Drug Classification Assistant

Drug Classification Assistant

Version: 1.0.0 Type: Domain Knowledge (Suggest) Priority: MEDIUM Status: Active

Purpose

Assists with verifying drug classifications, mechanisms of action (MOA), and treatment designations. Helps distinguish between class-wide and drug-specific information to prevent incorrect groupings in study guides.

When I Activate

I automatically suggest myself when you:

• Question drug classifications
• Ask about mechanisms of action
• Verify first-line designations
• Check drug-of-choice (DOC) status
• Need to distinguish class-wide vs drug-specific info

Trigger Keywords:

• drug class, classification
• MOA, mechanism, mechanism of action
• first-line, second-line, DOC
• class-wide, drug-specific
• pharmacology, therapeutic class

What I Help With

1. Drug Classification Verification

Common Classifications:

By Mechanism:

• Beta-blockers (β-blockers)
• ACE inhibitors
• Calcium channel blockers
• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
• SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs
• Antihistamines (H1, H2)
• Antibiotics (beta-lactams, macrolides, fluoroquinolones)

By Therapeutic Use:

• Antihypertensives
• Antiarrhythmics
• Anticoagulants vs Antiplatelets
• Antidiabetics (oral vs injectable)
• Bronchodilators

By Chemical Structure:

• Penicillins
• Cephalosporins (generations)
• Benzodiazepines
• Opioids

2. Mechanism of Action (MOA) Accuracy

I help verify:

• MOA is stated correctly from source
• MOA is specific to the drug (not generalized)
• MOA differences between drugs in same class
• When to group drugs with IDENTICAL MOA

Common MOA patterns:

Class-wide MOA (OK to group):

• All ACE inhibitors → Block angiotensin-converting enzyme
• All beta-blockers → Block β-adrenergic receptors
• All PPIs → Irreversibly inhibit H+/K+ ATPase

Drug-specific MOA (DO NOT group):

• Carvedilol → Blocks α and β receptors (unique among beta-blockers)
• Amiodarone → Multi-channel blocker (unique mechanism)
• Aspirin → Irreversible COX inhibition (vs reversible NSAIDs)

3. First-Line / Drug-of-Choice Designations

I help verify:

• Source explicitly states "first-line" designation
• Context is clear (first-line for WHAT condition?)
• DOC designation from source (not assumed)
• Alternative agents mentioned in source

Critical Rule: ❌ NEVER assume first-line status ✅ ONLY mark as first-line if source explicitly states it

Examples of proper verification:

✅ Source says: "Metformin is first-line for type 2 diabetes" ✅ Study guide: Mark as first-line

❌ Source says: "Metformin is commonly used for diabetes" ❌ Study guide: Do NOT mark as first-line

4. Class-Wide vs Drug-Specific Information

The most critical distinction for preventing incorrect groupings.

Class-wide information (IDENTICAL across all drugs):

• Shared mechanism of action
• Common side effects (ALL drugs have them)
• Shared contraindications
• Same monitoring requirements

Drug-specific information (DIFFERENT between drugs):

• Unique side effects (only ONE drug has it)
• Specific indications (one drug for specific condition)
• Different dosing
• Unique contraindications

Critical Verification Rule

Before Merging Cells or Grouping Drugs

STOP and verify:

1. Read source for EACH drug individually
2. Check if information is IDENTICAL for all drugs
3. If even ONE drug differs → DO NOT GROUP

Examples:

✅ Safe to group (IDENTICAL information):

All ACE inhibitors:
- MOA: Block ACE enzyme
- Side effect: Dry cough (all have this)
- Contraindication: Pregnancy (all contraindicated)

❌ UNSAFE to group (DIFFERENT information):

Beta-blockers - Cardioselectivity:
- Metoprolol: β1-selective
- Carvedilol: β1 + β2 + α1 (NON-selective)
- Propranolol: β1 + β2 (NON-selective)

→ DO NOT merge cells - they differ!

Common Classification Mistakes

❌ Mistake 1: Assuming Class-Wide Effects

Wrong: "All beta-blockers cause bronchospasm"

Correct: "Non-selective beta-blockers (propranolol, carvedilol) can cause bronchospasm by blocking β2 receptors. Selective β1 blockers (metoprolol) have lower risk."

❌ Mistake 2: Grouping Different Generations

Wrong: "All cephalosporins have same spectrum"

Correct:

• 1st gen: Gram-positive focus
• 2nd gen: Broader gram-negative
• 3rd gen: Excellent gram-negative, cross BBB
• 4th gen: Pseudomonal coverage

→ Each generation = separate row in comparison table

❌ Mistake 3: Merging Unique Indications

Wrong: "All SSRIs treat depression" (merged cell)

Correct:

• Fluoxetine: Depression, OCD, bulimia
• Sertraline: Depression, OCD, PTSD, social anxiety
• Paroxetine: Depression, OCD, panic disorder

→ Different indications = separate cells

❌ Mistake 4: Assuming First-Line Without Source

Wrong: Adding "First-line" marker when source doesn't state it

Correct: Only mark "First-line" if source explicitly says:

• "first-line treatment"
• "drug of choice"
• "preferred initial therapy"

How I Help During Creation

When Creating Comparison Tables

I suggest checking:

1. Before grouping drugs:

   • "Does the source state this information is IDENTICAL for all these drugs?"
   • "Have you verified EACH drug individually?"

2. When marking first-line:

   • "Does the source explicitly state 'first-line' or 'drug of choice'?"
   • "What is the specific indication/condition?"

3. When stating MOA:

   • "Is this MOA stated in the source?"
   • "Is this MOA specific to this drug or shared by the class?"

During Verification

I help validate:

1. Classification accuracy:

   • Drug is in correct therapeutic class
   • Generation/subtype is correct
   • Chemical classification matches source

2. Grouping correctness:

   • Merged cells only contain IDENTICAL information
   • Each drug verified individually
   • No assumptions about class-wide effects

3. Designation accuracy:

   • First-line status confirmed from source
   • DOC designation has source support
   • Alternative agents noted when mentioned

Integration with Other Skills

Works with:

• source-only-enforcer - Ensures all classifications from source
• study-guide-verifier - Validates classification accuracy
• template-compliance-checker - Ensures proper formatting

Workflow:

1. source-only-enforcer → Requires source file validation
2. drug-classification-assistant → Verifies classifications and groupings
3. study-guide-verifier → Final comprehensive check

Common Verification Scenarios

Scenario 1: Creating Drug Comparison Table

Question: "Can I group these 3 ACE inhibitors with identical side effects?"

I help you verify:

1. Read source for EACH of the 3 drugs
2. Check if side effect is listed for ALL 3
3. Verify no drug has unique additional effects
4. If IDENTICAL → Safe to group
5. If ANY difference → Separate cells

Scenario 2: Marking First-Line Drug

Question: "Should I mark metformin as first-line for diabetes?"

I help you verify:

1. Search source for "first-line" or "drug of choice"
2. Check if designation is explicit
3. Verify the specific condition (type 2 diabetes)
4. If source states it → Mark as first-line
5. If source doesn't → Do NOT mark

Scenario 3: Mechanism of Action

Question: "Can I say all beta-blockers work the same way?"

I help you verify:

1. Check if source lists MOA for each drug
2. Identify if any drugs have unique mechanisms
3. Distinguish selective vs non-selective
4. Separate drugs with different MOA profiles
5. Only group if truly IDENTICAL mechanism

Quick Verification Checklist

Before finalizing drug information:

• Classification verified from source (not assumed)
• MOA stated in source (not inferred)
• First-line designation EXPLICIT in source
• Groupings verified (information IDENTICAL for all)
• Each drug checked individually (not just class)
• Unique features highlighted (not grouped)
• Generations/subtypes distinguished
• Therapeutic uses specific to each drug
• Side effects verified for each drug
• Contraindications checked individually

Common Drug Classes Reference

For quick lookup during study guide creation:

Cardiovascular

• Beta-blockers: Selective (metoprolol, atenolol) vs Non-selective (propranolol, carvedilol)
• ACE inhibitors: All end in "-pril" (lisinopril, enalapril, ramipril)
• ARBs: All end in "-sartan" (losartan, valsartan)
• CCBs: Dihydropyridines (-dipine) vs Non-DHP (diltiazem, verapamil)

Antibiotics

• Penicillins: Natural vs Antistaphylococcal vs Aminopenicillins vs Extended-spectrum
• Cephalosporins: 1st gen → 2nd gen → 3rd gen → 4th gen (different spectrums)
• Macrolides: Azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin
• Fluoroquinolones: All end in "-floxacin"

Antidiabetics

• Oral: Metformin, sulfonylureas, DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors
• Injectable: Insulin, GLP-1 agonists

Psychiatric

• SSRIs: Fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram
• SNRIs: Venlafaxine, duloxetine
• TCAs: Amitriptyline, nortriptyline, imipramine

Note: Classifications must still be verified from YOUR source file.

When to Consult This Skill

During creation:

• Creating comparison tables (before grouping)
• Marking first-line drugs (verify designation)
• Stating mechanisms (confirm from source)

During verification:

• Checking merged cells (ensure IDENTICAL info)
• Validating classifications (confirm from source)
• Reviewing groupings (each drug verified)

When in doubt:

• ASK: "Does the source explicitly state this?"
• VERIFY: "Have I checked EACH drug individually?"
• SEPARATE: "When in doubt, keep information separate"

Related Documentation

Source Material:

• Always reference YOUR specific source file
• Don't rely on general pharmacology knowledge
• Verify every classification from source

Templates:

• study-guides/templates-and-examples/Excel_Drugs_Chart_11-1_REVISED.txt - Drug chart template
• study-guides/templates-and-examples/HTML_LO_REVISED.txt - HTML drug chart

Other Skills:

• source-only-enforcer - Source-only policy
• study-guide-verifier - Comprehensive verification

Last Updated: 2025-11-19 Activation Type: Suggest (non-blocking) Customization: Modify trigger keywords in .claude/skills/skill-rules.json