When Drugs Became Available
Have you ever been writing some historical fiction and wondered "hey, I wonder if my characters would have been able to pop an ibuprofen in 1977?" Well, you're in luck, because this post is all about when common medications became available:
Albuterol: 1969 (UK) 1982 (US)
Amphetamine/Dextroamphetamine (together as Adderall): 1996
Aspirin (first NSAID): 1899
Azidothymidine (first antiviral): 1987
Barbital (first barbiturate): 1903
Calcium Carbonate (TUMS): 1930
Captopril (first ACE inhibitor): 1981
Chlordiazepoxide (first benzodiazepine): 1960
Chlorothiazide (first thiazide diuretic): 1957
Chlorpromazine (first antipsychotic): 1952
Fluoxetine (first SSRI): 1988
Hydrochlorothiazide: 1959
Ibuprofen: 1969 (UK) 1974 (US)
Insulin: 1923 (though many types of insulins would become available over the next century)
Imipramine (first tricyclic antidepressant): 1959
Iproniazid (first antidepressant (MAOI)): 1952
Levothyroxine: 1927 (though desiccated pork thyroid was used for the same reasons as early as 1890)
Losartan (first ARB): 1995
Lovastatin (first statin): 1987
Naproxen: 1976 (Rx) 1990 (OTC)
Nitrogen Mustard (first chemotherapy agent): early 1940's
Metformin: 1957 (France) 1995 (US)
Phenbezamine (first antihistamine): 1942
Propranolol (first beta blocker): 1965 (UK) 1967 (US)
Sulfanilamide (first modern antibiotic): 1935
Tolbutamide (first oral anti-diabetic drug): 1956
Tramadol: 1977 (Germany) 1995 (US)
Verapamil (first calcium channel blocker): 1964
Zopiclone (first "Z-drug"): 1986
