Top 200 Drugs Every Pharmacist Should Remember [2024 Updated]

The job of pharmacists has evolved over the last several decades as our population’s healthcare demands have changed. Pharmacists’ function in healthcare has traditionally been limited to distributing pharmaceuticals. They must also ensure that drugs are delivered to patients accurately.

Pharmacists are now essential members of our healthcare team. They are also thought to be the most approachable healthcare providers. They may also accomplish their pharmacists’ patient care procedures because of their approachability (PPCP). Collect, access, plan, implement, and follow up are all steps in this process. It’s done to keep track of and analyze the effectiveness and appropriateness of drugs, as well as to get input from patients. Pharmacists also provide advice to other health professionals on pharmaceutical therapy decisions. Also, teach students about drug composition, physicochemical qualities, and biological effects.

It might be difficult to remember the names of the top 200 drugs and generic medications. Many medications have many active ingredients, and one treatment may be available in a variety of brand names. As a result, learning is a long and difficult process.

However, the PTCB exam’s MCQ format works in your favor. 

Top 200 Drugs chart

Many drugs have names that are comparable to the sickness or condition they are approved to treat. It becomes much easier to “match” them on the day of the exam once you start seeing the similarities.

Consider the following situation:

• Clozaril is an antipsychotic medication with the active component clozapine.
• Glucophage is an anti-diabetic medication that contains the active component metformin. Glucophage is derived from the words “glucose” and “phage,” which is Greek for “eating.”
• Diflucan is an antifungal medication with the active component fluconazole.
• Haldol is an antipsychotic medication with the main component haloperidol.
• Ventolin is a beta-2 agonist used to treat asthma. Its primary constituent is albuterol. Consider the term “hyperventilation,” which refers to fast breathing.

However, many drugs do not appear to have such obvious links. The medications must be memorized with a clear relationship between the medicine and its name. Once you’ve memorized these, you’ll be able to pick them out of a list of four MCQ possibilities on test day.

You may now spend more time on the more challenging tasks. Flashcards can help with this. PTCB Test Prep has created hundreds of flashcards to assist you in memorizing these medications, including the top 200 drugs, indications, side effects, and mechanisms of action. If prepared correctly, flashcards are the most effective way to learn the top 200 brands and generic drugs.

Let’s look at the top 200 brand and generic pharmaceuticals, each of which includes a list of all active chemicals as well as the drug class to which each ingredient belongs.

Medicine	Active Ingredient(s)	Drug Class
Lexapro	Escitalopram	SSRI
Vicodin	Acetaminophen Hydrocodone	Analgesic/antipyretic Opioid
Prinivil Qbrelis	Lisinopril	ACE inhibitor
Zocor	Simvastatin	Statin
Synthroid	Levothyroxine	Thyroid hormone
Amoxil Trimox	Amoxicillin	Antibacterial drug
Zithromax	Azithromycin	Macrolide antibacterial
Microzide Aquazide	Hydrochlorothiazide	Thiazide diuretic
Norvasc	Amlodipine	Calcium channel blocker
Xanax	Alprazolam	Benzodiazepine
Glucophage	Metformin	Oral antidiabetic drug
Lipitor	Atorvastatin	Statin
Prilosec	Omeprazole	Proton-pump inhibitor
Cipro Proquin	Ciprofloxacin	Fluoroquinolone
Zofran	Ondansetron	Antiemetic drug
Clozaril	Clozapine	Antipsychotic drug
Lasix	Furosemide	Loop diuretic
Levitra	Vardenafil	PDE5 inhibitor
Sumycin Ala-Tet Brodspec	Tetracycline	Antibacterial drug
Heparin Sodium	Heparin	Anticoagulant drug
Valcyte	Valganciclovir	Antiviral drug
Lamictal	Lamotrigine	Anticonvulsant drug
Diflucan	Fluconazole	Antifungal drug
Tenormin	Atenolol	Beta-blocker
Singulair	Montelukast	Leukotriene inhibitor
Flonase Nasal Spray	Fluticasone propionate	Corticosteroid
Zyloprim	Allopurinol	Anti-gout drug
Fosamax	Alendronate	Bisphosphonate
Pepcid	Famotidine	H2 antagonist
Omnicef	Cefdinir	Cephalosporin
Yaz	Ethinyl estradiol Drospirenone	Birth control medicine
Apresoline	Hydralazine	Antihypertensive drug
Cogentin	Benztropine	Antiparkinsonian drug
Tussionex PennKinetic	Chlorpheniramine Hydrocodone	Antihistamine Narcotic
Paxil	Paroxetine	SSRI
Ativan	Lorazepam	Benzodiazepine
Pyridium	Phenazopyridine	Analgesic
Plaquenil	Hydroxychloroquine	Anti-malarial drug
Lidoderm	Lidocaine	Local anesthetic
Cataflam	Diclofenac	NSAID
Rayos Deltasone	Prednisone	Corticosteroid
Zetia	Ezetimibe	Antihyperlipidemic
Evista	Raloxifene	Estrogen modulator
Dilantin	Phenytoin	Anticonvulsant drug
Lovaza	Omega-3 fatty acids	Anti-triglyceride drug
Zanaflex	Tizanidine	Muscle relaxant
Hytrin	Terazosin	Alpha-1 blocker
Dyrenium	Triamterene	Potassium-sparing diuretic
Altace	Ramipril	ACE inhibitor
Pravachol	Pravastatin	Statin
Risperdal	Risperidone	Antipsychotic drug
Lunesta	Eszopiclone	Z-drug / hypnotic
Celebrex	Celecoxib	COX-inhibitor / NSAID
Premarin	Conjugated estrogens	Estrogen replacement
Avelox	Moxifloxacin	Fluoroquinolone
Aricept	Donepezil	Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
Macrobid Macrodantin	Nitrofurantoin	Antibacterial drug
Duragesic Skin Patch	Fentanyl	Opioid narcotic
Imdur	Isosorbide mononitrate	Nitrate
Prozac Sarafem	Fluoxetine	SSRI
Aristocort	Triamcinolone	Corticosteroid
Suboxone	Buprenorphine Naloxone	Narcotic Opioid blocker
Vyvanse	Lisdexamfetamine	CNS Stimulant
Pamelor	Nortriptyline	Tricyclic antidepressant
HumaLOG	Insulin lispro	Rapid-acting insulin
Depacon Depakote	Valproate sodium	Anticonvulsant drug
BetaSept ChloraPrep	Chlorhexidine	Disinfectant/antiseptic
Bentyl	Dicyclomine	Anti-spasmodic drug
Imitrex	Sumatriptan	Anti-migraine drug
Protonix	Pantoprazole	Proton-pump inhibitor
Lopressor	Metoprolol	Beta-blocker
Robitussen	Dextromethorphan Guaifenesin	Antitussive Expectorant
Valium	Diazepam	Benzodiazepine
Viagra	Sildenafil	PDE5 inhibitor
Bactroban	Mupirocin	Antibacterial drug
Januvia	Sitagliptin	Antidiabetic drug
Reglan	Metoclopramide	Dopamine antagonist
Relafen	Nabumetone	NSAID
Keflex	Cephalexin	Cephalosporin
Effexor	Venlafaxine	SNRI
Boniva	Ibandronate	Bisphosphonate
Zantac	Ranitidine	H2 antagonist
Ex-Lax Senna Lax	Senna	Laxative
NovoLog	Insulin aspart	Rapid-acting insulin
Bayer Ecotrin Bufferin	Aspirin	Antipyretic Analgesic
Lioresal	Baclofen	Muscle relaxant
Flagyl	Metronidazole	Antibacterial drug Antiprotozoal drug
Keppra	Levetiracetam	Anticonvulsant drug
Colcrys Mitigare	Colchicine	Anti-gout drug
Zyprexa	Olanzapine	Antipsychotic drug
Avodart	Dutasteride	5-alpha reductase inhibitor
TriCor Antara	Fenofibrate	Fibrate
Cardura	Doxazosin	Alpha-1 blocker
Aleve	Naproxen	NSAID
Aldactone	Spironolactone	Potassium-sparing diuretic
Namenda	Memantine	NMDA antagonist
Methadose	Methadone	Opioid analgesic
Vasotec Epaned	Enalapril	ACE inhibitor
Tamiflu	Oseltamivir	Antiviral drug
Requip	Ropinirole	Antiparkinsonian drug
PC Pen VK Pen V	Penicillin	Beta-lactam antibacterial
Strattera	Atomoxetine	Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor
Ambien	Zolpidem	Z-drug / hypnotic
Advair	Salmeterol Fluticasone	Bronchodilators
Levaquin	Levofloxacin	Fluoroquinolone
Tofranil	Imipramine	Tricyclic antidepressant
Reclast Zometa	Zoledronic acid	Bisphosphonate
Glucotrol	Glipizide	Antidiabetic drug
Constulose	Lactulose	Laxative
AcipHex	Rabeprazole	Proton-pump inhibitor
Otrexup	Methotrexate	DMARD
Cleocin	Clindamycin	Antibacterial drug
Tylenol	Acetaminophen	Analgesic / antipyretic
Feosol	Ferrous sulfate	Iron supplement
Relpax	Eletriptan	Antimigraine drug
Carbacot Robaxi	Methocarbamol	Muscle relaxant
DiaBeta	Glyburide	Antidiabetic drug
Celexa	Citalopram	SSRI
Benicar	Hydrochlorothiazide Olmesartan	Thiazide diuretic Angiotensin II blocker
Coreg	Carvedilol	Beta-blocker
Spiriva	Tiotropium	Anticholinergic
Xolair	Omalizumab	Monoclonal antibody
NitroStat Sublingual	Nitroglycerin	Nitrate
Eliquis	Apixaban	Anticoagulant
Neurontin	Gabapentin	Anticonvulsant drug
Enbrel	Etanercept	DMARD
Herceptin	Trastuzumab	Monoclonal antibody
Atripla	Emtricitabine Tenofovir Efavirenz	Antiretroviral drugs
Xarelto	Rivaroxaban	Anticoagulant drug
Stalevo 50	Levodopa Carbidopa Entacapone	Antiparkinsonian medicine
Fioricet	Acetaminophen Butalbital Caffeine	Analgesic / antipyretic Barbiturate
Levemir	Insulin detemir	Long-acting insulin
Lovenox	Enoxaparin	Low-molecule weight heparin (LMWH)
Ritalin Concerta	Methylphenidate	CNS Stimulant
Crestor	Rosuvastatin	Statin
Xgeva Prolia	Denosumab	Monoclonal antibody
Pradaxa	Dabigatran	Anticoagulant drug
Sensipar	Cinacalcet	Calcimimetic
Vesicare	Solifenacin	Antimuscarinic drug
Haldol	Haloperidol	Antipsychotic drug
Ala-Cort	Hydrocortisone	Corticosteroid
HumuLIN	Insulin isophane	Intermediate-acting insulin
Isentress	Raltegravir	Integrase inhibitor
Stelara	Ustekinumab	Monoclonal antibody
Mobic	Meloxicam	NSAID
Remicade	Infliximab	Monoclonal antibody
Night Time	Acetaminophen Diphenhydramine	Analgesic / antipyretic Antihistamine
Renvela	Sevelamer	Phosphate binder
Fragmin	Dalteparin	Low-molecular weight Heparin (LMWH)
Zoloft	Sertraline	SSRI
Klonopin	Clonazepam	Benzodiazepine
Avalide	Hydrochlorothiazide Irbesartan	Thiazide diuretic Angiotensin II blocker
Ceftin	Cefuroxime	Cephalosporin
Nizoral Topical	Ketoconazole	Antifungal drug
Lyrica	Pregabalin	Anticonvulsant drug
Nexium	Esomeprazole	Proton-pump inhibitor
Combivent Respimat	Albuterol Ipratropium	Beta-2 agonist Anticholinergic drug
Niaspan	Niacin	Form of vitamin B3
Uroxatral	Alfuzosin	Alpha-1 blocker
Biaxin	Clarithromycin	Macrolide antibacterial
Zomig	Zolmitriptan	Anti-migraine drug
Invokana	Canagliflozin	SGLT-2 inhibitor Antidiabetic drug
Saxenda Victoza	Liraglutide	GLP-1 agonist Antidiabetic drug
Alimta	Pemetrexed	Anticancer drug
Lotrisone	Clotrimazole Betamethasone	Antifungal drug Corticosteroid
Avastin	Bevacizumab	Anticancer drug
Sovaldi	Sofosbuvir	Hepatitis C drug
Gilenya	Fingolimod	Immunomodulator
Epogen	Epoetin alfa	Human erythropoietin
Seroquel	Quetiapine	Antipsychotic drug
Amaryl	Glimepiride	Antidiabetic medicine
Percocet	Acetaminophen Oxycodone	Analgesic / antipyretic Opioid
SandIMMUNE Neoral	Cyclosporin	Immunosuppressant
Lantus	Insulin glargine	Long-acting insulin
Cialis	Tadalafil	PDE5 inhibitor
Elavil Vanatrip	Amitriptyline	Tricyclic antidepressant
Lopid	Gemfibrozil	Fibrate
Flo-Pred	Prednisolone	Corticosteroid
Advil	Ibuprofen	NSAID
Aceon	Perindopril	ACE inhibitor
Desyrel	Trazodone	Antidepressant
Actos	Pioglitazone	Thiazolidinedione
Proscar	Finasteride	5-alpha reductase inhibitor
Inbrija Dopar Larodopa	Levodopa	Antiparkinsonian drug
Actonel	Risedronate	Bisphosphonate
ProAir Ventolin Proventil	Albuterol	Beta-2 agonist
Ultram	Tramadol	Opiate narcotic
Sonata	Zaleplon	Z-drug / hypnotic
Zebeta	Bisoprolol	Beta-blocker
Zovirax	Acyclovir	Antiviral drug
Coumadin	Warfarin	Anticoagulant drug
Luvox	Fluvoxamine	SSRI
Plavix	Clopidogrel	Antiplatelet drug
Vibramycin Adoxa	Doxycycline	Tetracycline antibiotic
Hyzaar	Hydrochlorothiazide Losartan	Thiazide diuretic Angiotensin II blocker
Kytril Sancuso	Granisetron	Antiemetic drug
Restoril	Temazepam	Benzodiazepine
Prevacid	Lansoprazole	Proton-pump inhibitor
Augmentin	Amoxicillin Clavulanic acid	Penicillin antibiotic Beta-lactamase inhibitor
Mevacor Altoprev	Lovastatin	Statin

The list of the top 200 most commonly prescribed drugs was compiled using data from the Clinical website. The generic name, drug class (if applicable), pharmacological activity, the principal route of administration, adverse drug reactions, and any applicable black box warnings are all used to represent particular medications. Many blockbuster drugs over the last 10 to 15 years, such as atorvastatin and simvastatin, are included in the lists. The cardiovascular, central nervous system, endocrine, and musculoskeletal medications were the most commonly administered. They were responsible for about 140 (70%) of the top 200 most prescribed drugs.

How to Memorize the Top 200 Drugs?

There are numerous other examples of connections between medicine and drug names. If you’re having trouble remembering the top 200 drugs, you should start by breaking them down into manageable, study-able chunks.

• Take note of how over the course of these twenty drugs:
• The indication (what the drug is used to treat) frequently plays a role in the medicine name, frequently in combination with a portion of the drug name.
• How the medicine name corresponds to the active ingredient name.
• The mechanism of action, or how the drug tends to work, is sometimes included as well.
• How some Latin-derived medicine names are derived.

These relationships are critical.

The more connections you can find, the easier it is to remember. Instead of memorizing a drug pair for the sake of memorizing it, you’re breaking these words down to learn about the relationships – and from there, you can add more details – including side effects – later on. But don’t overextend yourself.

Do as we have done here and start with the first twenty and memorize them. Then make a list of the next twenty and follow the same procedure. Don’t forget to go over these drugs and medicines again before moving on to the rest of the 200.

Before your go…

PTCB practice questions are preferred by some students, while flashcards are preferred by others. Follow your instincts. It takes time, to be sure, but what matters is that you involve this type of defined structure in your research. No student will remember every detail about every medicine and drug. However, by taking this route, you will cover all of the expected types of PTCB questions that are frequently asked on the exam.

We hope you found this guide on the top 200 drugs useful! If you want to learn the top 200 with detailed information covering indications, mechanisms of action, side effects, and the most important interactions, let’s enroll in our PTCB pro pack to gain immediate access to these premium features.

Pharmacists play an important role in our healthcare team. They are also regarded to be the most accessible healthcare professionals. Pharmacists may find the top 200 drugs list useful as a source of inspiration. Researchers and other healthcare professionals interested in creating new strategies for treating people with various diseases are also welcome.

Knowing the drug helps you to improve your professional skills and help you solve work requirements quickly. Day by day, you will improve your own level which can help increase the salary you receive, especially today when the pharmaceutical industry is on the rise, this is also a way for you to increase your income. Let’s refer to the Average pharmacist salary to see if you are being paid reasonably.

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