A drug ending in the suffix (Pril) is considered a?

Appeared in: SJH Nursing Officer - 2019

Explanation

The suffix '-pril' is a standard identifier for drugs belonging to the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitor class.
ACE inhibitors, such as lisinopril and enalapril, are a first-line treatment for hypertension and heart failure.
They work by blocking the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, leading to vasodilation (widening of blood vessels) and a reduction in blood pressure.
Recognizing this suffix is a critical memory aid for nurses to quickly identify a patient's medication class and its associated effects and side effects.

Option A: Antidepressants do not have a single common suffix. Tricyclic antidepressants often end in '-triptyline' or '-pramine', and SSRIs may end in '-oxetine' or '-pram'. None of these match '-pril'.
Option C: The common suffix for many systemic antifungal medications is '-azole' (e.g., fluconazole, ketoconazole).
Option D: The common suffix for short and long-acting beta-2 agonists, used primarily for respiratory conditions, is '-terol' (e.g., albuterol, salmeterol).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Pharmacology: Drug Suffixes and Classification helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
A primary nursing responsibility is to monitor blood pressure before and after administering an ACE inhibitor. Hold the dose and notify the provider if the patient is hypotensive.
Nurses must educate patients about common side effects, particularly the persistent, dry cough. Patients should also be taught to immediately report signs of angioedema (swelling of the face, lips, tongue), which is a rare but life-threatening emergency.
ACE inhibitors can cause hyperkalemia (high potassium). The nurse should monitor lab values and teach patients to avoid potassium supplements and salt substitutes containing potassium unless approved by the provider.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key piece of information in the question, which is the drug suffix '-pril'.
This type of question tests your recall of pharmacological classifications. Access your memory for common drug endings.
Systematically associate '-pril' with its corresponding drug class. Recall that '-pril' stands for ACE inhibitors.
Scan the options to find 'ACE inhibitor'.
To confirm your answer, mentally review the suffixes for the other options: Antifungals often end in '-azole', and Beta agonists in '-terol'. Antidepressants have several different suffixes, but none are '-pril'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QLGhHMDwzeDeE33dF1izSk

E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 2 p. 37-39

E6 Pharmacology KD Tripathi Essentials 9e Part 2 p. 178-180

Practise the full SJH Nursing Officer - 2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.