Phenothiazines PREGNANCY CATEGORY C Therapeutic Actions Mechanism of action of phenothiazines is not fully understood. Antipsychotic drugs block postsynaptic dopamine receptors in the brain, but this may not be necessary…

Penicillins PREGNANCY CATEGORY B Therapeutic Actions Penicillins are antibiotics. They are bactericidal, inhibiting the synthesis of cell wall of sensitive organisms, causing cell death in susceptible organisms. Indications Treatment of…

Opioids PREGNANCY CATEGORY B OR C CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE C-II Therapeutic Actions Opioids act as agonists at specific opioid receptors in the CNS to produce analgesia, euphoria, sedation; the receptors mediating…

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) PREGNANCY CATEGORY B OR C Therapeutic Actions NSAIDs have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities largely related to inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis; exact mechanisms of action are…

Nondepolarizing Neuromuscular Junction Blockers (NMJ Blockers) DANGEROUS DRUG PREGNANCY CATEGORY C Therapeutic Actions NMJ blockers interfere with neuromuscular transmission and cause flaccid paralysis by blocking acetylcholine receptors at the skeletal…

Nitrates PREGNANCY CATEGORY C Therapeutic Actions Nitrates are antianginals. They relax vascular smooth muscle with a resultant decrease in venous return and decrease in arterial blood pressure, which reduces left…

Macrolide Antibiotics PREGNANCY CATEGORY B OR C Therapeutic Actions Macrolides are antibiotics. They are bacteriostatic or bactericidal in susceptible bacteria; they bind to cell membranes and cause changes in protein…

HMG-CoA Inhibitors PREGNANCY CATEGORY X Therapeutic Actions HMG-CoA inhibitors are antihyperlipidemic. They are a fungal metabolite that inhibits the enzyme that catalyzes the first step in the cholesterol synthesis pathway…

Histamine2 (H2) Antagonists PREGNANCY CATEGORY B Therapeutic Actions H2 antagonists inhibit the action of histamine at the H2 receptors of the stomach, inhibiting gastric acid secretion and reducing total pepsin…

Fluoroquinolones PREGNANCY CATEGORY C Therapeutic Actions Fluoroquinolones are antibacterial. They interfere with DNA replication in susceptible gram-negative bacteria, preventing cell reproduction and leading to death of bacteria. Indications Treatment of…