Common Nursing Home
Drug List 2026 | Long-Term
Care Medications, Drug
Classes, Uses & Nursing
Study Guide | Complete
Ethics Study Guide
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales
Included
,Ativan Lorazepam Benzodiazepine
Short acting
Treat anxiety, sedative, and anticonvulsant
Use in preop, status epilepticus
IM or IV
Contradiction:
COPD, close angle glaucoma, drug abuse, sleep apnea
Watch:
renal/heptic disease, addiction, suicidal, avoid abrupt D/C
Xanax Alprazolam Anxiety, panic disorder, insomnia, alcohol withdrawal
Contradiction:
hepatic disease, obesity, severe pulmonary disease
Give with food/milk,high fat meal decrease absorption
Tab 0.5 mg q 3 days
Seroquel quetiapine antipsychotic
treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic depression)
Lortab combination of Acetaminophen and hydrocodone
Vicodin combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone
Gabapentin anti-epileptic, nerve pain caused by herpes/shingles,
Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
Aricept / donepezil For Dementia patient
to prevent break down of acetylcholine
(important for the processes of memory, thinking, and reasoning)
Lopressor metoprolol Beta-blocker
slowing down the heartbeat
helping the heart beat more regularly
Reducing workload of the heart
Lasix furosemide loop diuretic
prevent salt absorption in the body
Treat fluid retention (edema) with
congestive heart failure, liver disease, or a kidney disorder
Coumadin (warfarin) Anticoagulant (blood thinner). Warfarin reduces the formation of blood clots.
Plavix clopidogrel prevent platelets in your blood from sticking together and forming a blood clot.
used to prevent blood clots after a recent heart attack or stroke
Geodon ziprasidone Antipsychotic medication.
Treat schizophrenia and the manic symptoms of bipolar disorder (manic
depression)
AVOID: heart condition
, Keppra Partial onset seizures in adults and children> 4 yrs old
Tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children >6 yrs old,
Myoclonic seizures in adults and children > 12 yrs old.
klor-con Potassium Chloride Prevent/treat low blood levels of potassium (hypokalemia). as a result of a disease
or from taking certain medicines, or after a prolonged illness with diarrhea or
vomiting.
Buspar buspirone Anti-anxiety such as fear, tension, irritability, dizziness, pounding heartbeat, and
other physical symptoms.
Not an anti-psychotic medication
should not be used for mental illness.
Simavastatin Reduces "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides while increase"good" cholesterol
Also used to lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other heart complications in
people with diabetes, coronary heart disease, or other risk factors.
Oyster Shell Calcium 500
Lithium Treat/ prevent/ lessen intensity of the manic episodes of Bipolar disorder.
Symptoms include hyperactivity, rushed speech, poor judgment, reduced need for
sleep, aggression, and anger.
Lyrica pregabalin Anti-epileptic drug, nerve pain
Used to control seizures and to treat fibromyalgia.
Also used to treat pain caused by nerve damage in people with diabetes (diabetic
neuropathy), herpes zoster (post-herpetic neuralgia, or neuropathic pain associated
with spinal cord injury.
Omeprazole Prilosec, Zegerid Proton pump inhibitors.
Help decreases acid produced in the stomach.
Treat symptoms (GERD) and other conditions caused by excess stomach acid.
Also used to promote healing of erosive esophagitis (damage to your esophagus
caused by stomach acid).
Omeprazole + antibiotics
Treat gastric ulcer caused by infection (H. pylori).
Zantac Ranitidine Histamine-2 blockers.
Reducing acid production in stomach.
Treat and prevent ulcers in the stomach and intestines.
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, (GERD) and other conditions in which cause acid backs
up from the stomach into the esophagus, causing heartburn.
Nexium esomeprazole Proton pump inhibitor
Treat GERD and other conditions involving excessive stomach acid such as
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Also used to promote healing of erosive esophagitis (damage to your esophagus
caused by stomach acid).
Prevent gastric ulcer caused by infection (H. pylori), or (NSAIDs).
Synthroid levothyroxine Replacement for thyroid hormone to regulate the body's energy and metabolism.
Treats hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone), treat or prevent goiter (enlarged
thyroid gland), which can be caused by hormone imbalances, radiation treatment,
surgery, or cancer.
Drug List 2026 | Long-Term
Care Medications, Drug
Classes, Uses & Nursing
Study Guide | Complete
Ethics Study Guide
Updated 2026 Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep and Comprehensive
Rationales
Included
,Ativan Lorazepam Benzodiazepine
Short acting
Treat anxiety, sedative, and anticonvulsant
Use in preop, status epilepticus
IM or IV
Contradiction:
COPD, close angle glaucoma, drug abuse, sleep apnea
Watch:
renal/heptic disease, addiction, suicidal, avoid abrupt D/C
Xanax Alprazolam Anxiety, panic disorder, insomnia, alcohol withdrawal
Contradiction:
hepatic disease, obesity, severe pulmonary disease
Give with food/milk,high fat meal decrease absorption
Tab 0.5 mg q 3 days
Seroquel quetiapine antipsychotic
treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic depression)
Lortab combination of Acetaminophen and hydrocodone
Vicodin combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone
Gabapentin anti-epileptic, nerve pain caused by herpes/shingles,
Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
Aricept / donepezil For Dementia patient
to prevent break down of acetylcholine
(important for the processes of memory, thinking, and reasoning)
Lopressor metoprolol Beta-blocker
slowing down the heartbeat
helping the heart beat more regularly
Reducing workload of the heart
Lasix furosemide loop diuretic
prevent salt absorption in the body
Treat fluid retention (edema) with
congestive heart failure, liver disease, or a kidney disorder
Coumadin (warfarin) Anticoagulant (blood thinner). Warfarin reduces the formation of blood clots.
Plavix clopidogrel prevent platelets in your blood from sticking together and forming a blood clot.
used to prevent blood clots after a recent heart attack or stroke
Geodon ziprasidone Antipsychotic medication.
Treat schizophrenia and the manic symptoms of bipolar disorder (manic
depression)
AVOID: heart condition
, Keppra Partial onset seizures in adults and children> 4 yrs old
Tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children >6 yrs old,
Myoclonic seizures in adults and children > 12 yrs old.
klor-con Potassium Chloride Prevent/treat low blood levels of potassium (hypokalemia). as a result of a disease
or from taking certain medicines, or after a prolonged illness with diarrhea or
vomiting.
Buspar buspirone Anti-anxiety such as fear, tension, irritability, dizziness, pounding heartbeat, and
other physical symptoms.
Not an anti-psychotic medication
should not be used for mental illness.
Simavastatin Reduces "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides while increase"good" cholesterol
Also used to lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other heart complications in
people with diabetes, coronary heart disease, or other risk factors.
Oyster Shell Calcium 500
Lithium Treat/ prevent/ lessen intensity of the manic episodes of Bipolar disorder.
Symptoms include hyperactivity, rushed speech, poor judgment, reduced need for
sleep, aggression, and anger.
Lyrica pregabalin Anti-epileptic drug, nerve pain
Used to control seizures and to treat fibromyalgia.
Also used to treat pain caused by nerve damage in people with diabetes (diabetic
neuropathy), herpes zoster (post-herpetic neuralgia, or neuropathic pain associated
with spinal cord injury.
Omeprazole Prilosec, Zegerid Proton pump inhibitors.
Help decreases acid produced in the stomach.
Treat symptoms (GERD) and other conditions caused by excess stomach acid.
Also used to promote healing of erosive esophagitis (damage to your esophagus
caused by stomach acid).
Omeprazole + antibiotics
Treat gastric ulcer caused by infection (H. pylori).
Zantac Ranitidine Histamine-2 blockers.
Reducing acid production in stomach.
Treat and prevent ulcers in the stomach and intestines.
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, (GERD) and other conditions in which cause acid backs
up from the stomach into the esophagus, causing heartburn.
Nexium esomeprazole Proton pump inhibitor
Treat GERD and other conditions involving excessive stomach acid such as
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Also used to promote healing of erosive esophagitis (damage to your esophagus
caused by stomach acid).
Prevent gastric ulcer caused by infection (H. pylori), or (NSAIDs).
Synthroid levothyroxine Replacement for thyroid hormone to regulate the body's energy and metabolism.
Treats hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone), treat or prevent goiter (enlarged
thyroid gland), which can be caused by hormone imbalances, radiation treatment,
surgery, or cancer.
