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Medicines A–Z

Plain-language guides to common medicines: what they're for, how to take them, side effects, and warnings. More are being added.

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B

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D

E

F

G

H

I

K

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M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Z

By type of medicine

5-alpha reductase inhibitor

ACE inhibitor (blood pressure medicine)

Acne and rosacea treatment

Acne medicine

Active vitamin D

Alcohol use disorder medicine

Alpha blocker

Alpha blocker (prostate medicine)

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (diabetes medicine)

Amyloid-lowering antibody (Alzheimer's medicine)

Angina medicine

Antacid and calcium supplement

Anti-anxiety medicine

Anti-bleeding medicine

Anti-dandruff and antifungal

Anti-diarrhea medicine

Anti-gas medicine

Anti-inflammatory (gout medicine)

Anti-inflammatory for bowel disease (5-ASA)

Anti-nausea medicine

Anti-nausea medicine (phenothiazine)

Antiarrhythmic (heart rhythm medicine)

Antibiotic

Antibiotic (TB medicine)

Antibiotic and antiparasitic

Antibiotic and steroid ear drops

Antibiotic and steroid eye drops

Antibiotic drops

Antibiotic eye drops

Antibiotic ointment

Anticholinergic

Anticonvulsant

Anticonvulsant (nerve pain and seizure medicine)

Anticonvulsant (seizure and migraine medicine)

Anticonvulsant (seizure and mood medicine)

Anticonvulsant (seizure and nerve pain medicine)

Anticonvulsant (seizure medicine)

Anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer

Antidepressant (nasal spray)

Antidepressant (NaSSA)

Antidepressant (NDRI)

Antidepressant (SARI)

Antidepressant (serotonin modulator)

Antidepressant (SSRI and partial agonist)

Antidiuretic hormone

Antifungal

Antihistamine (allergy and sleep aid)

Antihistamine (allergy medicine)

Antihistamine (itch and anxiety medicine)

Antihistamine (motion sickness and vertigo medicine)

Antihistamine (motion sickness medicine)

Antihistamine (nausea and allergy medicine)

Antihistamine eye drops

Antihistamine nasal spray

Antimalarial

Antimalarial and DMARD

Antiparasitic

Antiplatelet (blood thinner)

Antipsychotic

Antipsychotic (first generation)

Antispasmodic (anticholinergic)

Antispasmodic (gut medicine)

Antithyroid medicine

Antiviral

Antiviral (COVID-19 medicine)

Antiviral (flu medicine)

Appetite suppressant (weight loss medicine)

ARB (blood pressure medicine)

Aromatase inhibitor

Aromatase inhibitor (breast cancer medicine)

Barbiturate (seizure medicine)

Benzodiazepine

Benzodiazepine (anti-anxiety and seizure medicine)

Benzodiazepine (anti-anxiety medicine)

Benzodiazepine (seizure medicine)

Benzodiazepine (sleep medicine)

Beta blocker

Beta blocker (blood pressure medicine)

Biguanide (diabetes medicine)

Bile acid (gallstone and liver medicine)

Bile acid sequestrant

Biologic (anti-IgE)

Biologic (IL-12/23 blocker)

Biologic (IL-17 blocker)

Biologic (IL-23 blocker)

Biologic (IL-4/IL-13 blocker)

Biologic (IL-5 blocker)

Biologic (TNF blocker)

Birth control implant

Bisphosphonate (bone medicine)

Bladder antispasmodic (anticholinergic)

Bladder relaxant (beta-3 agonist)

Bladder stimulant

Blood pressure–raising medicine

Blood thinner (anticoagulant)

Blood thinner (injection or IV)

Blood thinner (injection)

Bone medicine (RANKL inhibitor)

Botulinum toxin

Bronchodilator (anticholinergic)

Burn cream (antibiotic)

Calcium channel blocker

Calcium channel blocker (blood pressure medicine)

Cannabinoid

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor

Central alpha agonist

Central alpha agonist (blood pressure medicine)

Cephalosporin antibiotic

Cephalosporin antibiotic (shot or IV)

CGRP antibody (migraine prevention)

Cholesterol absorption blocker

Cholesterol medicine (ACL inhibitor)

Cholesterol medicine (siRNA)

Cholinesterase inhibitor

Circulation medicine

Constipation medicine

Constipation medicine (serotonin agonist)

Controller inhaler (steroid plus long-acting bronchodilator)

COPD inhaler (two long-acting bronchodilators)

Corticosteroid (steroid)

Corticosteroid (strong steroid)

Cough medicine

Cough suppressant

Decongestant

Decongestant nasal spray

Dementia medicine (cholinesterase inhibitor)

Dementia medicine (NMDA blocker)

Deworming medicine

Dietary supplement

Digestive enzyme

Disease-modifying medicine (sickle cell and blood disorders)

Diuretic combination (water pill)

DMARD

DMARD (immune-calming medicine)

DMARD and bowel anti-inflammatory

Dopamine agonist

DPP-4 inhibitor (diabetes medicine)

Dry eye medicine

Earwax softener

Emergency allergy medicine

Emergency contraception

Emergency low blood sugar medicine

Ergot (migraine medicine)

Estrogen hormone

Expectorant (cough medicine)

Fast sugar for low blood sugar

Fat-absorption blocker (weight loss medicine)

Fertility medicine (ovulation inducer)

Fiber supplement

Fibrate (triglyceride medicine)

Fluoroquinolone antibiotic

Gepant (migraine medicine)

GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist

Glaucoma eye drop (alpha agonist)

Glaucoma eye drop (beta blocker)

Glaucoma eye drop (carbonic anhydrase inhibitor)

Glaucoma eye drop (prostaglandin)

GLP-1 receptor agonist

Gut antibiotic

H2 blocker (acid reducer)

Hair growth medicine and vasodilator

Heart failure medicine (ARNI)

Heart medicine (cardiac glycoside)

Heart rate medicine

Hemorrhoid treatments

Hepatitis B antiviral

Hepatitis C cure

Herbal supplement

HIV medicine (PrEP)

HIV treatment (one-pill regimen)

Hormonal birth control

Hormonal IUD (birth control)

Hormone therapy for breast cancer (SERM)

Immune response cream

Immunosuppressant

Inhaled steroid (asthma controller)

Intermediate-acting insulin

Iron supplement

JAK inhibitor

Keratolytic (wart and acne treatment)

Leukotriene blocker (asthma and allergy medicine)

Lice and scabies treatment

Long-acting inhaler (anticholinergic bronchodilator)

Long-acting insulin

Loop diuretic (water pill)

Lubricant eye drops

Macrolide antibiotic

Male hormone (androgen)

MAO-B inhibitor (Parkinson's medicine)

MAOI antidepressant

Mast cell stabilizer

Medicine for opioid use disorder

Meglitinide (diabetes medicine)

Melatonin receptor agonist (sleep medicine)

Mineral supplement

Mineralocorticoid (steroid)

Mood stabilizer

Motion sickness patch (anticholinergic)

Muscle relaxant

Nasal steroid spray

Nerve pain and seizure medicine

Neurosteroid (postpartum depression medicine)

Nitrate (angina medicine)

Non-hormonal birth control

Non-hormonal hot flash medicine

Non-stimulant ADHD medicine

NSAID (COX-2 inhibitor)

NSAID (pain reliever)

NSAID (strong pain reliever)

NSAID and antiplatelet

NSAID eye drops

Omega-3 (prescription fish oil)

Opioid (addiction treatment and pain)

Opioid blocker (addiction treatment)

Opioid overdose reversal

Opioid pain medicine

Opioid pain medicine (partial agonist)

Opioid-induced constipation medicine

Oral retinoid (acne medicine)

Orexin blocker (sleep medicine)

Osmotic laxative

Osmotic laxative and antacid

Oxazolidinone antibiotic

Pain reliever and fever reducer

Pancreatic enzymes

Parkinson's medicine

Parkinson's medicine (antiviral)

PCSK9 inhibitor (cholesterol medicine)

PDE4 inhibitor

PDE5 inhibitor

Penicillin antibiotic

Phosphate binder

Poisoning treatment

Potassium supplement

Potassium-sparing diuretic

Potassium-sparing diuretic (water pill)

Progesterone hormone

Progestin hormone

Progestin-only birth control

Prostaglandin

Proton pump inhibitor (acid reducer)

Quit-smoking aid

Quit-smoking medicine

Rapid-acting (mealtime) insulin

Rehydration solution

Rescue inhaler (short-acting bronchodilator)

Sedating antihistamine

SERM (bone and breast medicine)

SGLT2 inhibitor

Short-acting insulin

Skin lightener

Sleep medicine (sedative-hypnotic)

Sleep supplement

SNRI (fibromyalgia medicine)

SNRI antidepressant

SSRI antidepressant

Statin (cholesterol medicine)

Stimulant (ADHD medicine)

Stimulant laxative

Stomach-emptying and anti-nausea medicine

Stool softener

Sulfa antibiotic

Sulfonylurea (diabetes medicine)

TB medicine

Tension headache medicine (barbiturate combination)

Tetracycline antibiotic

Thiazide diuretic (water pill)

Thiazide-like diuretic (water pill)

Thiazolidinedione (diabetes medicine)

Thyroid hormone

Thyroid hormone (T3)

Topical calcineurin inhibitor (eczema medicine)

Topical chemotherapy

Topical numbing medicine

Topical pain reliever

Topical retinoid

Topical steroid (medium strength)

Topical steroid (mild)

Topical steroid (strong)

Topical steroid (very strong)

Tricyclic antidepressant

Triple therapy inhaler

Triptan (migraine medicine)

Ulcer-coating medicine

Upset stomach and diarrhea medicine

Uric acid–lowering medicine

Urinary alkalinizer

Urinary antibiotic

Urinary antiseptic

Urinary pain reliever

Vasodilator (blood pressure medicine)

Vitamin

Vitamin B3 (cholesterol medicine)

Vitamin B7 supplement

Vitamin D cream (psoriasis medicine)

VMAT2 inhibitor

Wakefulness medicine

Weight loss medicine