Drugs of Choice

Drug Type Choice

Closure of PDA
Indomethacin NSAID
Acute Gout
Methotrexate DMARD Rheumatoid Arthritis
Pain relief in osteoarthritis
Acetaminophen Analgesic
Fever and minor pain relief during pregnancy, in children, and teenagers.
Carbamazepine Anticonvulsant Trigeminal Neuralgia
Acute nerve compression
Increased intracranial pressure
Dexamethasone Glucocorticoid
Bone pain, visceral pain, Anorexia
Nausea and depressed mood
Sumatriptan Triptans Moderate-to-severe Migraines
Syphilis
Penicillin G ß-lactam Streptococci
Rheumatic Fever Prophylaxis
Penicillin V ß-lactam Strep Throat
Carbenicillin, Ticarcillin, Piperacillin Pseudomonas
Ampicillin + Aminoglycoside Enterococcus or Listeria
Carbapenams Enterobacter or ß-lactamase Gram negatives
Infective/Enterococcal Endocarditis
Vancomycin + Aminoglycoside
Penicillin-Resistant Strep Pneumonia (PRSP)
Streptomycin Aminoglycoside Bubonic Plague (Y. pestis), Tularemia
Uncomplicated UTI’s
Cotrimoxazole Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole PCP
Nocardiosis
C. diff
Metronidazole Nitroimidazole Giardia
Trichomonas
Amoxicillin Extended Spectrum ß-lactam Endocarditis Prophylaxis w/dental surgery
Cefazolin Cephalosporin 1st Gen Surgical Prophylaxis
Gonorrhea
Ceftriaxone Cephalosporin 3rd Gen Meningitis (ampicillin-resistant H. influ)
Prophylaxis of Meningitis
 Macrolides Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Erythromycin Macrolide Whooping Cough (B. pertussis)
Acyclovir Nucleoside Analog HSV Encephalitis
Ganciclovir Nucleoside Analog CMV Retinitis or Prophylaxis
HSV Keratoconjunctivitis
Trifluridine Nucleoside Analog
Recurrent Epithelial Keratitis
Schistosomiasis
Praziquantel Antiparasitic
Clonorchis Sinensis, Pargonimus, Diphyllobothriasis, Taeniasis
Bithionol Antiparasitic Fasciola hepatica
Cysticercosis, Ascariasis, Trichuriasis, Hookworm, Cutaneous larva migrans,
Albendazole Benzimidazole
Toxocariasis, Echinococcosis
Mebendazole Benzimidazole Enterobiasis

Ivermectin Antiparasitic Onchocerciasis, Strongyloidiasis

Diethylcarbamazine Antiparasitic Lymphatic filariasis, Loiasis

Melasoprol/Suramin Trypanosomiasis

Amphotericin B/Sodium Stibogluconate Leishmaniasis

Pyrimethamine + Clindamycin or sulfadiazine or folinic acid Toxoplasmosis

Chloroquine Antimalarial Tx and Prophylaxis of P. vivax and ovale

Primaquine Antimalarial Dormant liver forms of P. vivax and ovale

Candidiasis/Candidemia
Fluconazole Antifungal Coccidioidomycosis
Tx Crypto Meningitis after Amphotericin B
Voriconazole Antifungal Invasive Aspergillosis

6-Mercaptopurine Purine Analog ALL

6-Thioguanine Purine Analog Nonlymphocytic Leukemia

 5-Fluorouracil + Leucovorin + Irinotecan Colorectal Cancer

Capecitabine (5-FU Prodrug) Pyrimidine Analog Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Cytarabine (ARA-C) Deoxycytidine Analog Hematologic Cancers

Paclitaxel or Abraxane Taxane Solid Cancers

Etoposide Epipodophyllotoxin Testicular Cancer, Small Cell Lung Cancer

Teniposide Epipodophyllotoxin Refractory ALL

Carmustine or Lomustine Nitrosurea Brain Tumors

Cisplatin Platinum Analog Testicular, Ovarian, Bladder Cancer

Nonsteroidal Androgen
GnRH Analog + Flutamide Prostatic Carcinoma
Receptor
Cetuximab Monoclonal Antibody Tumors expressing wild-type KRAS

Imatinib Protein Kinase Inhibitor C-kit positive Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor