Drug of Choice for 50 Common Diseases

A “drug of choice” is the specific medication that has most effectiveness and is preferred for treating a specific disease or condition based on clinical guidelines, patient response, safety, and effectiveness.

drug of choice pdf

Here is a table of drug of choice for 50 common diseases and conditions:

Disease/Condition	Drug of Choice
1. Hypertension (Essential)	Lisinopril (ACE inhibitor)
2. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus	Metformin
3. Acute Streptococcal Pharyngitis	Penicillin or Amoxicillin
4. Tuberculosis	Rifampin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Ethambutol (RIPE regimen)
5. Asthma (Acute Exacerbation)	Albuterol (Beta-agonist)
6. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)	Tiotropium (Anticholinergic)
7. Acute Myocardial Infarction	Aspirin + Clopidogrel + Heparin
8. Stroke (Ischemic)	Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA)
9. Sepsis	Broad-spectrum antibiotics (e.g., Piperacillin-Tazobactam, Ceftriaxone)
10. Pneumonia (Community-acquired)	Amoxicillin or Azithromycin
11. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)	Nitrofurantoin or Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
12. Acute Sinusitis	Amoxicillin-Clavulanate
13. Hyperthyroidism (Graves’ Disease)	Methimazole or Propylthiouracil
14. Hypothyroidism	Levothyroxine
15. Rheumatoid Arthritis	Methotrexate
16. Osteoarthritis	Acetaminophen or NSAIDs
17. Gout	Allopurinol or Colchicine
18. Migraine Headache	Sumatriptan (Triptan class)
19. Epilepsy (Generalized Seizures)	Valproate or Lamotrigine
20. Schizophrenia	Olanzapine or Risperidone
21. Depression	Sertraline or Escitalopram
22. Generalized Anxiety Disorder	Sertraline or Paroxetine
23. Bipolar Disorder (Acute Mania)	Lithium or Valproate
24. Insomnia	Zolpidem or Melatonin
25. Psoriasis	Topical corticosteroids or Methotrexate
26. Acne	Benzoyl Peroxide or Topical Retinoids
27. Contact Dermatitis	Topical corticosteroids
28. Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)	Topical corticosteroids
29. Allergic Rhinitis	Antihistamines (e.g., Cetirizine)
30. Rheumatic Fever	Penicillin
31. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)	Hydroxychloroquine
32. Hepatitis B	Tenofovir or Entecavir
33. Hepatitis C	Direct-acting antivirals (e.g., Sofosbuvir)
34. HIV/AIDS	ART regimen (e.g., Tenofovir, Emtricitabine, Efavirenz)
35. Candidiasis (Oral)	Fluconazole
36. Trichomoniasis	Metronidazole
37. Chlamydia Infection	Azithromycin or Doxycycline
38. Gonorrhea	Ceftriaxone + Azithromycin
39. Syphilis	Penicillin
40. Malaria	Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT)
41. Leprosy	Rifampin + Dapsone + Clofazimine
42. Influenza	Oseltamivir
43. Chickenpox (Varicella)	Acyclovir
44. Dengue Fever	Supportive care (no specific antiviral)
45. Meningitis (Bacterial)	Ceftriaxone or Cefotaxime + Vancomycin
46. Hepatic Encephalopathy	Lactulose and Rifaximin
47. Peptic Ulcer Disease (Helicobacter pylori)	Triple therapy (Clarithromycin + Amoxicillin + PPI)
48. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)	Antispasmodics (e.g., Hyoscyamine)
49. Constipation	Fiber supplements or Polyethylene glycol
50. Diarrhea (Acute)	Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS)

These are drugs of choice for different conditions, but individual patient factors (e.g., allergies, comorbidities) may influence the choice of treatment. Thus, always discuss with your health professional for specific drug administration for a specific disease or condition.

 

References & Sources

• UpToDate. (2024). “Treatment of Hypertension.” Retrieved from: https://www.uptodate.com
• American College of Cardiology (ACC). (2024). “Management of Myocardial Infarction.” Retrieved from: https://www.acc.org
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2024). “Treatment Guidelines for HIV.” Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). (2023). “Guidelines for Treatment of Asthma and COPD.” Retrieved from: https://www.nice.org.uk
• World Health Organization (WHO). (2024). “Treatment of Tuberculosis.” Retrieved from: https://www.who.int