- Blog
- Top 20 Drug Classes to Know for the PTCB Exam!
Top 20 Drug Classes to Know for the PTCB Exam!
Mar 25th, 2020
Drug Classes that Always Get Tested
Pharmacology is one of the must-know subjects for the PTCB exam. It’s not always easy, though, and it requires some intense effort and devotion. Today, we review the top 10 drug classes to know that almost always come up on exam day.
There are certain drug classes that come up time and time again. For example, you may be asked to identify an ACE inhibitor from a list of medicines. Alternatively, you will be given a list of medicines and asked which is used to treat a specific condition.
Of course, as a pharmacy technician, you are not required to learn all medicines. But you should at least have a working knowledge of some of the most common.
At PTCB Test Prep, we aim to make things much easier. That’s why we’ve put together the top 20 drug classes to know for the PTCB exam.
Top 20 Drug Classes!
| Drug Class | Drugs | Indications |
|---|---|---|
| Beta-blockers |
Metoprolol Bisoprolol Nebivolol Atenolol Propanolol |
Chronic heart failure Ischemic heart disease Atrial fibrillation Supraventricular tachycardia Hypertension |
| ACE inhibitors |
Ramipril Perindopril Captopril |
Hypertension Chronic heart failure Ischemic heart disease |
| Penicillins |
Benzylpenicillin Amoxicillin Ampicillin Flucloxacillin | Bacterial infections |
| Tetracyclines |
Tetracycline Minocycline Doxycycline | Bacterial infections |
| H1 antagonists |
Fexofenadine Acrivastine Azelastine Cetirizine Levocetirizine Loratadine Chlorphenamine |
Allergies Hay fever Itch (pruritus) Hives (urticaria) Anaphylaxis |
| H2 antagonists |
Ranitidine Famotidine Cimetidine |
Peptic ulcer disease GERD Dyspepsia |
| Proton-pump inhibitors |
Omeprazole Pantoprazole Lansoprazole |
Peptic ulcer disease Dyspepsia GERD H. pylori infection |
| Beta-2 agonists |
Albuterol Salmeterol Terbutaline | Asthma COPD |
| Platelet inhibitors | Clopidogrel |
Acute coronary syndrome Prevent blockage of stents Prevention of CV disease |
| SSRIs |
Paroxetine Sertraline Fluoxetine |
Depression Anxiety Obsessive compulsive disorder |
| Benzodiazepines |
Midazolam Temazepam Nitrazepam Flunitrazepam Alprazolam Diazepam |
Seizures
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms Sedation Anxiety Insomnia |
| NSAIDs |
Naproxen Ibuprofen Diclofenac |
Mild-to-moderate pain Pain related to inflammation |
| DMARDs |
Methotrexate Infliximab Rituximab Tocilizumab Etanercept Cyclosporin Azathioprine |
Rheumatoid arthritis Psoriatic arthritis Some cancers Ulcerative colitis Crohn’s disease Lupus Myasthenia gravis |
| Opioids |
Tramadol Codeine Morphine Dihydrocodeine Oxycodone Fentanyl |
Pain Mild-to-moderate Moderate-to-severe |
| Fluoroquinolones |
Ciprofloxacin Moxifloxacin Levofloxacin |
Urinary tract infections Gastrointestinal infections Lower respiratory infections |
| Biguanides | Metformin | Type 2 diabetes |
| Corticosteroids |
Prednisolone Mometasone Dexamethasone Beclometasone Fluticasone Budesonide Hydrocortisone |
Allergic disorders Inflammatory disorders Some cancers Adrenal insufficiency Hypopituitarism Asthma / COPD Eczema, psoriasis |
| Calcium channel blockers |
Nifedipine Amlodipine Verapamil Diltiazem |
Hypertension Stable angina Supraventricular tachycardia |
| Insulins |
Insulin glargine Insulin detemir Insulin aspart Isophane insulin |
Type 1 diabetes Type 2 diabetes Diabetic ketoacidosis Hyperkalemia (with glucose) |
| Anti-gout drugs |
Allopurinol Febuxostat Colchicine Probenecid | Gout |
Final Thoughts
If you are unfamiliar with many of these drugs, do not worry. At this early stage in your study preparation, that is to be expected.
What matters now is what you do to enhance your knowledge of medicines and pharmacology. For the 2020 syllabus, there is a 40% weighting assigned to the “Medications” component of the exam. That’s almost half the exam. You should, at the very least, know the above table off-by-heart.
If you are struggling to remember medicines and how they work, you may benefit from our online course – which includes over 2,500 PTCB practice test questions on all the medicines you need to know. Check back to PTCB Test Prep soon for more articles on the must-know pharmacology details you need to know!
Category
JOIN OUR
MAILING LIST
FOR EVEN MORE FACTS!
Don't stop
learning
now!
Follow us on social media:
