1.1 Generic and Brand Drug Names & Classifications

PTCE Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam

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1 Introduction

About the PTCE How to Use This Guide

2 Chapter 1: Medications

1.1 Generic and Brand Drug Names & Classifications 1.2 Cardiovascular and Anticoagulant Medications 1.3 Anti-Infective and Analgesic Medications 1.4 Endocrine, Respiratory, CNS, and Storage Requirements

3 Chapter 2: Federal Requirements

2.1 DEA Regulations and Controlled Substance Schedules 2.2 Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) 2.3 FDA Regulations and Drug Recalls 2.4 HIPAA, CMEA, and Prescription Requirements

4 Chapter 3: Patient Safety and Quality Assurance

3.1 Medication Error Prevention 3.2 High-Alert and Look-Alike/Sound-Alike Medications 3.3 Patient Counseling and Communication 3.4 Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement

5 Chapter 4: Order Entry and Processing

4.1 Prescription Interpretation 4.2 Pharmacy Calculations 4.3 Inventory Management and NDC Numbers 4.4 Insurance, Billing, and Prescription Processing

1.1 Generic and Brand Drug Names & Classifications

Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI

Generic names are universal and assigned by USAN; brand names are proprietary and trademarked by manufacturers.

Drugs are classified by therapeutic category (what they treat) or pharmacological class (how they work).

Common drug suffixes help identify drug classes (e.g., -pril for ACE inhibitors, -statin for HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors).

Pharmacy technicians must know both generic and brand names for top prescribed medications.

Drug classifications include cardiovascular, CNS, analgesics, anti-infectives, endocrine, and respiratory agents.

Last updated: January 2026

Understanding drug nomenclature and classification is fundamental for pharmacy technicians. This knowledge helps with prescription processing, inventory management, and patient safety.

Generic vs. Brand Names

Every medication has at least two names: a generic name and a brand name.

• Name Type Description Example Characteristics
• Generic Name Official, non-proprietary name metformin Lowercase, assigned by USAN, universal worldwide
• Brand Name Proprietary, trademarked name Glucophage Capitalized, owned by manufacturer, marketing name
• Generic Names

The generic name (also called the nonproprietary name) is:

• Assigned by the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council
• Written in lowercase letters
• The same regardless of manufacturer
• Used in pharmacy references and medical literature
• Brand Names

The brand name (also called the trade name or proprietary name) is:

• Created and trademarked by the manufacturer
• Written with initial capital letter
• May have multiple brand names for the same generic drug
• Often easier for patients to remember

Example: The generic drug atorvastatin is sold under the brand name Lipitor by Pfizer.

Common Drug Suffixes

Learning drug name suffixes helps identify the drug class and mechanism of action. This is critical for the PTCE exam.

Cardiovascular Drug Suffixes

• Suffix Drug Class Example Generic Example Brand
• pril ACE Inhibitors lisinopril Zestril, Prinivil
• sartan ARBs (Angiotensin Receptor Blockers) losartan Cozaar
• olol Beta Blockers metoprolol Lopressor, Toprol-XL
• dipine Calcium Channel Blockers (Dihydropyridines) amlodipine Norvasc
• statin HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors atorvastatin Lipitor
• Anti-Infective Drug Suffixes

• Suffix Drug Class Example Generic Example Brand
• cillin Penicillins amoxicillin Amoxil
• mycin/-micin Aminoglycosides gentamicin Garamycin
• floxacin Fluoroquinolones ciprofloxacin Cipro
• cycline Tetracyclines doxycycline Vibramycin
• azole Antifungals (Azoles) fluconazole Diflucan
• vir Antivirals acyclovir Zovirax
• CNS and Psychiatric Drug Suffixes

• Suffix Drug Class Example Generic Example Brand
• pam/-lam Benzodiazepines lorazepam, alprazolam Ativan, Xanax
• triptan Migraine Medications sumatriptan Imitrex
• prazole Proton Pump Inhibitors omeprazole Prilosec
• tidine H2 Blockers famotidine Pepcid
• Diabetes Drug Suffixes

• Suffix Drug Class Example Generic Example Brand
• gliptin DPP-4 Inhibitors sitagliptin Januvia
• glutide GLP-1 Agonists semaglutide Ozempic, Wegovy
• gliflozin SGLT2 Inhibitors empagliflozin Jardiance
• Drug Classification Systems

Drugs can be classified by:

• Therapeutic Category - What condition they treat (e.g., antihypertensives, antibiotics)
• Pharmacological Class - How they work (mechanism of action)
• Chemical Structure - Their molecular composition
• Major Therapeutic Categories

• Category Purpose Common Drug Classes
• Cardiovascular Heart and blood vessel conditions Beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, statins, diuretics
• CNS/Neurological Brain and nervous system Antidepressants, anticonvulsants, anxiolytics
• Anti-Infectives Infections Antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals
• Endocrine/Metabolic Hormones and metabolism Diabetes medications, thyroid drugs
• Respiratory Lung and breathing Bronchodilators, corticosteroids, antihistamines
• Gastrointestinal Digestive system PPIs, H2 blockers, antiemetics
• Analgesics Pain relief NSAIDs, opioids, acetaminophen
• Musculoskeletal Muscles and bones Muscle relaxants, bisphosphonates
• Exam Tips

When you see a drug name ending in a common suffix, you can often identify its class even if you've never seen the specific drug before.

Know the top 200 drugs by both generic and brand names.

Generic substitution laws allow pharmacists to substitute FDA-approved generics unless the prescriber indicates "DAW" (Dispense As Written).