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One of the difficulties with the use of tall man letters includes inconsistent application in health settings and lack of standardization
regarding which letters to present in uppercase. A new study by
Gerrett4 describes several ways to determine which of the dissimilar
letters in each drug name should be highlighted. To promote standardi-
Table 1. FDA-Approved List of Generic Drug Names with Tall Man Letters
Confused with
acetoHEXAMIDE
acetaZOLAMIDE
busPIRone
buPROPion
chlorproPAMIDE
chlorproMAZINE
clomiPRAMINE
clomiPHENE
cycloSPORINE
cycloSERINE
DOXOrubicin
diphenhydrAMINE
dimenhyDRINATE
DOPamine
DOBUTamine
continued on next page
ISMP 2011. Permission is granted to reproduce material for internal newsletters or communications with proper attribution. Other reproduction is prohibited
without written permission from ISMP. Report actual and potential medication errors to the Medication Errors Reporting Program (MERP) via the Web at
www.ismp.org or by calling 1-800-FAIL-SAF(E).
www.ismp.org
Confused with
DAUNOrubicin
glyBURIDE
glipiZIDE
hydrOXYzine
hydrALAZINE
methylPREDNISolone - methylTESTOSTERone
medroxyPROGESTERone - methylTESTOSTERone
medroxyPROGESTERone - methylPREDNISolone
NIFEdipine
niCARdipine
predniSONE
prednisoLONE
sulfiSOXAZOLE
sulfADIAZINE
TOLBUTamide
TOLAZamide
vinCRIStine
vinBLAStine
Table 2. ISMP List of Additional Drug Names with Tall Man Letters
Confused with
LORazepam
amLODIPine
aMILoride
RABEprazole
INVanz*
azaTHIOprine
azaCITIDine
OXcarbazepine
CISplatin
cefoTEtan cefOXitin cefTAZidime cefTRIAXone
ceFAZolin cefOXitin cefTAZidime cefTRIAXone
ceFAZolin cefoTEtan cefTAZidime cefTRIAXone
ceFAZolin cefoTEtan cefOXitin cefTRIAXone
ceFAZolin - cefoTEtan cefOXitin cefTAZidime
CeleXA*
CeleBREX*
chlorproMAZINE
chlordiazePOXIDE
CARBOplatin
cloNIDine cloZAPine LORazepam
* Brand names always start with an uppercase letter. Some brand names incorporate tall man letters in initial characters
and may not be readily recognized as brand names. An asterisk follows all brand names in Table 2.
ISMP 2011. Permission is granted to reproduce material for internal newsletters or communications with proper attribution. Other reproduction is prohibited
without written permission from ISMP. Report actual and potential medication errors to the Medication Errors Reporting Program (MERP) via the Web at
www.ismp.org or by calling 1-800-FAIL-SAF(E).
www.ismp.org
Confused with
clonazePAM cloZAPine - KlonoPIN*
clonazePAM - cloNIDine
DAPTOmycin
DACTINomycin
PACLitaxel
IDArubicin
FLUoxetine PARoxetine
EPINEPHrine
ePHEDrine
SUFentanil
fluvoxaMINE
DULoxetine PARoxetine
fluvoxaMINE
fluPHENAZine - flavoxATE
guanFACINE
guaiFENesin
HumuLIN*
HumaLOG*
oxyCODONE
morphine
DOXOrubicin
riTUXimab
AVINza*
tretinoin
cloNIDine
LamISIL*
LaMICtal*
lamoTRIgine
lamiVUDine
levOCARNitine
levETIRAcetam
ALPRAZolam clonazePAM
metroNIDAZOLE
metFORMIN
mitoXANtrone
mitoMYcin
NexIUM*
NexAVAR*
niMODipine NIFEdipine
niMODipine niCARdipine
NIFEdipine niCARdipine
NovoLOG*
* Brand names always start with an uppercase letter. Some brand names incorporate tall man letters in initial characters
and may not be readily recognized as brand names. An asterisk follows all brand names in Table 2.
ISMP 2011. Permission is granted to reproduce material for internal newsletters or communications with proper attribution. Other reproduction is prohibited
without written permission from ISMP. Report actual and potential medication errors to the Medication Errors Reporting Program (MERP) via the Web at
www.ismp.org or by calling 1-800-FAIL-SAF(E).
www.ismp.org
Confused with
NovoLIN*
QUEtiapine
carBAMazepine
HYDROcodone OxyCONTIN*
oxyCODONE
DOCEtaxel
FLUoxetine DULoxetine
PRALAtrexate
PHENobarbital
PENTobarbital
PEMEtrexed
PROzac*
PriLOSEC*
OLANZapine
quiNINE
quiNIDine
ARIPiprazole
rOPINIRole
rOPINIRole
inFLIXimab
romiPLOStim
romiDEPsin
RisperDAL* risperiDONE
SandoSTATIN*
SandIMMUNE*
SINEquan*
SEROquel*
SUMAtriptan
Solu-MEDROL*
Solu-CORTEF*
SUNItinib
fentaNYL
sulfaSALAzine
sulfADIAZINE
sitaGLIPtin ZOLMitriptan
SORAfenib
TRENtal*
tiZANidine
tiaGABine
traZODone
traMADol
* Brand names always start with an uppercase letter. Some brand names incorporate tall man letters in initial characters
and may not be readily recognized as brand names. An asterisk follows all brand names in Table 2.
ISMP 2011. Permission is granted to reproduce material for internal newsletters or communications with proper attribution. Other reproduction is prohibited
without written permission from ISMP. Report actual and potential medication errors to the Medication Errors Reporting Program (MERP) via the Web at
www.ismp.org or by calling 1-800-FAIL-SAF(E).
www.ismp.org
Confused with
TEGretol*
valGANciclovir
valACYclovir
SUMAtriptan
ZyrTEC*
ZyPREXA*
* Brand names always start with an uppercase letter. Some brand names incorporate tall man letters in initial characters
and may not be readily recognized as brand names. An asterisk follows all brand names in Table 2.
ISMP 2011. Permission is granted to reproduce material for internal newsletters or communications with proper attribution. Other reproduction is prohibited
without written permission from ISMP. Report actual and potential medication errors to the Medication Errors Reporting Program (MERP) via the Web at
www.ismp.org or by calling 1-800-FAIL-SAF(E).
www.ismp.org