By adding prefixes and suffixes to a word root, the meaning of a word is changed. Prefixes in medical terminology. Anticoagulant definition is - a substance that hinders the clotting of blood : blood thinner. Term: pericarditis Definition:inflammation around the heart (muscle) 2. These drug prefixes, roots, and suffixes apply only to generic names. Heparin is an anticoagulant that has a short action of about 12 hours. The following table gives a list of the prefix, root, and suffix for some common medications. By learning to recognize a few of the more commonly used medical prefixes, you can figure out the meanings of terms that may not be immediately familiar to you. This is true of most official generic names such as those we label as [USAN] for United States Adopted Name. Fortunately, generic names tend to follow patterns, with prefixes and suffixes often determining the class of medication. do not confuse with Ante- = before) -ase = suffix denoting enzyme that breaks down a substance Lactase = enzyme that breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose Dehydrogenase = enzyme that catalyses an oxidation reaction A prefix appears at the beginning of a word and generally describes location and intensity. These stems are mostly placed word-finally (suffix), but in some cases, word-initial (prefix) stems are also used. Word root: the meaning or core part of the word. Common Medication Prefixes and Suffixes-azosin Alpha blockers (adrenergic antagonists) doxazosin, prazosin, terazosin-barbital Barbiturates (sedative-hypnotics) amobarbital, pentobarbital, ... -parin Anticoagulant enoxiparin-prazole Proton pump inhibitors (anti-ulcer) lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole-pril ACE inhibitors Medical terms have one or more roots. for around, cardi = root word for heart, and -itis = suffix for inflammation. If you are studying nursing pharmacology, a great way of understanding and memorizing the use and function of medication is to familiarize yourself with its generic name stem. Study Medical Terminology 1 (word roots, prefixes, suffixes and combining forms) flashcards from Judith Dollopac's class online, or in Brainscape's iPhone … How to use anticoagulant in a sentence. The prefix and suffix, in contrast, modify that root. The prefix meaning three, the root meaning sweet, and the suffix meaning having a particular quality form the word: Triglyceride. The best thing to do is know the common suffixes that will give you a hint as to what type of drug classification it is...then answer based off what you know about that specific drug classification. Anticoagulants are drugs that treat blood clots, and help prevent blood clot formation in the veins and arteries. Warfarin is the anticoagulant given for long term treatment. Usually, drugs of the same therapeutic class are given names with the same stem. Drug names used in the NLM Drug Information Portal are structured by committees to reflect the type of condition that the drug is used for. Common side effects of these drugs are bruises, diarrhea, fever, intestinal gas, and headache. Anticoagulant = a drug that prevents the clotting of blood (N.B. These drugs are prescribed to patients to treat and prevent a variety of diseases and conditions (DVT, pulmonary embolism, blood clot during atrial fibrillation). Medical definition of anticoagulation: the process of hindering the clotting of blood; especially : the use of an anticoagulant to prevent the formation of blood clots. The prefix meaning without, the root meaning oxygen, and the suffix meaning pertaining to form the word_____: ... Thrombus and anticoagulant both have roots that refer to blood: clotting.