine Type

• high blood pressure

• (-ipine)

Calcium Channel Blockers [N]

• Nondihydropyridine Type

• rapid heart rate/abnormal heart rhythms

Alpha Blockers

• high blood pressure and enlarged prostate symptoms (BPH)

• (-osin)

*Tamsulosin is selective for urinary tract

Alpha-2 Agonists

• high blood pressure and ADHD

Vasodilators

• high blood pressure and heart failure

• Nitrate variations help with chest pain

Loop Diuretics

• swelling from various diseases

Potassium-Sparing Diuretics

• high blood pressure and heart failure

Antiarrhythmics

• irregular heartbeat

Cardiac Glycoside

• heart failure and irregular heartbeat

Anticoagulants

• “Blood thinners”

• Treatment of blood clots and prevention of clot formation

• Interrupts the body’s natural clumping process

Vitamin K Antagonist Anticoagulants

• block Vitamin K

• Inconsistent dietary intake of vitamin K can interfere with effectiveness

• INR blood test required to monitor blood clotting

Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs)

• -aban

• Direct factor Xa inhibitors

• Not affected by diet and no INR blood testing

Antiplatelets

• platelet aggregation inhibitors

• Not technically an anticoagulant because they don’t affect the clotting process

• Work by preventing platelets from sticking together to decrease the risk of heart attack or stroke

HMG CoA Reductase Inhibitors

• -statin

• Reduce production of cholesterol made by the liver

Fenofibrate and Omega 3 acid Ethyl Esters

• reduce cholesterol and triglycerides

Ezetimibe

• inhibit intestinal absorption of dietary cholesterol

Sulfonylurcas

• taken by mouth

• Increase insulin release from beta cells of the pancreas

Biguanides

• taken by mouth

• Reduce the amount of sugar absorbed in the intestines

• Increase insulin sensitivity

Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 (DPP-4) Inhibitors

• -gliptin

• Taken by mouth

• Slow the interaction/degradation of GLP-1s

• An incretin hormone which triggers insulin release to lower blood sugar

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs)

• -glitazones

• Taken by mouth

• Increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin

• Decrease insulin resistance

Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) Inhibitors

• -gliflozin

• Taken by mouth

• Cause more glucose to be excreted into the urine instead of reabsorbed into the body

Glucagon Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) Analogs

• injectables

• Mimic incretin hormone GLP1 produced in GI tract after a meal, causing increased release of insulin from the pancreas

Insulins

• injectables

• Take the place of insulin that is normally produced by the body to move glucose out of the blood with other body tissues where it is used for energy

• Different Types = rapid, short, intermediate, and long acting

Rapid Acting Insulin

• Type of insulin

• onset within 30 minutes

• Duration 3-5 hours

Long Acting Insulin

• type of insulin

• Onset within 2 hours

• Duration up to 24 hours