Drug Classes

Guide to Medication Categories

Medication classifications involve categorizing drugs based on shared characteristics like chemical structure, mechanism of action, physiological impact, or therapeutic purpose. The aim of this categorization is to facilitate comprehension for both healthcare professionals and patients regarding the effects, risks, and interactions of various drugs.

Important things to know about medication classes are:

Not all medications neatly fit into a single category
Some drugs possess multiple uses or mechanisms of action, leading them to be classified in more than one class. For instance, metformin serves as both an antidiabetic medication and exhibits anti-obesity and anti-aging effects.
Medication classification is dynamic
Ongoing drug development and approvals often necessitate the creation of new categories or revisions to existing ones. For example, biologics represent a relatively recent class of medications derived from living organisms or their byproducts.
Medication classification is not standardized globally
Various countries or organizations may employ distinct systems or criteria for categorizing drugs. For instance, the World Health Organization (WHO) employs the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system, which groups drugs based on the organ or system they affect, as well as their therapeutic and chemical properties. In contrast, the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) utilizes the USP Drug Classification (USP DC) system, which categorizes drugs according to their primary indication or purpose of use.

[0-9]

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

k

Kidney Stone Agents

l

m

n

o

p

q

Quaternary protoberberine alkaloids

r

s

t

u

v

w

Savings are calculated based on the pharmacy’s usual and customary price. Hippo provides no warranty for any of the pricing data or other information. Hippo is available to users at participating pharmacies only. No enrollment or periodic fees apply. Hippo reserves the right to change its prescription drug prices in real time. Hippo is not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the pharmacies identified in its price comparisons. All trademarks, brands, logos and copyright images are property of their respective owners and rights holders and are used solely to represent the products of these rights holders. This information is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Hippo is not offering advice, recommending or endorsing any specific prescription drug, pharmacy or other information on the site. Please seek medical advice before starting, changing or terminating any medical treatment.

Hippo is NOT insurance. You are obligated to pay for all medications, but you may receive a discount from those pharmacies that have contracted with the discount plan organization. Savings will vary by medication and by pharmacy. The discount plan organization is Hippo Network LLC, One World Trade Center, Suite 8500 New York, NY 10007, 1-877-387-8042, help@hellohippo.com, https://hellohippo.com.