NCLEX Drug Cards
Nursing-focused drug cards for the NCLEX. Mechanism, adverse effects, nursing implications, when to hold, and a memory anchor — for every drug.
52 cards published — cardiovascular and high-alert prioritized.
Educational use only. Drug cards are AI-assisted study material for NCLEX preparation.
- Adenosine (Adenocard)
Antiarrhythmic — endogenous purine nucleoside
- Albuterol (Ventolin, ProAir, Proventil)
Short-acting beta-2 adrenergic agonist (SABA) — bronchodilator
- Amiodarone (Pacerone, Cordarone)
Class III antiarrhythmic (with class I, II, and IV activity)
- Amlodipine (Norvasc)
Dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker
- Apixaban (Eliquis)
Direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) — factor Xa inhibitor
- Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA)
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) / antiplatelet
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin)
- Bumetanide (Bumex)
Loop diuretic
- Cephalosporins (cephalexin, cefazolin, ceftriaxone, cefepime)
Beta-lactam antibiotic — cephalosporin class
- Chemotherapy — general nursing principles
Antineoplastic agents (high-alert; class card)
- Clopidogrel (Plavix)
P2Y12 ADP-receptor antagonist / antiplatelet
- Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Cardiac glycoside
- Diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac)
Non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker
- Dobutamine (Dobutrex)
Inotrope — synthetic catecholamine, β1-selective
- Dopamine (Intropin)
Inotropic / vasopressor — endogenous catecholamine
- Enoxaparin (Lovenox)
Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) anticoagulant
- Fentanyl (Sublimaze, Duragesic, Actiq)
Opioid analgesic (high-alert; full mu-receptor agonist)
- Fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin)
Fluoroquinolone antibiotic
- Furosemide (Lasix)
Loop diuretic
- Gentamicin (Garamycin)
Aminoglycoside antibiotic (high-alert; narrow therapeutic index)
- Glucagon (GlucaGen, Baqsimi, Gvoke)
Hyperglycemic hormone — pancreatic alpha-cell hormone
- Haloperidol (Haldol)
First-generation (typical) antipsychotic — high-potency butyrophenone
- Heparin (unfractionated heparin)
Indirect thrombin inhibitor anticoagulant
- Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, Microzide)
Thiazide diuretic
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
Opioid analgesic (high-alert; full mu-receptor agonist)
- Insulin (regular, NPH, lispro, aspart, glargine, detemir)
Antidiabetic — endogenous and analog insulins
- Levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Tirosint)
Thyroid hormone replacement (synthetic T4)
- Lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril)
ACE inhibitor (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor)
- Lithium carbonate (Lithobid, Eskalith)
Mood stabilizer (high-alert; narrow therapeutic index)
- Losartan (Cozaar)
Angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB)
- Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4)
Electrolyte / anticonvulsant / tocolytic (high-alert in OB)
- MAOIs (phenelzine, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid, selegiline)
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor — antidepressant
- Metformin (Glucophage, Fortamet)
Biguanide antihyperglycemic
- Methotrexate (Trexall, Otrexup, Rasuvo)
Antimetabolite — folic acid antagonist (high-alert)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL)
Beta-1 selective adrenergic blocker (cardioselective)
- Morphine (Astramorph, Duramorph, MS Contin)
Opioid analgesic (high-alert; full mu-receptor agonist)
- Naloxone (Narcan, Kloxxado)
Opioid receptor antagonist (antidote)
- Nitroglycerin (NTG, Nitrostat, Nitro-Bid)
Organic nitrate vasodilator
- Penicillins (penicillin G/V, amoxicillin, ampicillin, piperacillin)
Beta-lactam antibiotic — penicillin class
- Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Anticonvulsant (high-alert; narrow therapeutic index)
- Potassium chloride (KCl, K-Dur, Klor-Con)
Electrolyte replacement (high-alert as IV preparation)
- Proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, pantoprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole)
Proton pump inhibitor — gastric acid suppressant
- Risperidone (Risperdal)
Second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic
- Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
Direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) — factor Xa inhibitor
- Spironolactone (Aldactone, CaroSpir)
Potassium-sparing diuretic / aldosterone antagonist
- SSRIs (sertraline, fluoxetine, escitalopram, paroxetine, citalopram)
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor — antidepressant / anxiolytic
- Sulfonamides / TMP-SMX (Bactrim, Septra)
Sulfonamide antibiotic — folate synthesis inhibitor
- Tetracyclines (doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline)
Tetracycline antibiotic
- Theophylline (Theo-24, Theochron)
Methylxanthine bronchodilator (high-alert; narrow therapeutic index)
- Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, nortriptyline, imipramine, clomipramine, doxepin)
Tricyclic antidepressant
- Vancomycin (Vancocin)
Glycopeptide antibiotic (high-alert)
- Warfarin (Coumadin)
Vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant
What's in a card
Built for the way nurses actually study
Every card answers the same nine questions — the ones the NCLEX tests, in the order a clinical reasoner asks them.
Mechanism
What the drug does in the body, in plain language.
Adverse effects
Life-threatening and NCLEX-tested first.
Side effects
Common, what to teach patients.
Interactions
Foods, drugs, timing — what to avoid, what to take with.
Nursing implications
Assessment, monitoring, patient teaching.
When to hold
Specific values and signs that mean stop and call.
Memory anchor
Mnemonic or clinical pattern that makes it stick.
Drug class
Where it fits in the wider pharmacology map.
Disclaimer
Always — educational use only.
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