Antibiotic Classes and Drug Names: The Pharmacology Trick
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Antibiotic Classes and Drug Names
The list of antibiotic classes and drug names is extensive.
Furthermore, different antibiotics can be used for minor bacterial infections such as UTIs (urinary tract infections), sinus infections, strep throat, and pneumonia, while others are used for more serious infections such as sepsis or bacteremia.
With all the different antibiotic classifications and drug names available, it can be challenging to remember which medications belong to each class.
Fortunately, this lecture will simplify that for you!
We will walk through 10 main antibiotic classes, and you will be given simple memory tricks to remember the drug names within each class.
Let’s get started!
Don’t miss out on the below antibiotic class chart, mnemonic, and tricks to remember their drug names, gram coverage, mechanism of action, and example uses!
Click the link below!
Antibiotic Chart: Drug Names, Coverage, and Mechanism of Action
Image: Use the above chart and mnemonic to remember the main antibiotic classes along with their drug names, gram coverage, mechanism of action, and indications.
Antibiotic Pharmacology Trick
As previously mentioned, it can be challenging to remember all the different antibiotic classes and drug names.
Fortunately, there are a few pharmacology tricks that can help you out!
We will use the following memory tricks below to remember the medication/drug names for the 10 antibiotic classes listed below.
**These tricks are not hard-and-fast rules, and there are some exceptions.
Image: The drug names in each antibiotic class can be remembered using the above prefixes and suffixes.
Aminoglycosides = End in “mycin/micin”
Antibiotics belonging to the aminoglycoside class typically end in the suffix “mycin/micin”.
Examples of aminoglycosides include gentamicin, tobramycin, neomycin, and streptomycin.
Image: Aminoglycoside drug names typically end in “mycin/micin”. Examples include streptomycin and gentamicin.
Cephalosporins = Begin with “Cef/Ceph”
Cephalosporin drug names begin with “cef” or “ceph”.
There are 5 generations of cephalosporin medications, and each generation has coverage against certain bacteria.
There are memory tricks to remember which drugs belong to each cephalosporin generation.
For simple memory trick to remember the drug names in each cephalosporin generation check out the following lecture:
Cephalosporin Generations Made Easy: The Spelling Bee
There are also memory hacks to remember the coverage for each cephalosporin generation using the arrow trick.
Check it out below!
Cephalosporin Coverage: The Arrow Trick
Examples of cephalosporins include ceftriaxone, cefepime, cefazolin, cephalexin, cefdinir, and cefuroxime.
Image: Medications in the cephalosporin class have the prefix “cef/ceph”. Examples include ceftriaxone and cefepime.
Tetracyclines = End in “cycline”
Medications in the tetracycline class usually end in “cycline”
Examples of tetracyclines include doxycycline, minocycline, demeclocycline, and tetracycline.
Image: Tetracycline drug names typically end in “cycline”. Examples include doxycycline and tetracycline.
Penicillins = End in “cillin”
Penicillins are easy to remember because their drug names typically end in “cillin”, similar to their class name “penicillin”.
Examples of penicillins include amoxicillin, ampicillin, nafcillin, dicloxacillin, and oxacillin.
Image: Penicillins typically use the suffix “cillin”. Examples include ampicillin and amoxicillin.
Sulfonamides = Begin with “Sulfa”
Drugs belonging to the sulfonamide class can be remembered by the prefix “sulfa”.
Examples of sulfonamides include sulfasalazine (typically used for inflammatory conditions), sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethizole, and sulfadiazine.
Image: Medications in the sulfonamide class typically use the prefix “sulfa”. Examples include sulfasalazine and sulfamethoxazole.
Fluoroquinolones = End in “floxacin”
Fluoroquinolone drug names can be remembered by the suffix “floxacin”.
Examples of fluoroquinolones include ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and ofloxacin.
Image: Fluoroquinolone drug names usually end in “floxacin”. Examples include ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin.
Macrolides = End in “thromycin”
Medications in the macrolide class typically end in “thromycin”.
Examples include azithromycin, erythromycin, and clarithromycin.
Image: Macrolide medications typically use the suffix “thromycin”. Examples include azithromycin and erythromycin.
Carbapenems = End in “penem”
Carbapenems are another easy class to remember as their drug names typically use the suffix “penem”, similar to their class name “carbapenem”.
Examples of carbapenems include meropenem and ertapenem.
Image: Drug names in the carbapenem class usually end in “penem”. Examples include meropenem and ertapenem.
Lincosamides = End in “mycin/in”
Most medications belonging to the lincosamide class end in “mycin/in”.
Be careful as we previously mentioned aminoglycosides can end in “mycin” as well.
Examples of lincosamides include clindamycin, lincomycin, and pirlimycin.
Image: Lincosamides typically use the suffix “mycin/in”. Examples include clindamycin and lincomycin.
Glycopeptides = End in “mycin/in”
Glycopeptide drug names typically end in “mycin/in”.
A common example of a glycopeptide is vancomycin.
Again, be careful as we have now learned aminoglycosides and lincosamides can end in “mycin”.
You may have to commit the most common medications to memory, which are:
Gentamicin = Aminoglycoside
Clindamycin = Lincosamide
Vancomycin = Glycopeptide
Image: Glycopeptide drug names usually end in “in/mycin”. A common example is vancomycin.
Antibiotic Class Chart
Just a quick reminder to also check out the below antibiotic class chart, mnemonic, and easy tricks to remember their gram coverage and mechanism of action!
In that post, we discuss each antibiotic class in more detail.
Click the link below!
Antibiotic Chart: Drug Names, Coverage, and Mechanism of Action
Image: Antibiotic chart and mnemonic containing the main classes, example drug names, gram coverage, mechanism of action, and indications.