The pharmacology Mnemonics i selected from the website are
the source is
www.medicalmnemonics.com/cgi-bin/browse.cfmMetabolism enzyme inducers
"Randy's Black Car Goes Putt Putt and Smokes":
Rifampin
Barbiturates
Carbamazepine
Grisoefulvin
Phenytoin
Phenobarb
Smoking cigarettes
Phenobarbitone: side effects
Children are annoying (hyperkinesia, irritability, insomnia, aggression).
Adults are dosy (sedation, dizziness, drowsiness).
Cholinergics (eg organophosphates): effects
If you know these, you will be "LESS DUMB":
Lacrimation
Excitation of nicotinic synapses
Salivation
Sweating
Diarrhea
Urination
Micturition
Bronchoconstriction
Depression: 5 drugs causing it
PROMS:
Propranolol
Reserpine
Oral contraceptives
Methyldopa
Steroids
Hepatic necrosis: drugs causing focal to massive necrosis
"Very Angry Hepatocytes":
Valproic acid
Acetaminophen
Halothane
Zero order kinetics drugs (most common ones)
"PEAZ (sounds like pees) out a constant amount":
Phenytoin
Ethanol
Aspirin
Zero order
Benzodiazepines: actions
"Ben SCAMs Pam into seduction not by brain but by muscle":
Sedation
anti-Convulsant
anti-Anxiety
Muscle relaxant
Not by brain: No antipsychotic activity.
Nitrofurantoin: major side effects
NitroFurAntoin:
Neuropathy (peripheral neuropathy)
Fibrosis (pulmonary fibrosis)
Anemia (hemolytic anemia)
Steroids: side effects
BECLOMETHASONE:
Buffalo hump
Easy bruising
Cataracts
Larger appetite
Obesity
Moonface
Euphoria
Thin arms & legs
Hypertension/ Hyperglycaemia
Avascular necrosis of femoral head
Skin thinning
Osteoporosis
Negative nitrogen balance
Emotional liability
Methyldopa: side effects
METHYLDOPA:
Mental retardation
Electrolyte imbalance
Tolerance
Headache/ Hepatotoxicity
psYcological upset
Lactation in female
Dry mouth
Oedema
Parkinsonism
Anaemia (haemolytic)
Sodium valproate: side effects
VALPROATE:
Vomiting
Alopecia
Liver toxicity
Pancreatitis/ Pancytopenia
Retention of fats (weight gain)
Oedema (peripheral oedema)
Appetite increase
Tremor
Enzyme inducer (liver)
Captopril (an ACE inhibitor): side effects
CAPTOPRIL:
Cough
Angioedema/ Agranulocystosis
Proteinuria/ Potassium excess
Taste changes
Orthostatic hypotension
Pregnancy contraindication/ Pancreatitis/ Pressure drop (first dose hypertension)
Renal failure (and renal artery stenosis contraindication)/ Rash
Indomethacin inhibition
Leukopenia/ Liver toxicity
Beta-blockers: main contraindications, cautions
ABCDE:
Asthma
Block (heart block)
COPD
Diabetes mellitus
Electrolyte (hyperkalemia)
Lithium: side effects
LITH:
Leukocytosis
Insipidus [diabetes insipidus, tied to polyuria]
Tremor/ Teratogenesis
Hypothyroidism
SSRIs: side effects
SSRI:
Serotonin syndrome
Stimulate CNS
Reproductive disfunctions in male
Insomnia
Delerium-causing drugs
ACUTE CHANGE IN MS:
Antibiotics (biaxin, penicillin, ciprofloxacin)
Cardiac drugs (digoxin, lidocaine)
Urinary incontinence drugs (anticholinergics)
Theophylline
Ethanol
Corticosteroids
H2 blockers
Antiparkinsonian drugs
Narcotics (esp. mepridine)
Geriatric psychiatric drugs
ENT drugs
Insomnia drugs
NSAIDs (eg indomethacin, naproxin)
Muscle relaxants
Seizure medicines
Opioids: effects
BAD AMERICANS:
Bradycardia & hypotension
Anorexia
Diminished pupilary size
Analgesics
Miosis
Euphoria
Respiratory depression
Increased smooth muscle activity (biliary tract constriction)
Constipation
Ameliorate cough reflex
Nausea and vomiting
Sedations
Sulfonamide: major side effects
• Sulfonamide side effects:
Steven-Johnson syndrome
Skin rash
Solubility low (causes crystalluria)
Serum albumin displaced (causes newborn kernicterus and potentiation of other serum albumin-binders like warfarin)
Ca++ channel blockers: uses
Alternatively: "CHAASM":
Cererbral vasospasm / CHF
Hypertension
Atrial flutter, fibrillation
Angina
Suprventricular tachyarrhythmia
Migranes
Amiodarone: action, side effects
6 P's:
Prolongs action potential duration
Photosensitivity
Pigmentation of skin
Peripheral neuropathy
Pulmonary alveolitis and fibrosis
Peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 is inhibited -> hypothyroidism
Morphine: side-effects
MORPHINES:
Miosis
Orthostatic hypotension
Respiratory depression
Pain supression
Histamine release/ Hormonal alterations
Increased ICT
Nausea
Euphoria
Sedation
Etoposide: action, indications, side effect
"eTOPoside":
• Action:
Inhibits TOPoisomerase II
• Indications:
Testicular carcinoma
Oat cell carcinoma of lung
Prostate carcinoma
• Side effect:
Affects TOP of your head, causing alopecia
Antibiotics contraindicated during pregnancy
MCAT:
Metronidazole
Chloramphenicol
Aminoglycoside
Tetracycline
Lithium: side effects
LITHIUM:
Leukocytes Increased (leukocytosis)
Tremors
Hypothyroidism
Increased Urine
Moms beware (teratogenic)
Hypertension: treatment
ABCD:
ACE inhibitors/ AngII antagonists (sometimes Alpha agonists also)
Beta blockers
Calcium antagonists
Diuretics (sometimes vasoDilators also)
Aspirin: side effects
ASPIRIN:
Asthma
Salicyalism
Peptic ulcer disease/ Phosphorylation-oxidation uncoupling/ PPH/ Platelet disaggregation/ Premature closure of PDA
Intestinal blood loss
Reye's syndrome
Idiosyncracy
Noise (tinnitus)
Physostigmine vs. neostigmine
LMNOP:
Lipid soluble
Miotic
Natural
Orally absorbed well
Physostigmine
• Neostigmine, on the contrary, is:
Water soluble
Used in myesthenia gravis
Synthetic
Poor oral absorption
Benzodiazapines: ones not metabolized by the liver (safe to use in liver failure)
LOT:
Lorazepam
Oxazepam
Temazepam
TB: antibiotics used
STRIPE:
STreptomycin
Rifampicin
Isoniazid
Pyrizinamide
Ethambutol
Nicotinic effects
MTWTF (days of week):
Mydriasis/ Muscle cramps
Tachycardia
Weakness
Twitching
Hypertension/ Hyperglycemia
Fasiculation
Phenytoin: adverse effects
PHENYTOIN:
P-450 interactions
Hirsutism
Enlarged gums
Nystagmus
Yellow-browning of skin
Teratogenicity
Osteomalacia
Interference with B12 metabolism (hence anemia)
Neuropathies: vertigo, ataxia, headache
Gynaecomastia-causing drugs
DISCOS:
Digoxin
Isoniazid
Spironolactone
Cimetidine
Oestrogens
Stilboestrol
Thrombolytic agents
USA:
Urokinase
Streptokinase
Alteplase (tPA)
Anticholinergic side effects
"Know the ABCD'S of anticholinergic side effects":
Anorexia
Blurry vision
Constipation/ Confusion
Dry Mouth
Sedation/ Stasis of urine
Teratogenic drugs
"W/ TERATOgenic":
Warfarin
Thalidomide
Epileptic drugs: phenytoin, valproate, carbamazepine
Retinoid
ACE inhibitor
Third element: lithium
OCP and other hormones (eg danazol)
Respiratory depression inducing drugs
"STOP breathing":
Sedatives and hypnotics
Trimethoprim
Opiates
Polymyxins
Migraine: prophylaxis drugs
"Very Volatile Pharmacotherapeutic Agents For Migraine Prophylaxis":
Verpamil
Valproic acid
Pizotifen
Amitriptyline
Flunarizine
Methysergide
Propranolol
• Bare bones version [eg Lippincott's two], just Migraine Prophylaxis, as above.
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins): side effects, contraindications, interactions
HMG-CoA:
• Side effects:
Hepatotoxicity
Myositis [aka rhabdomyolysis]
• Contraindications:
Girl during pregnancy/ Growing children
• Interactions:
Coumarin/ Cyclosporine
Antirheumatic agents (disease modifying): members
CHAMP:
Cyclophosphamide
Hydroxycloroquine and choloroquinine
Auranofin and other gold compounds
Methotrexate
Penicillamine
MAOIs: indications
MAOI'S:
Melancholic [classic name for atypical depression]
Anxiety
Obesity disorders [anorexia, bulemia]
Imagined illnesses [hypochondria]
Social phobias
• Listed in decreasing order of importance.
• Note MAOI is inside MelAnchOlIc.
SIADH-inducing drugs
ABCD:
Analgesics: opioids, NSAIDs
Barbiturates
Cyclophosphamide/ Chlorpromazine/ Carbamazepine
Diuretic (thiazide)
K+ increasing agents
K-BANK:
K-sparing diuretic
Beta blocker
ACEI
NSAID
K supplement
Ribavirin: indications
RIBAvirin:
RSV
Influenza B
Arenaviruses (Lassa, Bolivian, etc.)
Torsades de Pointes: drugs causing
APACHE:
Amiodarone
Procainamide
Arsenium
Cisapride
Haloperidol
Eritromycin
Serotonin syndrome: components
Causes HARM:
Hyperthermia
Autonomic instability (delirium)
Rigidity
Myoclonus
Microtubules: drugs that act on microtubules.
"The MicroTubule Growth Voiding Chemicals":
Thiabendazole
Mebendazole
Taxol
Griseofulvin
Vincristine/ Vinblastine
Colchicine
RTI: drugs to treat viral respiratory infections
"You'd get a respiratory infection if you shoot an ARO (arrow) laced with viruses into the lungs":
ARO:
Amantadine
Rimantadine
Oseltamivir