Pharmacology
Drug class patterns, endings to know, high-alert meds, and the calculations the NCLEX rotates.
74 posts
Antidotes Cheat Sheet for the NCLEX
Every drug-antidote pairing the NCLEX tests: NAC, naloxone, flumazenil, vitamin K, protamine, DigiFab, deferoxamine, calcium gluconate, gluc
Read post →PharmVasopressors on the NCLEX
Norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, vasopressin, phenylephrine: receptors, first-line uses, titration, extravasation.
Read post →PharmEpinephrine on the NCLEX
Epinephrine for anaphylaxis (IM thigh) and cardiac arrest (1 mg IV): routes, timing, auto-injector teaching.
Read post →PharmAdenosine on the NCLEX
Adenosine for SVT: rapid push with immediate flush, the expected pause, and what to tell the patient first.
Read post →PharmAtropine on the NCLEX
Atropine for symptomatic bradycardia: ACLS dosing, anticholinergic effects, and the glaucoma contraindication.
Read post →PharmMetformin on the NCLEX
Metformin: first-line for type 2 diabetes, lactic acidosis risk, the contrast-dye hold, GI effects, B12.
Read post →PharmAllopurinol and Colchicine on the NCLEX
Gout drugs: acute attack vs prophylaxis roles, why timing matters, and the toxicity signs for each.
Read post →PharmBisphosphonates on the NCLEX
Alendronate and friends: the empty-stomach, full-glass-of-water, sit-upright-30-minutes rules, esophagitis, jaw osteonecrosis.
Read post →PharmMethotrexate on the NCLEX
Methotrexate: the weekly-not-daily error, folic acid, CBC and liver monitoring, infection and pregnancy warnings.
Read post →PharmSildenafil and Nitrates on the NCLEX
The PDE5-nitrate interaction: why the combination is lethal, the 24 and 48 hour windows, and the questions to ask.
Read post →PharmThe Pharmacology Patterns the NCLEX Actually Tests
Pharm on the NCLEX is pattern recognition, not 800 individual drugs. Here's the pattern playbook: class endings, side-effect mnemonics, high
Read post →PharmBeta-Blockers on the NCLEX
Beta-blocker class for NCLEX: -olol ending, action, when to hold, side effects, and the teaching points the NCLEX hammers.
Read post →PharmACE Inhibitors on the NCLEX
ACE inhibitor class for NCLEX: -pril ending, the cough, angioedema risk, hyperkalemia, and pregnancy contraindication.
Read post →PharmARBs (Angiotensin Receptor Blockers) on the NCLEX
ARB class: -sartan ending, when to use over ACE inhibitor, hyperkalemia, pregnancy contraindication.
Read post →PharmCalcium Channel Blockers on the NCLEX
CCBs: dihydropyridines vs non-dihydropyridines, when each is used, side effects, grapefruit juice interaction.
Read post →PharmStatins on the NCLEX
Statin class for NCLEX: -statin ending, when to take, rhabdomyolysis warning, LFTs, grapefruit juice.
Read post →PharmLoop Diuretics (Furosemide) on the NCLEX
Furosemide and the loop class: K+ loss, ototoxicity, dehydration, what to monitor.
Read post →PharmThiazide Diuretics on the NCLEX
HCTZ and the thiazide class for NCLEX: first-line HTN, K+ loss, glucose, gout.
Read post →PharmPotassium-Sparing Diuretics on the NCLEX
Spironolactone and the K-sparing class for NCLEX: hyperkalemia, gynecomastia, when to use.
Read post →PharmWarfarin (Coumadin) on the NCLEX
Warfarin for NCLEX: INR target, vitamin K reversal, diet teaching, drug interactions, pregnancy contraindication.
Read post →PharmHeparin on the NCLEX
Heparin for NCLEX: aPTT, protamine antidote, HIT, SQ vs IV, LMWH differences.
Read post →PharmDOACs (Apixaban, Rivaroxaban, Dabigatran) on the NCLEX
Direct oral anticoagulants: indications, no routine monitoring, reversal agents, when to avoid.
Read post →PharmAnticoagulants Overview: Warfarin vs Heparin vs DOACs
Side-by-side comparison of the three anticoagulant classes, when to use each, monitoring, antidotes.
Read post →PharmSSRIs on the NCLEX
SSRI class for NCLEX: onset, side effects, serotonin syndrome, MAOI washout, suicidality in young adults.
Read post →PharmSNRIs on the NCLEX
Venlafaxine, duloxetine: dual reuptake inhibitors. Uses, side effects, BP monitoring.
Read post →PharmTricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) on the NCLEX
TCAs: anticholinergic side effects, overdose cardiotoxicity, when still used.
Read post →PharmMAOIs on the NCLEX
MAOIs: tyramine crisis, drug interactions, washout periods, rare use.
Read post →PharmBenzodiazepines on the NCLEX
Benzos for NCLEX: -pam/-lam endings, antidote flumazenil, withdrawal, indications.
Read post →PharmOpioids on the NCLEX
Opioid class for NCLEX: full agonists, partial agonists, antagonists, naloxone, respiratory depression.
Read post →PharmNSAIDs on the NCLEX
Ibuprofen, naproxen, ketorolac, aspirin: GI bleeding, kidney effects, when to avoid.
Read post →PharmAcetaminophen on the NCLEX
Acetaminophen: max dose, hepatotoxicity, N-acetylcysteine antidote, alcohol interaction.
Read post →PharmCorticosteroids on the NCLEX
Steroid class for NCLEX: indications, CUSHINGOID side effects, taper rule, infection masking.
Read post →PharmInsulin on the NCLEX: Everything You Need
Insulin types by onset/peak/duration, sliding scale, hypoglycemia management, NCLEX traps.
Read post →PharmOral Antidiabetics on the NCLEX
Metformin, sulfonylureas, SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists, DPP-4 inhibitors, class by class.
Read post →PharmPenicillins on the NCLEX
Penicillin class: anaphylaxis, cross-reactivity with cephalosporins, common uses.
Read post →PharmCephalosporins on the NCLEX
Cephalosporin generations, alcohol interaction, cross-reactivity, common uses.
Read post →PharmMacrolides on the NCLEX
Azithromycin and the macrolide class: QT prolongation, drug interactions, uses.
Read post →PharmFluoroquinolones on the NCLEX
Cipro, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin: tendon rupture, C. diff, QT prolongation, dairy interaction.
Read post →PharmAminoglycosides (Gentamicin, Tobramycin) on the NCLEX
Aminoglycoside class: ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity, peak/trough monitoring.
Read post →PharmVancomycin on the NCLEX
Vancomycin for NCLEX: trough monitoring, red man syndrome, nephrotoxicity, MRSA.
Read post →PharmTetracyclines on the NCLEX
Doxycycline, tetracycline: pediatric/pregnancy contraindication, sun sensitivity, dairy interaction.
Read post →PharmAntifungals on the NCLEX
Fluconazole, ketoconazole, amphotericin B: indications and toxicities.
Read post →PharmAntivirals on the NCLEX
Acyclovir, oseltamivir, common antivirals: indications and side effects.
Read post →PharmHAART (HIV Antiretrovirals) on the NCLEX
HIV treatment classes overview: NRTIs, NNRTIs, PIs, INSTIs, side effects.
Read post →PharmTB Drugs (RIPE Regimen) on the NCLEX
Rifampin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol: side effects, B6 with INH, red-orange urine.
Read post →PharmBronchodilators (SABA, LABA, ICS, LAMA) on the NCLEX
Albuterol, salmeterol, ipratropium, tiotropium: asthma stepwise therapy, when to use each.
Read post →PharmAntiemetics on the NCLEX
Ondansetron, promethazine, metoclopramide: indications, QT prolongation, EPS.
Read post →PharmPPIs and H2 Blockers on the NCLEX
Omeprazole, pantoprazole, famotidine: long-term risks, indications.
Read post →PharmAntiepileptics on the NCLEX
Phenytoin, valproate, levetiracetam, carbamazepine: levels, side effects, pregnancy.
Read post →PharmThyroid Medications (Levothyroxine, Methimazole, PTU) on the NCLEX
Levothyroxine for hypothyroidism, methimazole and PTU for hyperthyroidism. Teaching, monitoring.
Read post →PharmLithium on the NCLEX
Lithium: therapeutic level, toxicity signs, hydration and sodium, pregnancy.
Read post →PharmDigoxin on the NCLEX
Digoxin: therapeutic level, apical pulse, hypokalemia + digoxin = toxicity, antidote DigiFab.
Read post →PharmAmiodarone on the NCLEX
Amiodarone: class III antiarrhythmic, multi-organ toxicity, loading dose, monitoring.
Read post →PharmMagnesium Sulfate on the NCLEX
Mag sulfate in OB: pre-eclampsia/eclampsia seizure prophylaxis. Toxicity, antidote calcium gluconate.
Read post →PharmOxytocin (Pitocin) on the NCLEX
Oxytocin: labor induction/augmentation, postpartum hemorrhage, hyperstimulation signs.
Read post →PharmAtypical Antipsychotics on the NCLEX
Risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, aripiprazole: metabolic syndrome, clozapine ANC monitoring.
Read post →PharmTypical Antipsychotics on the NCLEX
Haloperidol, chlorpromazine, fluphenazine: EPS, NMS, tardive dyskinesia.
Read post →PharmBarbiturates on the NCLEX
Phenobarbital and the barbiturate class: respiratory depression, narrow therapeutic index, withdrawal.
Read post →PharmHigh-Alert Medications on the NCLEX
The med safety list every NCLEX candidate must know: insulin, heparin, opioids, KCl, mag sulfate, chemo, anticoagulants.
Read post →PharmPCA Pump Safety on the NCLEX
PCA pump rules: only patient pushes button, monitoring, education, common errors.
Read post →Pharm-olol: Beta-Blockers (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
If the drug ends in -olol, it's a beta-blocker. Quick reference and NCLEX implications.
Read post →Pharm-pril: ACE Inhibitors (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
If the drug ends in -pril, it's an ACE inhibitor. Quick reference and NCLEX implications.
Read post →Pharm-sartan: ARBs (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
If the drug ends in -sartan, it's an ARB. Quick reference.
Read post →Pharm-statin: HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
If the drug ends in -statin, it's a cholesterol-lowering statin.
Read post →Pharm-azole: Antifungals (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
If the drug ends in -azole, it's typically an antifungal.
Read post →Pharm-prazole: PPIs (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
If the drug ends in -prazole, it's a proton pump inhibitor.
Read post →Pharm-mycin: Multiple Classes (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
-mycin is tricky, different drugs in different classes share it.
Read post →Pharm-floxacin: Fluoroquinolones (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
If the drug ends in -floxacin, it's a fluoroquinolone.
Read post →Pharm-caine: Local Anesthetics (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
If the drug ends in -caine, it's a local anesthetic.
Read post →Pharm-pam and -lam: Benzodiazepines (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
If the drug ends in -pam or -lam, it's a benzodiazepine.
Read post →Pharm-ide: Loop Diuretics and Oral Antidiabetics (Drug Ending Cheat Sheet)
-ide is ambiguous, loop diuretics (furosemide) and sulfonylurea antidiabetics (glipizide) share it.
Read post →PharmDosage Calculation Mastery for NCLEX
The handful of dosage calc formulas the NCLEX uses. Worked examples for each.
Read post →PharmPediatric Dosing on the NCLEX
Weight-based pediatric dosing, max doses, common peds meds.
Read post →PharmHeparin Drip Titration on the NCLEX
Heparin drip titration: aPTT-driven adjustment, bolus, when to hold.
Read post →Test what you just read
10 real NCLEX questions with full explanations. Free.