Chemical Classification of Local Anesthetics
Local anesthetics can be divided into two sub-classes which most will fall into.  These sub-classes are ester-type anesthetics and amide-type anesthetics.  Patient's with an allergy to an anesthetic in one of these subclasses can be prescribed an anesthetic in the other subclass because they are structurally different classes.
Ester-type local anesthetics Amide-type local anesthetics
Benzocaine (Anbesol) Bupivacaine (Marcaine)
Chloroprocaine (Nesacaine) Dibucaine (Nupercainal)
Procaine (Novocain) Etidocaine (Duranest)
Tetracaine (Pentocaine) Levobupivacaine (Chirocaine)
  Lidocaine (Xylocaine)
  Mepivacaine (Carbocaine)
  Prilocaine (Citanest)
  Ropivacaine (Naropin)
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