Drugs, Drugs, and More Drugs
As a fourth semester medical student, one of the classes I am taking is Pharmacology. It is such a practical and useful class, and one that teaches the large overarching concepts of how medicines work and why we dose the way we dose, as well as the small, nitty-gritty, yet practical details of pharmacological agents. We learn different treatment plans for illnesses like diabetes, as well as when drugs are contraindicated and why. It’s a multidisciplinary class that integrates everything we’ve learned in previous semesters – pathology, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, biostats – because all of these factors must be taken into consideration when prescribing medication to a patient. It’s definitely a class that trains me to think like a doctor. Despite the subject being so fascinating, and taught by a really awesome professor, the class is quite the challenge, and notorious for this. I never understood why this was so until this past block when we started taking the course. To show you what I mean, here are the drugs we learned just over the past 3 weeks:
- Acetylcholine
- Carbachol
- Methacholine
- Bethanechol
- Cevimeline
- Pilocarpine
- Edrophonium
- Neostigmine
- Physostigmine
- Pyridostigmine
- Tacrine
- Ambenonium
- Demecarium
- Verenicline (Chantix)
- Parathion
- Malathion
- Diazinon
- Soman
- Sarin
- Tabun
- Pralidoxime (PAM)
- Atropine
- Scopolamine
- Ipratropium
- Trihexyphenidyl
- Benztropine
- Glycopyrrolate
- Dicyclomine
- Cyclopentolate
- Tropicamide
- Oxybutynin
- Tolterodine
- Darifenacin
- Imipramine
- Chlorpromazine
- Diphenhydramine
- Botox
- Cocaine
- Imipramine
- Reserpine
- Amphetamine
- Ephedrine
- Phenelzine
- Tranylcypromine
- Selegiline
- Rasagiline
- Tolcapone
- Entacapone
- L-Dopa
- Metyrosine
- Bretylium
- Guanethidine
- Phenylephrine
- Mephenteramine
- Methoxamine
- Clonidine
- Alpha-methyldopa
- Isoproterenol
- Dobutamine
- Terbutaline
- Albuterol
- Formoterol
- Salmeterol
- Ritodrine
- Metaproterenol
- Fenoldopam
- Epinephrine
- Norepinephrine
- Isoprenaline
- Dopamine
- Phenoxybenzamine
- Phentolamine
- Tolazoline
- Prazosin
- Terazosin
- Doxazosin
- Tamsulosin
- Yohimbine
- Propranolol
- Nadolol
- Timolol
- Pindolol
- Labetolol
- Carvedilol
- Atenolol
- Metoprolol
- Esmolol
- Betaxolol
- Acebutolol
- Pancuronium
- Pipecuronium
- Vecuronium
- Rocuronium
- Cisatracurium
- Mivacurium
- Succinylcholine (Suxamethonium)
- Dantrolene
- Methocarbamol
- Chlorzoxazone
- Diazepam
- Baclofen
- Tizanidine
- Mecamylamine
- Trimethaphan
- Hexamethonium (HXM)
- Sermorelin
- Protirelin
- Corticorelin
- Gonadorelin
- Leuprolide
- Nafarelin
- Ganirelix
- Cetrorelix
- Octreotide (Sandostatin)
- Cosyntropin
- Somatropin
- Somatrem
- Mecasermin
- Pegvisomant (Somavert)
- Cabergoline
- Bromocriptine
- Urofollitropin/Follitropin
- Menotropin (hMG)
- hChorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
- Atosiban (Tractocile)
- Desmopressin (DDAVP)
- Conivaptan
- Tolvaptan
- NSAIDS, Carbamazepine, Chlorpropamide
- Demeclocycline
- Lithium
- Amiloride
- Thiazide
- Indomethacin
- Bovine Insulin
- Porcine Insulin
- Human insulin
- Zinc and protamine
- Insulin Lispro
- Insulin Aspart
- Insulin Glulisine
- Insulin Regular/Crystalline Zinc
- Insulin Isophane/NPH (Neutral Protamine Hagedorn) Insulin
- Insulin glargine
- Insulin detemir
- Tolbutamide
- Chlorpropamide
- Tolazamide
- Glyburide/Glibenclamide
- Glipizide
- Glimepiride
- Meglitinides (Repaglinide)
- Nateglinide
- Metformin
- Phenformin
- Pioglitazone
- Rosiglitazone
- Acarbose
- Miglitol
- Pramlintide
- Exenatide
- Sitagliptin
- Glucagon
- Hydrocortisone (cortisol), cortisone
- Prednisone, Prednisolone, Methylprednisolone
- Triamcinolone
- Fluticasone
- Betamethasone
- Dexamethasone
- Beclomethasone
- Budesonide
- Fludrocortisone
- Ketoconazole
- Aminoglutethimide
- Metyrapone
- Aminoglutethimide
- Mifepristone (RU-486)
- Mitotane
- Spironolactone
- Eplerenone
Full credit for writing them down. Haha . I got an A in pharmacology (which is a rare event in my college). Yet, I am still struggling to remember them, especially in clinics when your consultant demand quick answer.