Drug Suffixes Are the Single Fastest Way to Learn NCLEX Pharmacology

How to Use This Cheat Sheet: Memorize the suffix. The suffix tells you the drug class. The drug class tells you the mechanism. The mechanism tells you the nursing considerations. That chain answers 80% of NCLEX pharmacology questions.

You do not need to memorize 300 individual drug names for the NCLEX. You need to memorize about 25 suffixes. Every drug name follows a pattern: the suffix tells you the drug class, the drug class tells you the mechanism, and the mechanism tells you the nursing considerations.

This cheat sheet covers every high-yield suffix tested on the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN, organized by body system.

Cardiovascular Drug Suffixes

-olol (Beta-Blockers)
Drugs: metoprolol, atenolol, propranolol, carvedilol
Action: Block beta-adrenergic receptors, reduce heart rate and blood pressure
Nursing: Hold if HR < 60 or BP < 90/60. Monitor for bradycardia, hypotension, bronchospasm
Memory trick: "-olol = Oh LOw heart rate"

-pril (ACE Inhibitors)
Drugs: lisinopril, enalapril, captopril, ramipril
Action: Inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme, reduce blood pressure
Nursing: Monitor potassium (hyperkalemia risk), watch for dry cough, NEVER give with ARBs simultaneously
Memory trick: "-pril = prevents pressure rise in lungs"

-sartan (ARBs)
Drugs: losartan, valsartan, irbesartan, candesartan
Action: Block angiotensin II receptors
Nursing: Similar to ACE inhibitors but WITHOUT the dry cough. Monitor potassium. Contraindicated in pregnancy.
Memory trick: "-sartan = similar to ACE, minus the cough"

-dipine (Calcium Channel Blockers)
Drugs: amlodipine, nifedipine, nicardipine
Action: Block calcium channels in vascular smooth muscle
Nursing: Monitor for peripheral edema, avoid grapefruit juice, watch for reflex tachycardia
Memory trick: "-dipine = dips blood pressure"

-statin (HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors)
Drugs: atorvastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, pravastatin
Action: Lower LDL cholesterol by blocking liver cholesterol production
Nursing: Take at bedtime (cholesterol synthesis peaks at night), monitor liver enzymes, report muscle pain (rhabdomyolysis)
Memory trick: "-statin = stays on top of cholesterol"

CNS and Psychiatric Drug Suffixes

-pam / -lam (Benzodiazepines)
Drugs: diazepam, lorazepam, alprazolam, midazolam
Action: Enhance GABA activity, produce sedation and anxiolysis
Nursing: Monitor for respiratory depression, have flumazenil available as antidote, fall precautions, do NOT stop abruptly
Memory trick: "-pam = pamper anxiety away"

-pine / -done (Atypical Antipsychotics)
Drugs: olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, ziprasidone
Action: Block dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors
Nursing: Monitor for metabolic syndrome (weight gain, diabetes, hyperlipidemia), check fasting glucose
Memory trick: "-pine = pins down psychosis"

-triptan (Serotonin Agonists)
Drugs: sumatriptan, rizatriptan, eletriptan
Action: Selective serotonin receptor agonists for migraine
Nursing: Do not use with MAOIs or SSRIs (serotonin syndrome risk), take at migraine onset
Memory trick: "-triptan = trips up migraines"

Antibiotic Drug Suffixes

-cillin (Penicillins)
Drugs: amoxicillin, ampicillin, penicillin
Action: Inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis
Nursing: Ask about penicillin allergy FIRST, watch for anaphylaxis, take on empty stomach

-mycin / -micin (Aminoglycosides)
Drugs: gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin
Action: Inhibit bacterial protein synthesis
Nursing: Monitor peak and trough levels, watch for ototoxicity (hearing loss) and nephrotoxicity (kidney damage)
Memory trick: "-mycin = might cause ear and kidney damage"

-floxacin (Fluoroquinolones)
Drugs: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin
Action: Inhibit DNA gyrase in bacteria
Nursing: BLACK BOX WARNING for tendon rupture, avoid in children, take with water (not dairy), photosensitivity
Memory trick: "-floxacin = flexes tendons dangerously"

Keep Reading

• How to Break Down Meds Faster and Safer

• Your 8-Week NCLEX-RN Study Plan

• What the Exam Is Really Testing

Want to drill these suffixes until they are automatic? NCLEX RN Mastery has pharmacology-focused question sets organized by drug class — with rationales that reinforce suffix patterns and nursing considerations. Ten free questions daily.

Endocrine Drug Suffixes

-gliptin (DPP-4 Inhibitors)
Drugs: sitagliptin, saxagliptin, linagliptin
Action: Inhibit DPP-4 enzyme, increase incretin levels for glucose control
Nursing: Monitor blood glucose, lower hypoglycemia risk than sulfonylureas

-glutide (GLP-1 Receptor Agonists)
Drugs: semaglutide, liraglutide, dulaglutide
Action: Mimic GLP-1 hormone, stimulate insulin secretion
Nursing: Inject subcutaneously, monitor for pancreatitis, causes weight loss

-gliflozin (SGLT2 Inhibitors)
Drugs: empagliflozin, dapagliflozin, canagliflozin
Action: Block glucose reabsorption in kidneys
Nursing: Monitor for UTIs and genital yeast infections, watch for diabetic ketoacidosis