Drug terminology and pregnancy labeling

Drug classification

Drugs are grouped by classification or class. It is important for a medical assistant to be aware of the class of drugs. Patients will often ask what a specific medication is for, and the medical assistant can provide that information.

Examples of medication classifications

Classification	Description
Analgesic	Relieves pain
Anesthetic	Produces local or general anesthesia
Antacid	Neutralizes stomach acid
Anti-Alzheimer	Treats dementia (Alzheimer disease)
Antianxiety	Reduces anxiety and tension
Antiarrhythmic	Treats heart arrhythmias
Antibiotic	Treats bacterial infections
Anticholinergic	Reduces smooth muscle spasms
Anticoagulant	Reduces blood clotting ability
Anticonvulsant	Reduces the frequency and severity of seizures
Antidepressant	Treats depression
Antiemetic	Reduces nausea and vomiting
Antifungal	Treats fungal infections
Antigout	Reduces the uric acid in the body
Antihistamine	Relieves allergies by blocking the histamine action
Antihyperglycemic	Reduces the blood glucose level
Antihypertensive	Lowers blood pressure
Anti-inflammatory	Reduces inflammation
Antimigraine	Treats or prevents migraine headaches
Antineoplastic	Slows or stops the growth of cancer cells
Antiplatelet	Prevents the function of platelets (formation of clots)
Antipsychotic	Alters the chemical actions in the brain
Antitussive	Suppresses coughs
Antiviral	Treats viral infections
Bronchodilator	Relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi
Cholesterol-lowering agent	Reduces low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides in the blood while increasing the high-density lipoprotein
Contraceptive	Inhibits conception (prevents pregnancy)
Corticosteroid	Reduces inflammation
Decongestant	Relieves nasal and sinus congestion
Diuretic	Increases urinary output and lowers blood pressure
Electrolyte	Maintains normal electrolyte level and proper functioning of the body systems
Erectile dysfunction agent	Facilitates an erection
Expectorant	Thins bronchial secretions, making it easier to cough up the mucus
Hematopoietic	Promotes blood cell production
Hemostatic	Clots blood
Hormone replacement	Replaces hormones or compensates for hormone deficiencies
Laxative	Promotes stools
Leukotriene receptor antagonist	Blocks the action of substances that cause asthma and allergic rhinitis
Muscle relaxant	Relaxes skeletal muscle; reduces muscle spasms and tension
Osteoporosis agent	Promotes bone mineral density; used to treat osteoporosis
Proton-pump inhibitor	Reduces the acid produced in the stomach
Sedative-hypnotic	Slows brain activity, allowing sleep
Stimulant	Stimulates the brain and body, makes the person more alert

Drug terminology

Regardless of how drug reference information is obtained, it is important for the medical assistant to understand the terminology. The following terminology is typically found in drug reference information:

• Names: Usually, the generic name is listed with the trade names. Some references may indicate if the trade name found is in the United States or Canada.
• Description: Describes the medication and its general use.
• Boxed warning: Also referred to as a black box warning. It addresses serious or life-threatening risks. This information also appears on the drug’s label.
• Dosage: Specifies the route, dose, and timing of the medication; usually corresponds to an indication (disease or condition). May provide information on doses for different age ranges. Maximum dosage indicates the greatest amount of medication a person should have within a 24-hour period.
• Indications: Conditions or diseases for which the drug is used.
• Dosage considerations: Indicates recommended changes in dosages for special populations (e.g., patients with hepatic impairment, renal impairment).
• How supplied: Lists the form (e.g., chewable tablets, capsules) and the strength (e.g., 250 mg).
• Administration: Provides information on how the medication should be administered. Includes important administration techniques, such as information on shaking the medication, if it needs to be taken with food, and so on.
• Action: How the drug provides therapeutic results in the body or the use of the drug.
• Adverse reactions: Also called side effects in some information. This section describes known undesirable experiences associated with the medication. Reactions may be divided into severe (life threatening, serious reactions), moderate, and mild.
• Interactions: Includes medications, foods, and beverages that interact with the medication. These products may either increase or reduce the medication level in the blood. They may also increase the risk of adverse reactions if taken together with the drug.
• Contraindications: Reasons or conditions that make administration of the drug improper or undesirable. For example, aspirin is contraindicated in patients with GI bleeding.
• Precautions: Indicates necessary actions or special care that needs to be taken when the patient is on the medication. May include information on laboratory tests, special populations (children and geriatric), pregnancy, breastfeeding, and so on. (More information is discussed in the following section.) In short, a contraindication means the drug should not be given at all in that situation, while a precaution means the drug may still be given but requires added monitoring or caution.
• Pharmacokinetics: Provides information on the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of the medication. Information on when the drug is at its highest level in the body or when it starts working may be included. The following terms are important for understanding the pharmacokinetics of a drug:
  • Biological half-life: The time it takes half of the drug to be metabolized or eliminated by normal biological processes
  • Onset: The time it takes for the drug to produce a response
  • Peak: The time it takes for the drug to reach its greatest effective concentration in the blood
  • Duration: The time during which the drug is present in the blood at great enough levels to produce a response

Exam tip: Onset, peak, and duration are easy to mix up because they all describe timing, but each answers a different question. Onset is when the drug starts working, peak is when it’s working hardest (the highest blood concentration), and duration is how long it keeps working. For example, a pain reliever with an onset of 30 minutes, a peak of 2 hours, and a duration of 6 hours starts relieving pain at 30 minutes, provides the strongest relief around the 2-hour mark, and wears off by 6 hours.

Pregnancy and lactation labeling rule

Since 1979 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has enforced the use of pregnancy risk categories. The A, B, C, D, and X categories indicate the risk to the baby in utero. In 2015 the Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Rule (PLLR) replaced the pregnancy risk letter categories with more comprehensive information. The goal is to supply the provider and patient with pregnancy and lactation information. This information can be used when discussing the risks versus the benefits of a medication. The FDA created the new system to help with patient-specific counseling and informed decision making for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers who need medication therapies. The system consists of three subcategories with detailed information about the following:

• Pregnancy: Includes information on the risks during pregnancy for the mother and baby, in addition to data on the risk of adverse developmental outcomes
• Lactation: Includes information on the presence of the drug in breast milk, the effects on a breastfed child, and the impact on milk production
• Females and males of reproductive potential: Includes information about when pregnancy testing or contraception is required during drug therapy and data that suggests drug-associated fertility effects