Most Common Generic Drug Suffixes

Common Generic Drug Suffixes

• -actone: Represents potassium-sparing diuretics, which increase urine output and sodium loss.

• -artan: Indicates angiotensin II receptor blockers, helping to prevent vasoconstriction by inhibiting angiotensin II enzymes.

• -azosin: Refers to alpha-adrenergic blockers that relax blood vessels, acting as antihypertensive agents.

• -cillin: A class of antibiotics that works by inhibiting bacterial growth.

• -codone: Denotes opioid pain killers that block pain receptors in the brain, effectively allowing patients to forget their pain.

• -cycline: Another class of antibiotics, which also inhibits bacterial growth.

• -emide: Represents loop diuretics, functioning by increasing urine output and sodium loss.

• -floxacin: Refers to antibiotics that inhibit bacterial growth.

• -mycin: Indicates antibiotics that work by inhibiting bacterial growth.

• -olol: Represents beta blockers or beta-adrenergic blockers, which block adrenaline receptors, mediating responses to stress.

• -olone/-sone: Represents corticosteroids that reduce inflammation.

• -pam: Indicates benzodiazepines used to reduce anxiety, relax muscles, induce sedation, and help in sleeping.

• -pine: Refers to calcium channel blockers that relax blood vessels, used primarily as antihypertensives.

• -pril: Represents Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors that block the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, reducing blood pressure.

• -prazole: Denotes proton pump inhibitors that inhibit gastric proton pumps to decrease stomach acid.

• -statin: Indicates HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors that inhibit cholesterol production.

• -tidine: Represents histamine-2 blockers that reduce stomach acid production.

• -vir: Refers to antivirals that inhibit or kill viral microbes.