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1.3. Medical Prescription Abbreviations
Medical prescription abbreviations can be confusing and difficult to understand. This alphabetical list of mecial prescription abbreviations can help you to interpret medical notes and prescriptions. Please do not relie on this list as a definitive guide to your personal prescriptions. Please contact your prescribing physician with any questions regarding your medical prescriptions.
| aa, __, __ | of each |
| AAA | apply to affected area |
| a.c. | before meals |
| a.c.h.s., ac&hs | before meals and at bedtime |
| a.d. | right ear |
| ad., add. | add |
| let there be added | |
| ad lib. | Latin, "at one's pleasure"; as much as one desires; freely |
| admov. | apply [or] add |
| add; let there be added | |
| ad us. | according to custom |
| aeq. | equal |
| agit. | agitateÊ(stir or shake) |
| alt. d., alt. dieb. | every other day; on alternate days |
| alt. h., alt. hor. | every other hour; at alternate hours |
| a.m. | morning, before noon |
| amp. | ampuleÊ(ampul, ampoule) |
| amt | amount |
| aq. | water |
| aq. bull. | boilingÊwater |
| aq. com. | common water |
| aq. dest. | distilled water |
| aq. ferv. | hot water |
| a.l., a.s. | left ear |
| ATC | around the clock |
| a.u. | both ears |
| BDS, b.d.s. | twice daily |
| bib. | drink |
| bis | twice |
| b.i.d., b.d. | twice daily |
| bis ind. | twice a day |
| bis in 7 d. | twice a week |
| BM | bowel movement |
| BNF | British National Formulary |
| bol. | as a large single dose (usuallyÊintravenously) |
| BP, Ph.Br. | British Pharmacopoeia |
| BS | blood sugar |
| BSA | body surface area |
| b.t. | bedtime |
| bucc. | buccalÊ(insideÊcheek) |
| cap., caps. | capsule |
| cap. | let him take (let the patient take) |
| c.m. | tomorrow morning |
| c.m.s. | to be taken tomorrow morning |
| c, c. | with (usually written with a bar on top of the "c") |
| cib. | food |
| c.c. | with food [or] |
| cubic centimetre | |
| cf. | compare |
| c.n. | tomorrow night |
| cochl. | spoonful |
| cochl. ampl. | an ample spoonful (aÊtablespoonful) |
| cochl. infant. | a small spoonful (aÊteaspoonful) |
| cochl. mag. | a large spoonful (aÊtablespoonful) |
| cochl. mod. | a modest spoonful (aÊdessert-spoonful) |
| cochl. parv. | a scant spoonful (aÊteaspoonful) |
| colet. | let it beÊstrained |
| comp. | compound |
| contin. | let it be continued |
| cpt. | let him take (let the patient take) |
| cr., crm | cream |
| CST | continue same treatment |
| cuj. | of which |
| c.v. | tomorrow evening |
| cyath. | aÊglassful |
| cyath. vinos. | aÊwine-glassful |
| D, d. | daysÊ[or] |
| doses | |
| D5LR | dextroseÊ5% inÊlactated Ringer's solutionÊ(intravenous sugar solution) |
| D5NS | dextroseÊ5% inÊnormal salineÊ(0.9%) (intravenous sugar solution) |
| D5W, D5W | dextroseÊ5% inÊwaterÊ(intravenous sugar solution) |
| D10W, D10W | dextroseÊ10% inÊwaterÊ(intravenous sugar solution) |
| da | give |
| DAW | dispense as written (i.e., noÊgeneric substitution) |
| DC, dc, D/C, disc | discontinue [or] |
| discharge | |
| decoct. | decoction |
| det. | let it be given |
| dieb. alt. | every other day; on alternate days |
| dil. | dilute |
| dim. | one-half |
| d. in p. ¾. | divide into equal parts |
| disp. | dispersible [or] |
| dispense | |
| div. | divide |
| dL | deciliter |
| DS | double strength |
| d.t.d. | give of such doses |
| DTO | deodorized tincture of opium |
| DW | distilled waterÊ[or] |
| dextroseÊinÊwaterÊ(intravenous sugar solution) | |
| elix. | elixir |
| e.m.p. | as directed (in the manner prescribed) |
| emuls. | emulsion |
| et | and |
| EOD | every other day |
| ex aq. | in water |
| exhib. | let it be given |
| f. | make; let it be made |
| f.h. | make a draught |
| fl., fld. | fluidÊ(usually meaning specificallyÊliquidin health care) |
| f.m. | make a mixture |
| f. pil. | make aÊpill |
| f.s.a. | make according to art |
| ft. | make; let it be made |
| g, gm | gramÊ(modernÊSIÊsymbol is g, not gm) |
| garg. | gargle |
| gr. | grain |
| gtt(s) | drop(s) |
| gutt. | drop(s) |
| H | hypodermic |
| h, hr, hor. | hour |
| habt. | let him have |
| hor. alt. | every other hour (every second hour; at alternate hours) |
| hor. decub. | at bedtime |
| hor. intermed. | at intermediate hours |
| hor. tert. | every third hour |
| h.s. | at bedtime [or] |
| half-strength | |
| IBW | ideal body weightÊ(for dosing based onÊclearanceÊestimation) |
| ID | intradermal |
| IJ, inj. | injection |
| i.m., IM | intramuscular |
| IN | intranasal |
| ind. | daily |
| inf. | infusion (extraction)Ê/Êintravenous infusion |
| i | oneÊtablet |
| ii | twoÊtablets |
| iii | threeÊtablets |
| IP | intraperitoneal |
| IT | intrathecal |
| IU | international unit |
| i.v., IV | intravenous |
| i.v.p., IVP | intravenous push |
| IVPB | intravenous piggyback |
| kg | kilogram |
| LAS | label as such |
| lat. dol. | to the painful side |
| lb. | pound |
| l.c.d. | coal tar solution |
| lin | liniment |
| liq. | solution |
| lot. | lotion |
| M., m. | mix |
| mane | in the morning |
| max. | maximum |
| mcg | microgram |
| m.d.u. | to be used as directed |
| mEq | milliequivalent |
| mg | milligram |
| mg/dL | milligrams per deciliter |
| MgSO4 | magnesium sulfate |
| min. | minimumÊ[or] |
| minimÊ[or] | |
| minute | |
| mist. | mixture |
| mit., mitt. | send |
| mL | millilitre |
| mod. pr¾script. | in the manner directed |
| MS | morphine sulfateÊorÊmagnesium sulfate |
| MSO4 | morphine sulfate |
| nebul, neb. | aÊsprayÊ(such as forÊinsufflation)- nebulizer |
| NMT | not more than |
| noct. | at night |
| non rep. | no repeats (no refills) |
| NPO, n.p.o. | nothing by mouth |
| NS | normal saline (0.9%) |
| 1/2NS | half-normal saline (0.45%) |
| NTE | not to exceed |
| oÊ2, o2 | both eyes |
| o.d. | every day (once daily) (preferred to "qd" in the UK[8]) |
| o.d. | right eye |
| o.m. | every morning |
| omn. bih. | every 2 hours |
| omn. hor. | every hour |
| o.n. | every night |
| OPD | once per day |
| o.s. | left eye |
| o.u. | both eyes |
| oz | ounce |
| p. | continue |
| part. ¾q. | equal parts |
| per | by or through |
| p.c. | after meals |
| p.c.h.s., pc&hs | after meals and at bedtime |
| Ph.Br., BP | British Pharmacopoeia |
| Ph.Eur. | European Pharmacopoeia |
| Ph.Int. | International Pharmacopoeia |
| pig./pigm. | paint |
| p.m. | evening or afternoon |
| p.o. | by mouthÊorÊorally |
| ppt. | prepared |
| p.r., PR | rectally |
| p.r.n., PRN | as needed |
| pt. | continue |
| pulv. | powder |
| p.v., PV | vaginally |
| q | every, per |
| q.1 h, q.1¡ | every 1 hour (can replace "1" with other numbers) |
| q4PM | at 4 pm (can replace "4" with other numbers) |
| q.a.d. | every other day |
| q.a.m. | every morning (every day before noon) |
| q.d./q.1.d. | every day |
| q.d.a.m. | once daily in the morning |
| q.d.p.m. | once daily in the evening |
| q.d.s. | 4 times a day |
| q.p.m. | every evening (every day after noon) |
| q.h. | every hour |
| q.h.s. | every night at bedtime |
| q.i.d. | 4 times a day |
| q.l. | as much as is requisite |
| q.n. | every night |
| q.o.d. | every other day |
| q.q. | every;[9]Êeach |
| q.q.h. | every 4 hours |
| q.s. | as much asÊsuffices; a sufficient quantity |
| q.v. | at will [or] |
| which see | |
| QWK | every week |
| rep., rept. | repeats |
| RL, R/L | Ringer's lactate |
| Rx, Rx, RX,Ê,Ê_ | take (often effectively a noun meaning "prescription"Ñmedical prescriptionÊorÊprescription drug) |
| rep. | let it be repeated |
| s. | write (write on the label) |
| s.a. | according to the art (accepted practice orÊbest practice) |
| SC | subcutaneous |
| sem. | seed |
| s.i.d. | once a day |
| sig. | write (write on the label) |
| s | without (usually written with a bar on top of the "s") |
| sing. | of each |
| SL, s.l. | sublingually, under theÊtongue |
| SOB | shortness of breath |
| sol. | solution |
| s.o.s., si op. sit | if there is a need |
| s.s., SS | one-half [or] |
| sliding scale | |
| SSI | sliding scaleÊinsulinÊor sliding scale regularÊinsulin |
| SQ | subcutaneously |
| SSRI | selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor[or] |
| sliding scale regular insulin | |
| st. | let it stand (for example, forÊsettling) |
| stat | immediately |
| SubQ | subcutaneously |
| sum. | let him take [or] |
| let it be taken | |
| supp. | suppository |
| susp. | suspension |
| syr. | syrup |
| tab. | tablet |
| tal., t. | such |
| tbsp | tablespoon |
| t.d.s., TDS | 3 times a day |
| t.i.d., t.d. | 3 times a day |
| tinct. | tincture |
| t.i.w. | 3 times a week |
| top. | topical |
| TPN | total parenteral nutrition |
| tr, tinc., tinct. | tincture |
| trit. | grindÊto aÊpowder |
| troch. | lozenge |
| tsp | teaspoon |
| U | unit |
| u.d., ut. dict. | as directed |
| ung. | ointment |
| USP | United States Pharmacopeia |
| vag. | vaginally |
| w | with |
| w/a | while awake |
| w/f | with food (with meals) |
| w/o | without |
| X, x | times |
| YO, y.o. | years old |
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