Western Governors University (WGU) NURS5204 D027 Advanced Pathopharmacological Foundations Practice Exam

The classification of antibiotics typically includes main groups based on their chemical structure and mechanism of action. Beta-lactams, macrolides, and aminoglycosides all represent established classes of antibiotics. Beta-lactams include penicillins and cephalosporins, known for their cell wall synthesis inhibition; macrolides, such as azithromycin, focus on inhibiting protein synthesis; and aminoglycosides, such as gentamicin, also act on protein synthesis but through a different mechanism.

Streptomycin, while it is indeed an antibiotic, is not recognized as a standalone class but rather falls under the category of aminoglycosides. It is one of the specific drugs within that class rather than a distinct main type of antibiotic. This distinction is why identifying streptomycin as not a main type highlights an understanding of antibiotic classification; it represents a specific drug rather than a broad category.