drug classification
Sorting therapeutic substances
Drug classification is a system for categorizing drugs based on shared characteristics—typically their chemical structure, therapeutic use, or potential for abuse.
Pharmacologists classify by mechanism: opioids, benzodiazepines, SSRIs.
Legal systems classify by abuse potential and medical value: Schedule I drugs have no accepted medical use.
The same drug may fall into different categories depending on which classification scheme applies.
- analgesicsDrugs that reduce pain
- blood thinnersMedications reducing clot risk
- steroidsPerformance-enhancing hormones
- opioidsReceptor-binding pain relievers
- Schedule IIHigh-abuse drug classification
agonists · alkaloids · antibiotics · antidepressants · black box warning · controlled substances · off-label use · anticonvulsants · brand name · blockers · antihypertensives · inhibitors · benzodiazepines · drug scheduling · antipsychotics · barbiturates · FDA approved · antihistamines
- drug lawscontrolled substances, drug scheduling, Schedule II, Schedule IV, DEA
- drug referencesdrug guide, formulary, pharmacopeia, PDR, pharmacopoeia
- controlled substancescocaine, fentanyl, codeine, heroin, morphine
- regulationsrules, rule, regulations, regulation, law
- pharmacy educationpharmacy school, pharmacy schools, PharmD, clinical rotations, residencies