Top 200 Drugs
Basic Pharmacology
Core information regarding the top 200 ACEM primary exam vivas relating to pharmacology.
This segment:
- Covers 322 previous viva examination stations from 2003-2019
- Uses the dedicated exam textbook, along with Australian practice guidelines, to cover key information in marking guides
- Lists drugs in order of frequency of examination
- The first 27 drugs cover 142 previous stations (i.e. 44% of previously examined material)
- The four most commonly examined drugs are Ceftriaxone, Paracetamol, Propofol and Ketamine
Additional pages:
- Pharm 101: Antiarrhythmic agents (classification system)
| DRUG | CLASS | TOPIC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceftriaxone | Antibiotic | ABX | Cephalosporin, third generation cephalosporin, 3rd generation cephalosporin |
| Paracetamol | Anaglesic | ANAG | COX |
| Propofol | Sedative-hypnotic | NERV | green urine, Sedative, hypnotic, anaesthetic, sleepy milk, |
| Ketamine | Sedative-hypnotic | NERV | Sedative, hypnotic, anaesthetic |
| Furosemide | Diuretic | CVS | Frusemide, lasix, loop diuretic |
| Ondansetron | Anti-emetic | GIT | Zofran |
| Gentamicin | Antibiotic | ABX | Aminoglycoside, 30S ribosome, 30S ribosomal protein, nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, acute tubular necrosis, ATN |
| Glycerol trinitrate | Vasodilator | CVS | GTN, glycerine trinitrate, glyceryl trinitrate, nitroglycerin |
| Atropine | Anticholinergic | NERV | Antimuscarinic |
| Salbutamol | Bronchodilator | RESP | Ventolin, asthma |
| Digoxin | Antiarrhythmic | CVS | |
| Penicillin G | Antibiotic | ABX | Penicillin ticarcillin, amoxicillin, augmentin, amoxycillin |
| Warfarin | Anticoagulant | CVS | INR, vitamin K, bleeding |
| Amiodarone | Antiarrhythmic | CVS | Class III, QT, VT, VF, AF, SVT, action potential, AP, Class 3, CYP inhibitor |
| Azithromycin | Antibiotic | ABX | Macrolide |
| Cephazolin | Antibiotic | ABX | Cephalosporin, first generation, 1st generation |
| Verapamil | Antiarrhythmic | CVS | Calcium channel blocker, antihypertensive, CCB |
| Cefuroxime | Antibiotic | ABX | Cephalosporin, second generation, 2nd generation |
| Cefepime | Antibiotic | ABX | Cephalosporin, fourth generation, 4th generation |
| Heparin | Anticoagulant | CVS | UFH |
| Phenytoin | Anticonvulsant | NERV | Seizure |
| Morphine | Analgesic | ANAG | Analgesia, opiate |
| Suxamethonium | Paralytic | NERV | Succinylcholine |
| Dexamethasone | Corticosteroid | ENDO | Steroid |
| Tricyclic Antidepressants | Antidepressant | NERV | TCA, Amitriptyline, Clomipramine, Imipramine |
| Adenosine | Antiarrhythmic | CVS | |
| Pantoprazole | Proton Pump Inhibitor | GIT | Somac, PPI |
| Midazolam | Benzodiazepine | NERV | Sedative, anticonvulsant, seizure |
| Lithium | Mood stabiliser | NERV | |
| Valproate | Anticonvulsant | NERV | Seizure |
| Carbamazepine | Anticonvulsant | NERV | Mood stabiliser, seizure |
| Clonazepam | Benzodiazepine | NERV | Seizure |
| Metoclopramide | Anti-emetic | GIT | Maxolon, Reglan, Primperan |
| Theophylline | Methylxanthine | RESP | Asthma |
| Nitroprusside | Antihypertensive | CVS | Vasodilator |
| Rocuronium | Paralytic | NERV | anaesthesia, anaesthetic, sugammadex, RSI, rapid sequence induction |
| Clopidogrel | Antiplatelet | CVS | |
| Rivaroxaban | Anticoagulant | CVS | Direct oral anticoagulant, DOAC, xarelto |
| Metoprolol | Beta-blocker | CVS | Antihypertensive |
| Propranolol | Antiarrhythmic | NERV | Beta blocker, beta-blocker |
| Lignocaine | Antiarrhythmic | NERV | Lidocaine, local anaesthetic |
| Sotalol | Antiarrhythmic | CVS | Antiarrhythmic, beta blocker, beta-blocker, betablocker |
| Ramipril | ACE-inhibitor | CVS | Antihypertensive, anti-hypertensive, angiotensin converting enzyme |
| Captopril | ACE-inhibitor | CVS | Antihypertensive, anti-hypertensive, angiotensin converting enzyme |
| Irbesartan | Antihypertensive | CVS | Angiontensin II receptor blocker, ATII blocker, antihypertensive, ARB, candesartan, lorsartan, valsartan, olmesartan |
| Prazosin | Antihypertensive | CVS | Alpha-1 receptor blocker, alpha-blocker |
| Thrombolytic agents | Thrombolytic | CVS | tPA, tissue plasminogen activator, streptokinase, alteplate, reteplase, tenectaplase, urokinase |
| Hydrochlorothiazide | Diuretic | CVS | Thiazide diuretic, HCT |
| Mannitol | Diuretic | CVS | Osmotic diuretic |
| Acetazolamide | Diuretic | CVS | Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, CAI, mountain sickness, altitude sickness |
| Diazepam | Benzodiazepine | NERV | Valium, alcohol withdrawal, etoh |
| Bupivacaine | Local anaesthetic | NERV | LA, nervous system |
| Vecuronium | Paralytic | NERV | anaesthesia, anaesthetic, sugammadex, RSI, rapid sequence induction |
| Thiopentone | Barbiturate | NERV | |
| Nitrous Oxide | Inhaled anaesthetic | NERV | NO |
| Pancuronium | Paralytic | NERV | neuromuscular blockade, anaesthesia |
| Prilocaine | Local anaesthetic | NERV | |
| Ethanol | Ethanol | NERV | Alcohol, ETOH |
| Noradrenaline | Vasopressor | CVS | |
| Metaraminol | Vasopressor | CVS | |
| Adrenaline | Vasopressor | CVS | |
| Olanzapine | Antipsychotic | NERV | SGA, second generation antipsychotic, weight gain, thienobenzodiazepine |
| Chlorpromazine | Antipsychotic | NERV | FGA, phenothiazine, first generation antipsychotic |
| Haloperidol | Antipsychotic | NERV | FGA, butyrophenone, first generation antipsychotic, EPS, extrapyramidal |
| Benztropine | Anticholinergic | NERV | |
| Sumatriptan | Serotonin agonist | NERV | Migraine, 5-HT, 5HT |
| Flecainide | Antiarrhythmic | CVS | |
| Levodopa | Dopamine precursor | NERV | L-dopa |
| Fluoxetine | Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor | NERV | SSRI, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, antidepressant |
| Aciclovir | Antiviral | AVX | Acyclovir |
| Oseltamivir | Antiinfluenza | AVX | Antiviral, influenza, zanamivir |
| Chloramphenicol | Antibiotic | ABX | |
| Ciprofloxacin | Antibiotic | ABX | Fluoroquinolone |
| Doxycycline | Antibiotic | ABX | Tetracycline |
| Flucloxacillin | Antibiotic | ABX | Penicillin, dicloxacillin |
| Erythromycin | Antibiotic | ABX | Macrolide |
| Metronidazole | Antibiotic | ABX | Antiprotozoal, parasite, anaerobe, anaerobic bacteria |
| Trimethoprim | Antibiotic | ABX | Folate |
| Vancomycin | Antibiotic | ABX | |
| Aspirin | Antiplatelet | CVS | Analgesia, analgesic, antiinflammatory, anti-inflammatory, COX |
| Fentanyl | Analgesic | ANAG | Analgesia, opiate |
| Ibuprofen | Antiinflammatory | ANAG | NSAID, anti-inflammatory, analgesia, analgesic |
| Oxycodone | Analgesic | ANAG | Opiate, analgesia, endone |
| Colchicine | Antiinflammatory | MISC | Gout, anti-inflammatory |
| Glucagon | Diabetic | ENDO | Diabetes, DM |
| Hydrocortisone | Corticosteroid | ENDO | Steroid |
| Metformin | Diabetic | ENDO | Diabetes, DM |
| Octreotide | Miscellaneous | ENDO | Somatostatin analogue, varices, varice |
| Gliclazide | Diabetic | ENDO | Diabetes, DM |
| Magnesium | Electrolyte | ELEC | Mg, antiarrhythmic |
| Compound Sodium Lactate | Intravenous fluid | FLUID | IV, intravenous, CSL, Hartmann, Hartmann's |
| Normal Saline | Intravenous fluid | FLUID | IV, intravenous, NS |
| Flumazenil | Benzodiazepine antagonist | TOX | |
| N-Acetyl Cysteine | Miscellaneous | TOX | NAC, paracetamol, panadol |
| Naloxone | Opioid antagonist | TOX | Opiate, opioid |
| Methanol | Alcohol | TOX | Alcohol, ethanol, poisoning, fomepizole |
| Rifampicin | Antibiotic | ABX | TB, tuberculosis, antituberculosis, mycobacteria |
| Insulin | Diabetic | ENDO | Diabetes, DM |
| Calcium | Electrolyte | ELEC | Ca |
| Erythropoietin | Miscellaneous | CVS | EPO |
| Vitamin K | Miscellaneous | CVS | Warfarin |
| Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole | Antibiotic | ABX | bactrim |
Pharmacology 101
Top 200 drugs
This segment is not a comprehensive review of the relevant drugs and is not a clinical practice guideline.