“PEEK STaT”
P – Penicillins
E – Erythromycins
E – Aminoglycosides
K – Kefalosporins
S – Sulfonamides
T – Tetracyclines
a – Amphenicols
T – Trimethoprim
You can remember this mnemonic by thinking of “peeking” at the different classes of antibiotics.
- “My Dear Captain, Please Come And Save My Queen”
Each capitalized letter corresponds to the first letter of a different class of antibiotics:
- M: Macrolides
- D: Tetracyclines
- C: Cephalosporins
- P: Penicillins
- C: Carbapenems
- A: Aminoglycosides
- S: Sulfonamides
- M: Monobactams
- Q: Quinolones
“PEEK AT BacT”
P – Penicillins
E – Erythromycins (macrolides)
E – Aminoglycosides
K – Kefalosporins
A – Tetracyclines
T – Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (Sulfa drugs)
B – Bacitracin
T – Vancomycin
PEBKAS”
- Penicillins
- Erythromycins
- Bacitracin
- Kanamycin
- Aminoglycosides
- Sulfonamides
You can use this mnemonic by associating each letter with the first letter of the antibiotic class. For example, “P” stands for penicillins, “E” stands for erythromycins, and so on.
“My Dear PAPA, Claudia Has Some Money”
M – Macrolides
D – Tetracyclines
P – Penicillins
A – Aminoglycosides
P – Polypeptides
A – Antifolate agents (Sulfonamides, Trimethoprim)
C – Cephalosporins
H – Carbapenems
S – Quinolones
M – Monobactams
You can use this mnemonic to help you remember the classes of antibiotics based on the first letter of each word.
PEEK-TB”
- Penicillins
- Erythromycin and Macrolides
- Aminoglycosides
- Cephalosporins
- Tetracyclines
- Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX)
- Beta-lactams (including carbapenems and monobactams)
some mnemonics for side effects of antibiotics:
- “MACROLIDES”:
- M: Motility issues (e.g. diarrhea)
- A: Arrhythmias
- C: Cholestatic hepatitis
- R: Rash
- O: Ototoxicity
- L: Liver toxicity
- I: Interactions (e.g. with statins)
- D: Eosinophilia
- E: Embryotoxicity
- S: Superinfection (e.g. with Clostridium difficile)
- “PENICILLINS”:
- P: Pseudomembranous colitis
- E: Electrolyte imbalances (e.g. hyperkalemia)
- N: Nephritis (e.g. interstitial nephritis)
- I: Itching
- C: Cholestatic hepatitis
- I: Increased bleeding time
- L: Leukopenia
- L: Laryngeal edema
- I: Interstitial nephritis
- N: Neurotoxicity
- S: Superinfection (e.g. with Candida or MRSA)
- “FLUOROQUINOLONES”:
- F: Flu-like symptoms
- L: Liver toxicity
- U: Upper GI symptoms (e.g. nausea, vomiting)
- O: Ototoxicity
- R: Renal toxicity
- O: Orthopedic problems (e.g. tendon rupture)
- Q: QT interval prolongation
- U: Upset stomach
- I: Interactions (e.g. with antacids)
- N: Neuropathy
- O: Ophthalmologic effects (e.g. phototoxicity)
- L: Leukopenia
- O: Oral thrush
- N: Nervousness
- E: Eosinophilia
- S: Superinfection (e.g. with Candida or MRSA)