Healthcare English — Pharmacy Vocabulary 1 AE

The vocabulary of the pharmacy — prescriptions, dispensing, drug interactions, and the clinical language of medication management.

Pharmacy vocabulary in practice

Pharmacy staff are on the front line of medication safety. The vocabulary of the pharmacy — from reading prescriptions to counselling patients on drug interactions — needs to be completely automatic. This exercise covers the key terms used in both community and hospital pharmacy settings.

Ready to practice! Let's go!

Fill in each blank with the correct word from the list:

brand name
controlled substance
dispense
drug interaction
expiry date
formulary
generic
over-the-counter
refill
side effect

1. The patient is asking for Tylenol — that's the for acetaminophen.

2. Check the before dispensing — expired medication should never be given to a patient.

3. The pharmacist identified a potential between the patient's new antibiotic and her existing blood thinner.

4. The prescriber has approved a of the blood pressure medication for 90 days.

5. This medication is a and requires a specific DEA number on the prescription.

6. We can the version of this drug — it's the same active ingredient at a lower cost.

7. This antihistamine is available and does not require a prescription.

8. Nausea is a common of this antibiotic — advise the patient to take it with food.

9. The medication is not on our hospital — we'll need to request a special approval.

10. I'll the prescription now — it will be ready in about fifteen minutes.