Table 4. Top 50 Most Commonly Prescribed Dermatological Medications* and Their Sound- or Look-Alike Counterparts

                                                           

Dermatological Medications

Sound- or Look-Alike Medications

Minocycline

Doxycycline

Clobetasol

Clotrimazole, Halobetasol

Triamcinolone

Tretinoin, Tetracaine

Doxycycline

Declomycin, Dicloxacillin, Dicyclomine, Doxazosin, Doxepin, Minocycline, Tetracycline

Clindamycin

Clarithromycin, Clinoril®, Gentamicin, Vancomycin

Differin®

N/I

Ketoconazole

Ketoprofen

Fluocinonide

Flunisolide, Fluocinolone, Fluorouracil, Fluticasone

Desonide

Desitin

Benzaclin®

Benzamycin

Hydroxyzine

Hydralazine

Valtrex®

Cephalexin, Divalproex, Keflex®, Urex®, Valcyte®, Zovirax®

Tretinoin

Tenormin®, Triamcinolone

Tetracycline

Doxycycline, Terbinafine, Tetracaine, Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate

Retin-A Micro®

N/I

Solodyn®

N/I

Aldara®

Alora®

Mupirocin

Bacitracin, Cortisporin®, Miacalcin®

Doryx®

N/I

Sotret®

N/I

Desoximetasone

N/I

Metrogel®

Metrogel-Vaginal®

Tazorac®

N/I

Enbrel®

N/I

Finacea®

N/I

Duac®

N/I

Clobex®

N/I

Oracea®

Orencia®

Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzocaine

Metronidazole

Fluconazole, Mebendazole, Meropenem, Metformin, Methocarbamol, Methotrexate, Methylprednisolone sodium succinate, Metoclopramide, Miconazole, Omeprazole, Potassium chloride

Hydrocortisone

Cortisone, Fludrocortisone, Hydralazine, Hydrocodone, Hydrochlorothiazide, Hydroxychloroquine, Prednisone

Propecia®

Prevpac®, Propac

Duac CS®

N/I

Taclonex®

N/I

Econazole

N/I

Protopic®

Protonix®

Elidel®

Elavil®, Elimite®, Emla®

Derma-Smoothe®

N/I

Loprox®

N/I

Halobetasol

Clobetasol

Terbinafine

Terbutaline, Tetracycline, Tolbutamine

Betamethasone

Beclomethasone, Dexamethasone

Ziana®

N/I

Claravis®

N/I

Dovonex®

N/I

Fluconazole

Flucytosine, Fluorouracil, Fluoxetine, Furosemide, Itraconazole, Metronidazole, Phenytoin

Mometasone

Fluticasone

Hydrocortisone Val

N/I

Carac®

Carrasyn

N/I, none identified.

*List of the top 50 most commonly prescribed dermatological medications in descending order of frequency were obtained from Charles W. Stiefel, Stiefel Laboratories, Inc., personal communication, October 14, 2008.

Sound- or look-alike medications data from Cohen [8], Gremillion and Hogan [35], and U.S. Pharmacopeia [36].