Drug list Flashcards
What is the class and use of alendronic acid?
- bisphosphonate
- used to treat and prevent osteoporosis
What is the mechanism of action of alendronic acid?
- slows the growth rate and dissolution of hydroxyapatite crystals
- reduces the rate of bone turnover
What is the class and use of atenolol?
- β blocker/ β-1 adrenergic antagonist
- hypertension, arrythmias and angina
What is the mechanism of action of atenolol in hypertension and angina?
- negative ionotropic and chronotropic effects
- blocks β 1 receptors in heart to decrease work
- reduces renin production: antihypertensive
What is the mechanism of atenolol in arrythmias?
- decreases the effects of sympathetic activity on the heart, therefore decreasing conduction and action potential initiation
What is the class and use of furosemide?
- loop diuretic
- used for oedema, hypercalcaemia, fluid overload
What is the mechanism of furosemide?
- inhibits the NA/K/2Cl pump in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle which stops the reabsorption of Na, K and water
- decreases preload
What is the class and use of ramipril?
- ACE inhibitor
- used for hypertension, heart failure, post MI and diabetic nephropathy
What is the mechanism of action of ramipril?
- inhibits ACE > dec synthesis of angiotensin II
- this leads to:
- vasodilation,
- decreased aldosterone and so dec Na and water retention
What is the class and use of doxazosin?
- α-1 adrenergic blocker
- hypertension and benign prostatic hyperplasia
What is the mechanism of doxazosin?
- inhibits postysynaptic α-1 receptors on vascular smooth muscle > decreases TPR and BP
- relaxes smooth muscle in prostate and bladder to relieve BPH symptoms
What is the class and use of bendroflumethazide?
- thiazide diuretic
- hypertension, heart failure, oedema, nephrotic syndrome
What is the mechanism of action of bendroflumethazide?
- inhibits Na and Cl reabsorption in the distal tubule
- leads to inc excretion of Na, Cl ions and therefore water loss
- can also lead to hypokalaemia
What is the class and use of atracurium?
- non-depolarising neuromuscular blockade
- used in surgery for paralysis of skeletal muscle to block reflex movements
What is the mechanism of action of atracurium?
- competitive antagonist acting at the nicotinic ACh receptor on skeletal muscle to cause relaxation
- prevents activation of receptor-channel complex
- threshold potential can’t be reached to initiate AP
What is the class and use of chloramphenicol?
- potent broad-spectrum antibiotic
- bacteriostatic agent
- eye infections and H. influenza
Which bacteria can be treated by chloramphenicol?
- +ve: Strep, Staph, Enterococcus, Listeria
- -ve: H. influenzae, N. meningitides, E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, P. mirabilis
What is the mechanism of action of chloramphenicol?
- inhibits protein synthesis to stop bacterial growth by binding to 50S ribosome
What is the class and use of cefuroxime?
- β lactam antibiotic: cephalosporin
- gram -ve bacteria: cholecystitis, prophylaxis, pneumonia
What is the mechanism of action of cefuroxime?
- antibacterial
- attaches to penicillin binding proteins
- interrupts cell wall biosynthesis leading to cell lysis and death
What is the class and use of celecoxib?
- NSAID: COX-2 inhibitor
- osteoarthritis, RA, ankylosing spondylitis
What is the mechanism of action of celecoxib?
- selective noncompetitive inhibition of COX-2
- this is expressed heavily in inflamed tissues
- reduces synthesis of prostaglandins leading to alleviation of pain
What is the class and use of ephedrine?
- sympathomimetic amine
- airway obstruction, nasal congestion
What is the mechanism of action of ephedrine?
- α-1 agonist: inc in HR, CO and TPR
- stimulates β-2 adrenergic receptors: bronchodilation
- indirectly displaces norepinephrine from storage vesicles, leads to larger quantities in synapses + postsynaptic receptors, inc SNS stimulation
What is the class and use of ethinyloestradiol?
- oestrogen compound
- can be used as part of combined oral contraceptive
- used in oestrogen deficiency
What is the mechanism of action of ethinyloestradiol?
- mimics oestrogen
- combines with oestrogen nuclear receptor and affects protein synthesis
- decreases LH, thickens cervical mucus, prevents changes in endometrium
What is the class and use of loperamide?
- long acting anti-diarrhoeal: µ opioid receptor agonist
- diarrhoea, faecal incontinence
What is the mechanism of action of loperamide?
- isn’t absorbed from gut so doesn’t cross blood brain barrier to act in CNS: only acts in gut
- opens potassium channels and blocks calcium channels to affect impulse transmission
- decreases peristalsis and fluid secretion in GI tract, increases absorption. Reduces tone.
What is the class and use of metformin?
- biguanide
- used in blood sugar control: T2DM
What is the mechanism of action of metformin?
- decreases gluconeogenesis and intestinal glucose absorption
- increases insulin sensitivity and improves peripheral uptake
What is the class and use of methotrexate?
- antimetabolite
- Crohn’s, RA, psoriasis
What is the mechanism of action of methotrexate?
- blocks DNA synthesis by inhibiting dihydrofolate reductase to prevent cell proliferation
- inc ATP and adenosine in extracellular space for anti-inflammatory action
What is the class and use of paracetamol?
- antipyretic
- used for analgesia and in hepatotoxicity
What is the mechanism of action of paracetamol?
- inhibits COX pathways
- stops prostaglandin synthesis
- acts within CNS for pain relief
What is the class and use of rifampicin?
- antimycobacterial and bactericidal
- M. tuberculosis and M. leprae, MRSA
- tuberculosis, endocarditis, Legionnaires
What is the mechanism of action of rifampicin?
- inhibits DNA dependent RNA polymerase
- suppresses RNA synthesis > cell death
- used with isoniazid
What is the class and use of sildenafil?
- phosphodiesterase inhibitor
- used for erectile dysfunction, pulmonary arterial hypertension
What is the mechanism of action of sildenafil?
- PDE5 inhibitor.
- relaxes arterial walls leading to decreased arterial resistance and pressure and reducing workload
- induces vasodilation in smooth muscle of lungs and penis
What is the class and use of suxamethonium?
- depolarising neuromuscular junction blocker
- competitive antagonist of nicotinic Ach receptors in skeletal muscle
- used in surgery and intubation
What is the mechanism of action of suxamethonium?
- mimics Ach at neuromuscular junction
- slower hydrolysis causing sustained depolarisation and neuromuscular blockade
What is the class and use of tamsulosin?
- α blocker (α 1a and 1b adrenergic receptor antagonist
- used in BPH
What is the mechanism of action of tamsulosin?
- selective α 1a and 1b blocker
- relaxation of smooth muscle in prostate and detrusor in bladder for better urinary flow
What is the class and mechanism of ciprofloxacin?
- quinolone
- blocks activity of bacterial DNA gyrase
- inhibits transcription and replication of bacterial DNA
What bacteria is ciprofloxacin used against?
- gram negative bacilli and cocci
- campylobacter jejuni, P. aeuroginosa, cholera, Salmonella type
- Neisseria meningitidis and gonorrhoea
What is the class and use of ciclosporin?
- immunosuppressant: DMARD
- RA, severe UC, atopic dermatitis
What is the mechanism of ciclosporin?
- inhibits T cell activation by inhibiting production and release of IL-2
What is the class and use of oxybutynin?
- anticholinergic drug
- urinary frequency, urgency and incontinence
What is the mechanism of oxybutynin?
- inhibits muscarinic action of Ach on smooth muscle only
- allows the relaxation of the detrusor
What is the class and use of ipratropium?
- anticholinergic: short-acting muscarinic antagonist (SAMA)
- asthma/airway obstruction
What is the mechanism of ipratropium?
- inhibition of the PSNS in the airways
- encourages bronchial secretions and bronchodilation
- stops smooth muscle contraction
What is the class and mechanism of erythromycin?
- macrolide antibiotic
- binds to 50S ribosome to inhibit protein synthesis and therefore replication: bacteriostatic
What is the use of erythromycin?
- in penicillin allergy
- Strep viridans, β haemolytic strep, Listeria, Bordatella pertussus
What is the class and mechanism of rivaroxaban?
- anticoagulant: factor Xa competitive inhibitor
- Xa needed to activate II (prothrombin) to IIa (thrombin)
What is the use of rivaroxaban?
- prophylaxis of stroke, MI, VTE, DVT, PE
- treatment of DVT and PE
What is the class and mechanism of salmeterol?
- long acting β-2 adrenergic receptor agonist (LABA)
- relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle, bronchodilation and increased airflow
What is the use of salmeterol and how is it taken?
- airway obstruction
- asthma
- exercise-induced bronchospasm
- COPD
- aerosol
What is the class and use of tramadol?
- opiate analgesic
- acute and chronic pain
- post operative pain
What is the mechanism of tramadol?
- µ opioid receptor agonist and SNRI (serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor)
- inhibitory effects on pain transmission
What is the class and mechanism of co-amoxiclav?
- clavulanic acid: β lactamase inhibitor enhances effectiveness of β lactam antibiotics
- amoxicillin: penicillin derivative which inhibits penicillin binding proteins, cell wall synthesis and up regulates autolytic enzymes
What are the uses of co-amoxiclav?
- gram +ve bacteria e.g. strep causing upper resp tract infection
- Strep viridans, β haemolytic strep and H. pylori
What is the class and use of diamorphine?
- opioid analgesic
- acute and chronic pain
- myocardial infarction
What is the mechanism of diamorphine?
- experiences first pass metabolism
- metabolised to morphine
- µ opioid agonist
- activation of descending inhibitory pathways of CNS and reduction of nociceptive pain transmission
What is the class and use of dalteparin?
- anticoagulant: LmwH
- treatment of DVT and PE
- used in prophylaxis
What is the mechanism of dalteparin?
- increases activity of antithrombin III
- inhibits formation of factor Xa and so thrombin from prothrombin
What is the class and use and route of dobutamine?
- inotropic agent
- support in cardiac surgery, cardiomyopathy and shock
- IV infusion
What is the mechanism of dobutamine?
- β-1 agonist
- increases myocardial contractility and SV resulting in inc CO
