Prescription Drugs

Prescription drugs are medications that can only be obtained with the written order of a physician or other health care professional and are usually regulated by an authoritative or legislative body. “Rx” is an abbreviation often used for the word prescription.

Though consumers were once left in the dark as to the possible side effects of their medications, this is no longer the case. Thanks to the Prescription Drug Marketing Act of 1987 (PDMA) prescription medications by law, must carry warnings that provide consumers with information about side effects and other pertinent information. The PDMA was later modified by the Prescription Drug Amendments of 1992. The FDA—or Food and Drug Administration—is tasked with implementing and administering these laws and carefully reviews applications for new prescription medications, as well as all of the clinical trials associated with them.

Prescription Drugs A – Z

Browse our index of Prescription Drug Information, organised alphabetically:

Abilify

Abilify

Abilify (Aripiprazole) is an antipsychotic medication that is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and irritability with autism by changing the way certain chemicals and hormones are created and transmitted in the brain.

Accutane

Accutane

Now marketed under the name Roaccutane, Accutane is a common brand name of isotretinoin, a retinoid class drug that is similar to vitamin A.

Actos

Actos

Actos is the brand name for the drug pioglitazone (also branded as Glustin in Europe), which works to reduce insulin resistance in the liver and surrounding tissue by modifying genes that are otherwise particularly sensitive to insulin.

Acyclovir

Acyclovir

Acyclovir, also known by the brand name Zovirax, is a generic prescription antiviral medication for the treatment of certain infections.

Adderall

Adderall

Adderall is a psychostimulant that combines both amphetamine and dextroamphetamin to increase levels of dopamine and norepinephrine.

Advair

Advair

Advair is a prescription drug composed of the active ingredients fluticasone and salmeterol. Fluticasone has anti-inflammatory properties while salmeterol relaxes the airway’s muscles.

Allopurinol

Allopurinol

Allopurinol is generic prescription-only medication and may be marketed under the brand names, Zyloprim and Aloprim.

Ambien

Ambien

Ambien and it's extended release version, Ambien CR are the brand names for the generic drug Zolpidem. The medication is a sleep aid and is used by patients who are unable to fall asleep or stay asleep.

Amiodarone

Amiodarone

Amiodarone is an antiarrythmic drug, sometimes referred to by its brand names Cordarone and Pacerone, and has been approved for prescription in the United States since 1985.

Amitriptyline

Amitriptyline

Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant used to treat various types of depression and other illnesses.

Amlodipine

Amlodipine

Amlodipine is a long-acting calcium channel blocker that is also known under the brand name Norvasc and is used in conjunction with diet, exercise, weight management and other medications to treat conditions related to heart conditions.

Amoxicillin

Amoxicillin

Amoxicillin is a prescription antibiotic and is most commonly marketed under the brand name Amoxil. Other brand names include Biomox, DisperMox, Moxatag and Trimox.

Aricept

Aricept

The generic name of Aricept is Donepezil. Donepezil is among the cholinesterase blockers that work by restoring the total amount of natural compounds (neurotransmitters) in the human brain.

Arimidex

Arimidex

Arimidex, the brand name for the generic drug Anastrozole, is a medication used primarily to treat breast cancer in women.

Atenolol

Atenolol

Atenolol is used to treat or prevent coronary heart disease by controlling heart function, but it does not cure coronary problems.

Ativan

Ativan

Ativan, or the generic drug lorazepam, is a benzodiazepine that works as an anticonvulsant, a sedative, a muscle relaxer, and an anxiolytic or antipanic agent.

Various Forms of Augmentin

Augmentin

Augmentin is a combination drug that contains amoxicillin and clavulanate and is used to treat numerous bacterial infections in the body’s tissues and bloodstream.

Avapro

Avapro

Irbesartan—also known by its brand name, Avapro—belongs to a class of medications known as angiotensin II receptor antagonists.

Avelox

Avelox

Avelox is the generic name for the drug Moxifloxacin and is an oral prescription antibiotic which is recommended for treatment of various bacterial infections.

Avodart

Avodart

The brand name of the generic drug Dutasteride, Avodart is a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor that is similar to the medication Proscar (Finasteride).

Axiron

Axiron

Axiron is a topical medication used to treat low or no levels of testosterone in men; testosterone is a naturally occurring hormone that is necessary to the healthy function of many of the processes of the body.

Baclofen

Baclofen

Baclofen is a generic antispastic agent medication that works as a muscle relaxer to treat muscle spasms caused by certain medical conditions.

Bactrim

Bactrim

Sulfamethoxazole & Trimethoprim. Bactrim is a very effective antibiotic against specific conditions such as UTIs, ear infections, bronchitis and acne.

Benicar

Benicar

Benicar (olmesartan) is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) in adults and children over the age of six years old.

Boniva

Boniva

Boniva is a form of prescription medication used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

BuSpar

BuSpar

BuSpar is a brand name anti-anxiety medication that treats the symptoms of anxiety such as fear, dizziness, tension, racing heart, and other physical symptoms; the generic name of this medication is buspirone.

Carvedilol

Carvedilol

Carvedilol, also known by the brand names Coreg, Carvil, Carloc, Dilatrend, and Eucardic, is a controlled-release beta- blocker that is prescribed in tablet or extended-release capsule form.

Celebrex

Celebrex

The prescription medicine Celebrex is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Celebrex is the brand name for the generic drug celecoxib.

Cephalexin

Cephalexin

Cephalexin is a generic brand medication used to treat infections in the body caused by bacteria; it is part of a group of drugs known as cephalosporin antibiotics.

Chantix

Chantix

Categorized as a nicotine receptor partial agonist, Chantix is the trade name of the prescription medication Varenicline. Chantix has been available in the United States since 2006.

Cialis

Cialis

Cialis is a name brand version of the generic medication tadalafil. It treats erectile dysfunction in men by increasing the body’s nitrous oxide levels which leads to a relaxing of muscles and increase in blood flow to the penis.

Cipro

Cipro

Cipro is a brand name of the generic drug ciprofloxacin and is a prescription antibiotic medication used to treat a variety of infections.

Citalopram

Citalopram

Citalopram (Celexa) is an antidepressant approved to treat major depression but i also used to treat other mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders.

Clonazepam

Clonazepam

Clonazepam is a controlled substance and member of the benzodiazepine class of medications. It is often used as an anti-anxiety and anti-seizure medication.

Clonidine

Clonidine

Clonidine is a generic medication used to treat hypertension, or high blood pressure; a commonly used name brand version of this drug is Catapres.

Codeine

Codeine

Codeine is an opiate that can be used to treat pain in patients, and it is classified as a narcotic pain medicine. This drug is similar to hydrocodone or morphine, and it can decrease discomfort in patients that are suffering from pain-related issues.

Colchicine

Colchicine

Colchicine, which is sometimes known as its brand name, Colcrys, is a drug that reduces swelling pain by affecting the way the body responds to uric acid crystals.

Crestor

Crestor

Crestor is brand name for the generic prescription drug Rosuvastatin in the group known as statins. Statins are used to treat individuals with high cholesterol.

Cymbalta

Cymbalta

Cymbalta is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI) which means that it is designed to balance the chemicals in the brain.

Decadron

Decadron

Decadron is the common trade name for the potent glucocorticoid steroid Dexamethasone. The drug is also marketed as the brand names Hexadrol, Baycadron and Cortastat

Depakote

Depakote

Depakote is the common trade name of the generic drug divalproex sodium, which is an equal combination of sodium valproate and valproic acid, and is considered to be an anticonvulsant medication.

Dexilant

Dexilant

The medication Dexilant is a name brand version of the drug dexlansoprazole; these drugs are members of the drug group proton pump inhibitors.

Dilantin

Dilantin

An antiepileptic or anticonvulsant drug, Dilantin is the brand name of phenytoin sodium. Phenytoin was first manufactured by a German chemist in 1908 but wasn’t put to use until 30 years later when its effectiveness at controlling seizures was discovered.

Diovan

Diovan

Diovan (Valsartan) is an ARB that keeps the blood vessels open by blocking the hormones that cause the them to constrict.

Doxycycline

Doxycycline

Doxycycline is a generic form of a tetracycline antibiotic medication. It is marketed under several brand names such as Oracea, Adoxa, Atridox and Vibramycin.

Effexor

Effexor

Effexor is the brand name for venlafaxine, which is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).

Enbrel

Enbrel

Enbrel - also known as Etanercept - is a Tumor Necrosis Factor inhibitor. TNF inhibitors stop the production of TNF in the body, relieving pain brought on by arthritis and other autoimmune disorders.

Estradiol

Estradiol

Estradiol is a prescription form of the female sex hormone, estrogen that may also be found under the brand names Climera, Delestrogen, Estrace and Vivelle.

Femara

Femara

Femara is the trade name for an aromatase inhibitor drug known as Letrozole and is basically a type of hormone treatment used primarily in women.

Flagyl

Flagyl

Flagyl is a brand name for the generic drug metronidazole and is a prescription-only antibiotic medication. It belongs to the nitroimidazole class of medications.

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