Memorize every drug for the NCLEX and you'll drown. Learn a handful of memory tricks tied to how drugs actually work and you can reason through questions you've never seen. Here are three that pull their weight.
1. SLUDGE: Cholinergic Drug Effects
When a cholinergic drug (or cholinesterase inhibitor) amps up your parasympathetic nervous system, think SLUDGE:
- S: Salivation
- L: Lacrimation (tearing)
- U: Urination
- D: Diaphoresis (sweating)
- G: GI cramping
- E: Emesis (vomiting)
2. Drug Suffix Stems: Decode Any Drug Name
You don't need to memorize 300 individual drugs. Learn the suffixes and you can identify the class on sight:
- -olol → Beta blockers (metoprolol, atenolol)
- -pril → ACE inhibitors (lisinopril, enalapril)
- -sartan → ARBs (losartan, valsartan)
- -statin → Cholesterol-lowering (atorvastatin)
- -dipine → Calcium channel blockers (amlodipine)
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3. Anticoagulant Monitoring, "aPTT for the P, PT/INR for the Pill"
Heparin is parenteral (IV/subQ) → monitor aPTT. Warfarin is the pill (oral) → monitor PT/INR. Match the P's and you'll never mix them up.
| Dimension | Heparin | Warfarin |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Parenteral (IV/subQ) | The pill (oral) |
| Monitoring | aPTT | PT/INR |
| Antidote | Protamine | Vitamin K |
Make Them Stick
A mnemonic only works if you pair it with understanding. Learn the shortcut, then immediately ask why it's true: that link is what holds up under exam pressure. Drill all three in NCLEX-style questions until they fire before you finish reading the stem.
Frequently Asked Questions
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