Help! Pharmacology final

[LVN2006]

I am in the LVN nursing program. We are about to take our final in pharmacology. This was a short 6 weeks and I can't make my mind work so hard. I am having a hard time figuring out the drug guide. My instructor is saying that we have to know when to give a drug and when not to. If the drug makes the b/p go up or down. I am very confused. I am out of the program if I miss this final. Can anybody suggest what to do? aside from study...

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

I make little riddles out of drug names to remember them. Like with my renal meds...."Take Life Pleasantly And Actively"....(T for Thiazide, L for Loop diaretics, P for Potassium-bearing diuretic, A for ARBs, A for Ace inhibitors. These drugs are commonly used to treat hypertension and CHF. The first 2 cause hypokalemia, the last 3 cause hyperkalemia. Stuff like that is what gets me thru. Most ARBS have the word "sartan" in them, like Valsartan, Losartan, Irbesatran. So I made a word out of that "ARB-Sartan" to remember that. "Prils were Ace Inhibitors. So I made the word "ACEpril". I know its odd, but it worked for me. Good luck. I have my pharmacology final in 2 weeks. Learning the drugs is the absolute hardest part of nursing for me.