What is the suffix rule for identifying cardiovascular drug classes?

Cardiovascular drug suffixes are a reliable way to identify drug classes on exams. ACE inhibitors end in "pril" such as lisinopril and enalapril. ARBs end in "sartan" such as losartan and valsartan. Beta blockers end in "olol" such as metoprolol and atenolol. Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers end in "dipine" such as amlodipine and nifedipine. Statin cholesterol drugs end in "statin" such as atorvastatin and rosuvastatin. Learning these suffixes allows you to identify the drug class, mechanism, side effects, and contraindications for any unfamiliar medication name on the exam.