Side Effects Every Pharmacy Technician Should Know.

Side Effects to Know for the PTCB Exam.

(Updated: December 17, 2025)

Under the Medications knowledge domain, many questions on the PTCB exam ask about side effects. For example, you may be given a side effect and asked which drug or drug class is associated with causing that effect.

Understanding side effects is also critical in real-world pharmacy practice. As a pharmacy technician, you will regularly interact with patients who have questions or concerns about the drugs they’ve been prescribed. Technicians are expected to have a solid working knowledge of common side effects so they can recognize issues, provide accurate information, and know when to refer patients to the pharmacist. Equally important is familiarity with the medical terminology used to describe these effects.

For example, many side effects are built from common medical prefixes and suffixes. The prefix hypo- means “below the normal range,” while hyper- means “above the normal range.” Using these terms, hypotension refers to low blood pressure, whereas hypertension refers to high blood pressure.

Taking the time to study these prefixes, suffixes, and root words — and linking them to the relevant medication side effects — will make complex terminology easier to understand and help you retain high-yield information for both the exam and everyday pharmacy practice.

When reviewing our PTCB side effects table below, always keep these factors in mind. Over time, you will become accustomed toward learning what a word means just by knowing its prefix or suffix (such as hypo and hyper etc.).

Is it a side effect or an adverse effect?

For the PTCB exam and in pharmacy practice, it is important to know the difference between a side effect and an adverse effect, as the terms are related but not interchangeable.

A side effect is a known, predictable effect of a medication that occurs at normal therapeutic doses. Side effects are often mild to moderate and may or may not require medical intervention. Common examples include drowsiness with antihistamines, nausea with opioids, or dry mouth with anticholinergic drugs. These effects are typically listed in drug references and are expected as part of how the drug works in the body.

An adverse effect, on the other hand, is an unintended, harmful reaction to a drug that can be serious, unexpected, or dangerous. Adverse effects may occur at therapeutic doses and often require prompt medical attention or discontinuation of the drug. Examples include anaphylaxis with penicillins, severe bleeding with certain medications, or liver toxicity with high-risk drugs such as acetaminophen. Adverse effects are a key focus of medication safety and monitoring.

For pharmacy technicians, recognizing the difference helps identify when a patient’s symptoms are expected and when they represent a potential medical emergency that must be referred immediately to the pharmacist.

How do I know whether to learn a side effect or not for the PTCB exam?

Unfortunately, there is no specific guide or side effect list to memorize!

At best, pharmacy technicians are required to know the major side effects (and adverse effects), but a good rule of thumb is to limit your study to the top 200 medicines. Remember, many of these drugs are grouped by class – so you can learn side effects by class rather than by individual drugs.

This makes learning about side effects far simpler, and more organized.

In theory and practice, all drugs can cause “nausea and vomiting”. Learning this side effects is therefore largely redundant. Instead, learn specific and memorable side effects that are distinct.

For instance:

• Muscle damage and aches with statins.
• Weight loss with metformin (most oral antidiabetic drugs cause weight gain).
• Tendon damage and rupture with fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs.
• Ankle swelling with calcium channel blockers (such as amlodipine, nifedipine).
• Hyperkalemia (elevated potassium levels) with many diuretic drugs.

With this framework in mind, it can help guide and focus your study to the side effects worth knowing for the PTCB exam. You can also access our online course that is tailored toward all major side effects to know (which we also have in flashcard form!).

PTCB Side Effects Review.

Remember – for the PTCB exam, pharmacy technicians are not required to learn all side effects and adverse effects. But you are required to be familiar with the most common and serious effects of the most dispensed medicines.

That’s the focus of our PTCB side effects table, below. We have assembled many of the key side effects that pharmacy technicians should specifically know for the exam. Review this table at regular intervals to ensure that you keep these side effects in mind.

Whilst not all may stick, enough will stick to provide a substantial boost to your PTCB exam success.

Drug / Drug Class	Side Effects
Tetracyclines Minocycline Tetracycline	Enamel hypoplasia Photosensitivity Tooth discoloration
Fluoroquinolones Ciprofloxacin Moxifloxacin Levofloxacin	Tendon damage / rupture QT prolongation (increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias) Increased risk of seizures GI upset
Macrolides Clarithromycin Erythromycin Azithromycin	GI upset QT prolongation Ototoxicity (hearing damage, at high doses)
Penicillins Ampicillin Amoxicillin Flucloxacillin Piperacillin	Hypersensitivity reactions
Warfarin Heparin	Increased risk of bleeding
Corticosteroids Prednisolone Dexamethasone	Weight gain Increased risk of infection Diabetes mellitus Osteoporosis
Beta-2 agonists Albuterol Salmeterol	Tachycardia Palpitations Anxiety Tremor
Beta-blockers Metoprolol Bisoprolol Atenolol	Vivid dreams / nightmares Hypoglycemia Cold extremities Impotence (in men)
Calcium channel blockers Nifedipine Amlodipine Verapamil Diltiazem	Constipation (particularly with verapamil) Ankle swelling Gum overgrowth Flushing Palpitations
Nitrates	Hypotension Flushing Headache Light-headedness
PDE5 inhibitors Sildenafil Tadalafil Vardenafil	Hypotension Headache Flushing Nasal congestion
Benzodiazepines Midazolam Diazepam Oxazepam	Drowsiness Sedation Risk of tolerance and dependence
Aspirin	Reye syndrome (in children with a viral infection) Tinnitus (at high doses) Bronchospasm GI irritation / risk of bleeding
Opioid analgesics Tramadol Codeine Morphine Meperidine	Constipation Miosis Nausea Dizziness Respiratory depression
Proton-pump inhibitors Esomeprazole Omeprazole Pantoprazole Lansoprazole Rabeprazole	Hypomagnesemia (long-term use) Headache Gastrointestinal disturbances Vitamin B12 deficiency (long-term use) Fractures (in the elderly)
Prostaglandin Eye Drops Bimatoprost Latanoprost	Blurred vision Conjunctival reddening Permanent eye color change
Metronidazole Antibacterial drug	Gastrointestinal upset Hypersensitivity reactions Taste disturbances
Metformin Drug used for type 2 diabetes	Lactic acidosis GI upset Weight loss Metallic taste
Methotrexate	Mouth ulcers Bone marrow suppression Pulmonary fibrosis
Allopurinol Drug used to treat gout	Skin rash
SSRI Antidepressants Paroxetine Fluoxetine Sertraline Fluvoxamine	GI upset Weight disturbances Increased risk of bleeding Serotonin syndrome Suicidal ideation Hyponatremia
ACE inhibitors	Hyperkalemia (elevated potassium levels) Persistent, dry cough Hypotension
Spironolactone	Hyperkalemia Gynecomastia
Loop diuretics Furosemide Bumetanide	Hypotension Hyperkalemia Dehydration Low electrolyte state Hearing loss / tinnitus Increased risk of gout
Antipsychotic drugs Olanzapine Haloperidol Chlorpromazine Risperidone Aripiprazole Quetiapine Clozapine	Extrapyramidal effects (movement disorders) Sedation Weight gain Lipid abnormalities Increased risk of diabetes QT interval prolongation Sexual dysfunction Agranulocytosis (particularly clozapine)
Carbamazepine Antiepileptic drug	GI upset Dizziness Ataxia Hyponatremia
Cephalosporins Ceftriaxone Ceftazidime Cefoperazone	GI upset Antibiotic-associated colitis Increased risk of seizures Hypersensitivity reactions
Clopidogrel Antiplatelet drug	Increased risk of bleeding GI upset Thrombocytopenia
H2 receptor antagonists Famotidine	Bowel disturbances Headache Dizziness
H1 receptor antagonists First Generation Cyclizine Promethazine	Sedation Dizziness GI upset
Insulin	Hypoglycemia
Laxatives Lactulose Senna Bisacodyl	Abdominal pain/cramps Diarrhea Flatulence
Nitrofurantoin Drug used for UTIs	Brown urine GI upset Hypersensitivity reactions Peripheral neuropathy
Phenazopyridine	Orange urine
NSAIDs Naproxen Ibuprofen Etoricoxib Aspirin	Increased risk of bleeding Increased risk of CV events Hypersensitivity reactions Fluid retention
Estrogens / Progestogens	Irregular bleeding Mood disturbances Venous thromboembolism Increased risk of cervical cancer Increased risk of breast cancer
Oxygen	Discomfort from mask use Dry throat
Phenytoin Antiepileptic drug	Gum overgrowth Nystagmus Hematological disorders Hypersensitivity reactions Skin coarsening Excessive hair growth
Quinine Antimalarial drug	Tinnitus Deafness Cinchonism Hypoglycemia Blindness
Statins Simvastatin Atorvastatin Pravastatin Lovastatin	Headache GI disturbances Muscle pain / myopathies Rhabdomyolysis Elevated liver enzymes Increased risk of diabetes
Sulfonylureas Gliclazide	GI upset Hypoglycemia
Thiazolidinediones Pioglitazone	Increased risk of bladder cancer Edema Dizziness Headache Hypoglycemia Bone fractures Anemia
Levothyroxine	GI disturbances Palpitations Arrhythmias Tremor Insomnia
Trimethoprim Antifolate antibacterial drug	GI upset Skin rash Hyperkalemia Megaloblastic anemia
Valproate Antiepileptic drug	Gastrointestinal disturbances Tremor Behavioral disturbances Hair loss Pancreatitis Thrombocytopenia
Vancomycin	‘Red man syndrome’ (Vancomycin Flushing Syndrome) Ototoxicity Nephrotoxicity Thrombophlebitis Neutropenia
Aminoglycosides Gentamicin Amikacin	Ototoxicity Nephrotoxicity
Z-drugs Zopiclone Zolpidem Zaleplon	Daytime sleepiness Rebound insomnia CNS effects: confusion GI disturbances Taste disturbances
5-alpha reductase inhibitors Finasteride Dutasteride	Impotence Reduced libido Gynecomastia
Bisphosphonates Alendronic acid Pamidronate Zoledronic acid	Esophagitis Hypophosphatemia Osteonecrosis of the jaw Atypical femoral fracture

PTCB Exam-Style Side Effect Questions.

Q1. Which of these drugs is associated with causing a persistent, dry cough?

a. Nitroglycerin

b. Atorvastatin

c. Amlodipine

d. Ramipril

Q2. Which drug class can cause bronchospasm in patients with asthma?

a. Beta blockers

b. Benzodiazepines

c. Alpha blockers

d. Triptans

Q3. Which antibacterial drug class causes side effects such as tooth discoloration and photosensitivity?

a. Penicillins

b. Macrolides

c. Tetracyclines

d. Fluoroquinolones

Q4. All the following side effects are associated with PDE5 inhibitors, such as sildenafil, except which?

a. Headache

b. Facial flushing

c. Nasal congestion

d. Hypertension

Q5. A patient taking spironolactone reports to you that they have been recently diagnosed with hyperkalemia. What condition does this diagnosis indicate?

a. High magnesium levels

b. High phosphate levels

c. High potassium levels

d. High red blood cell count

Answer Key.

Answer to Question 1: d) Ramipril

Ramipril is an example of an ACE inhibitor; drugs used in the treatment of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure). ACE inhibitors are well-known to cause a persistent, dry cough in patients.

Answer to Question 2: a) Beta blockers

Beta blockers are contraindicated in patients with asthma because they can cause bronchoconstriction (narrowing of the airways, making it more difficult to breathe). Examples of beta blockers include bisoprolol and nebivolol.

Answer to Question 3: c) Tetracyclines

Tetracyclines are antibacterial drugs well-known to cause tooth discoloration (and enamel undergrowth) as well as photosensitivity (increasing the risk of skin rash and sunburn). Examples of tetracyclines include doxycycline, tetracycline, and minocycline.

Answer to Question 4: d) Hypertension

PDE5 inhibitors, such as sildenafil and vardenafil, are drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction. But they can also be used to treat pulmonary hypertension, where they can reduce blood pressure in the lungs. PDE5 inhibitors are therefore associated strongly with hypotension, and do not cause hypertension.

Answer to Question 5: c) High potassium levels

Some diuretics – such as spironolactone and loop diuretics – cause high blood potassium, also known as hyperkalemia. Diuretics can be used to lower blood pressure and to assist patients diagnosed with heart failure, making it easier for the heart to pump blood throughout the body (by removing excess water from the body).

Final Thoughts.

Understanding side effects is a vital part of preparing for the PTCB exam and for working safely and effectively as a pharmacy technician. Many questions are asked on side effects, so technicians must be fully prepared.

Side effects are also frequently tested because they reflect real-world responsibilities technicians encounter every day in the pharmacy. Being able to recognize common and high-risk side effects allows you to support the pharmacist, answer routine patient questions appropriately, and identify situations that require escalation.

As we learned, pharmacy technicians should focus their study on the most dispensed medicines (ideally, the top 200 drugs), and where possible, to connect side effects with medical prefixes, suffixes, and root words. This approach not only makes memorization easier but also helps you interpret unfamiliar terms on the exam.

Hope you found today’s article helpful on side effects to know for the PTCB exam! Check back to our blog soon for more exclusive, tailored content to help you study and pass your pharmacy technician exam.