The suffix 'pril' in a drug name indicates which type of medication?

• A. ACE inhibitor
• B. Beta blocker
• C. Calcium channel blocker
• D. Angiotensin receptor blocker

Answer: (D)

The suffix -pril signals an ACE inhibitor. ACE inhibitors block the enzyme that converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II, which reduces vasoconstriction and decreases aldosterone-driven fluid retention. This leads to lower blood pressure and can improve outcomes in conditions like hypertension and heart failure, and they’re used to protect renal function in diabetes. In practice, you might see drugs with this ending such as lisinopril, enalapril, or captopril. Common side effects include a persistent cough from bradykinin buildup and the risk of hyperkalemia; monitor for hypotension, especially after IV administration or in volume-depleted patients. They’re contraindicated in pregnancy and in patients with bilateral renal artery stenosis.

Other drug classes have different endings: beta blockers typically end in -olol, calcium channel blockers in -pine (often) or -amil, and ARBs end in -sartan. That difference in endings is why the -pril suffix specifically points to an ACE inhibitor.