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Medicines Beginning With A
42 medicines in the Drug Guide begin with the letter A. Every name links to a plain-language page covering what the medicine is for, its common side effects, its major cautions and — for most — a kidney note.
A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z
| Medicine | Brand names | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Acarbose | Precose | Type 2 diabetes; Slowing carbohydrate absorption after meals |
| Acetaminophen | Tylenol | Pain relief; Fever reduction |
| Acetazolamide | Diamox | Altitude sickness prevention; Glaucoma |
| Acetylcysteine | Mucomyst, Acetadote | Loosening thick lung mucus (inhaled); Treating acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose (by vein or mouth, in hospital) |
| Acyclovir | Zovirax | Genital herpes and cold sores; Shingles |
| Adalimumab | Humira | Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune arthritis types; Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis |
| Adenosine | Adenocard | Stopping certain very fast heart rhythms in emergency settings; Used in hospital stress testing of the heart (a related form) |
| Albendazole | Albenza | Worm infections of the gut; Parasite cysts in the liver and brain (with specialist care) |
| Albuterol | ProAir, Ventolin, Proventil | Asthma attacks and flare-ups; COPD flare-ups |
| Alendronate | Fosamax | Osteoporosis in women and men; Bone loss from steroid treatment |
| Alfuzosin | Uroxatral | Urinary symptoms from an enlarged prostate; Improving urinary flow in benign prostatic hyperplasia |
| Alirocumab | Praluent | High cholesterol, including inherited very high cholesterol; Reducing heart attack and stroke risk in heart disease |
| Allopurinol | Zyloprim | Preventing gout attacks; Preventing uric acid kidney stones |
| Alogliptin | Nesina | Type 2 diabetes; Used alone or combined with other diabetes medicines |
| Alprazolam | Xanax | Anxiety disorders; Panic disorder |
| Alteplase | Activase, Cathflo | Dissolving clots causing a stroke, heart attack, or lung clot (hospital); Clearing blocked central line catheters |
| Aluminum hydroxide | Amphojel | Heartburn and acid indigestion; Binding phosphate in chronic kidney disease (limited, specialist-led use) |
| Amantadine | Gocovri, Symmetrel | Parkinson disease, including reducing levodopa-related involuntary movements; Drug-induced movement side effects |
| Amikacin | Amikin | Serious hospital infections resistant to gentamicin; Certain mycobacterial infections |
| Amiloride | Midamor | Preventing potassium loss from other water pills; High blood pressure, usually in combinations |
| Amiodarone | Pacerone, Cordarone | Serious abnormal heart rhythms; Atrial fibrillation |
| Amitriptyline | Elavil | Depression; Nerve pain |
| Amlodipine | Norvasc | High blood pressure; Chest pain (angina) |
| Amoxicillin | Amoxil | Ear, nose, and throat infections; Strep throat |
| Amoxicillin-clavulanate | Augmentin | Sinus infections; Ear infections |
| Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine | Adderall | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); Narcolepsy |
| Amphotericin B | Fungizone, AmBisome | Life-threatening body-wide fungal infections; Fungal meningitis |
| Ampicillin | Principen | Urinary tract infections; Meningitis (hospital) |
| Anastrozole | Arimidex | Breast cancer treatment in postmenopausal women; Reducing recurrence after early breast cancer treatment |
| Antithymocyte globulin | Thymoglobulin | Preventing rejection after kidney transplant; Treating acute transplant rejection |
| Apixaban | Eliquis | Preventing stroke in atrial fibrillation; Treating and preventing blood clots in legs and lungs |
| Aprepitant | Emend | Preventing nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy; Preventing nausea after surgery |
| Aripiprazole | Abilify | Schizophrenia; Bipolar disorder |
| Aspirin | Bayer, Ecotrin | Preventing heart attack and stroke; Pain and fever relief |
| Atenolol | Tenormin | High blood pressure; Chest pain (angina) |
| Atomoxetine | Strattera | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); ADHD in patients who cannot take stimulants |
| Atorvastatin | Lipitor | High cholesterol; Reducing risk of heart attack and stroke |
| Azathioprine | Imuran | Preventing organ rejection after kidney transplant; Rheumatoid arthritis |
| Azelastine | Astelin, Astepro | Seasonal and year-round nasal allergies; Allergic eye itching (eye drop form) |
| Azilsartan | Edarbi | High blood pressure; Used alone or combined with other blood pressure medicines in combination products |
| Azithromycin | Zithromax | Pneumonia; Bronchitis and sinus infections |
| Aztreonam | Azactam | Serious infections from gram-negative bacteria; Infections in people with serious penicillin allergy |
Please note: This page is a patient-education summary, not medical advice, and it deliberately contains no doses. Medicines affect everyone differently — always follow your own prescription and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.