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List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions (sometimes referred to as sig codes ). This listing does not include abbreviations for actual pharmaceuticals (which is a separate article in itself). Capitalization and the use of periods is a matter of style. In the attached list, Latin is not capitalized whereas English acronyms are. The period is used wherever there are letters omitted in the abbreviation. Abbreviations which are officially not to be used as required by the Joint Commission are marked in red. Those abbreviations which are discouraged from use by other organizations are marked in orange. Key Official Do-Not-Use list in the United States required by Joint Commission[1] Not recommended for use by other organizations[2]

List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions [3] Abbreviation aa ad a.c. a.d. ad lib. admov. agit alt. h. a.m.m. a.m. amp amt aq a.l., a.s. A.T.C. aqua auris laeva, auris sinistra ana ad ante cibum auris dextra ad libitum admove agita ad manu medicae ante meridiem Latin Meaning of each right ear before meals right ear use as much as one desires; freely apply stir/shake "a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could read "o.d.", meaning right eye Possible confusion

alternis horis every other hour at doctors hand morning, before noon ampule amount water left ear around the clock
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"a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could read "o.s." or "o.l", meaning left eye

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List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

a.u. bis b.d./b.i.d. B.M. BNF

auris utraque both ears bis bis in die twice twice daily bowel movement British National Formulary (http://www.bnf.org/) bolus as a large single dose (usually intravenously) blood sugar body surface areas bedtime bucca capsula cum cibus cum cibo inside cheek capsule with (usually written with a bar on top of the "c") food with food, (but also cubic centimetre) with food compound cream Continue same treatment dextrose 5% solution (sometimes written as D5W) dextrose 5% in normal saline (0.9%) dispense as written (i.e., no generic substitution) discontinue or discharge diebus

"a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could read "o.u.", meaning both eyes

bol. B.S. B.S.A b.t. BUCC cap., caps. c, c. cib. cc cf comp. cr., crm CST D5W

mistaken for "b.i.d", meaning twice daily

mistaken for "U", meaning units; also has an ambiguous meaning; use "mL" or "milliliters"

D5NS D.A.W. dc, D/C, disc

ambiguous meaning

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List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

dieb. alt. dil. disp. div. d.t.d.

alternis

every other day dilute dispersible or dispense divide

dentur tales doses

give of such doses deodorized tincture of opium distilled water elixir can easily be confused with "diluted tincture of opium," which is 1/25th the strength of deodorized tincture of opium; deaths have resulted due to massive morphine overdose

DTO D.W. elix. e.m.p. emuls. et eod ex aq fl., fld. ft. g gr gtt(s) H h, hr h.s. h.s ID IJ, inj IM IN IP injectio hora hora somni gutta(e) fiat ex aqua ex modo prescripto emulsum et

as directed emulsion and every other day in water fluid make; let it be made gram grain drop(s) hypodermic hour at bedtime hour sleep or halfstrength intradermal injection intramuscular (with respect to injections) intranasal intraperitoneal
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ambiguous meaning

mistaken for "IV", meaning intravenously

mistaken for "IM", meaning intramuscular, or "IV", meaning intravenously

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List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

IU IV IVP IVPB L.A.S. LCD lin liq lot. mane M. m, min mcg m.d.u. mEq mg MgSO4 mist. mitte mL MS MSO4 nebul N.M.T. noct. non rep. NS 1/2NS N.T.E. nocte nebula mistura mitte more dicto utendus mane misce minimum linimentum liquor

international unit intravenous intravenous push intravenous piggyback label as such coal tar solution liniment solution lotion in the morning mix a minimum microgram to be used as directed milliequivalent milligram magnesium sulfate mix send millilitre morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate morphine sulfate a spray not more than at night normal saline (0.9%) half normal saline (0.45%) not to exceed non repetatur no repeats

mistaken for "IV" or "10", spell out "international unit"

may be confused with "mg"

may be confused with "MSO4", spell out "magnesium sulfate"

can mean either morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate, spell out either may be confused with "MgSO4", spell out "morphine sulfate"

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List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

o_2

both eyes, sometimes written as o2 omne in die every day/once daily (preferred to qd in the UK[4]) "o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could read "a.d.", meaning right ear, confusion with omne in die

od

od om on o.p.d. o.s. o.u. oz per p.c. pig./pigm. p.m. p.o. p.r. PRN, prn pulv. PV q q.a.d. q.a.m. q.d.s. q.p.m. q.h.

oculus dexter right eye omne mane omne nocte every morning every night once per day oculus sinister left eye oculus uterque per post cibum pigmentum post meridiem per os per rectum pro re nata pulvis per vaginam quaque quaque alternis die both eyes ounce by or through after meals paint evening or afternoon by mouth or orally by rectum as needed powder via the vagina every, per every other day

"o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could read "a.s.", meaning left ear "o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could read "a.u.", meaning both ears

quaque die every day before ante meridiem noon quater die sumendus quaque die post meridiem four times a day every day after noon can be mistaken for "qd" (every day)

quaque hora every hour

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List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

q.h.s. q.1 h, q.1 q.d., q1d q.i.d. q4PM q.o.d. qqh q.s. QWK R rep., rept. RL, R/L s s.a. SC, subc, subcut, subq, SQ sig SL sol

quaque hora every night at somni bedtime quaque 1 hora quaque die quater in die every 1 hour; (can replace "1" with other numbers) every day four times a day at 4pm every other day quater every four hours quaque hora quantum sufficiat a sufficient quantity every week rectal repetatur repeats Ringer's lactate sine secundum artum without (usually written with a bar on top of the "s") use your judgement subcutaneous signa write on label sublingually, under the tongue solutio solution if there is a need one half or sliding scale used exclusively in veterinary medicine once a day sliding scale insulin or "SC" can be mistaken for "SL", meaning sublingual; "SQ" can be mistaken for "5Q" meaning five every dose mistaken to mean every four hours mistaken for "QD", spell out "every other day" mistaken for "QOD" or "qds", spell out "every day" or "daily"

s.o.s., si op. sit si opus sit ss semis

s.i.d/SID

semel in die

mistaken to mean "strong solution of iodine" or "selective

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List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SSI, SSRI SNRI (antidepressant)

sliding scale regular insulin Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (a specific class of antidepressant) statim immediately suspension syrupus tabella talus trochiscus ter die sumendum ter in die syrup tablet such tablespoon lozenge three times a day three times a day three times a week topical total parenteral nutrition tincture teaspoon unit microgram ut dictum unguentum as directed ointment United States Pharmacopoeia vaginally with

serotonin reuptake inhibitor"

SSRI (antidepressant)

stat supp susp syr tab tal., t tbsp troche t.d.s. t.i.d. t.i.w. top. T.P.N. tr, tinc., tinct. tsp U g u.d., ut. dict. ung. U.S.P. vag w

suppositorium suppository

mistaken for twice a week

mistaken for a "4", "0" or "cc", spell out "unit" mistaken for "mg", meaning milligram

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List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

w/a wf w/o X Y.O.

while awake with food (with meals) without times years old List of symbols used in prescriptions

Symbols @ > <

Latin at

Meaning greater than less than mistaken for a "7" mistaken for an "L"

Possible confusion mistaken for "2"; spell out "at"

take, take this, or take thus

prescription drug

Contents
1 Numerical abbreviation 2 Discouraged practices 3 References 4 External links

Numerical abbreviation
When expressing a numerical quantity, roman numerals are commonly used in place of actual digits so as to avoid confusion and foil attempts to receive more medication than prescribed. For numbers 1-3 however, a special abbreviation is used. The number one is written as a capital letter T with one dot overhead. The number two consists of two capital "T" letters connected at the top with a dot over each (resembling the Greek letter pi). The number three is likewise three "T" letters with three dots overhead. A similar system of numbering exists using the lower case letter "i" for the number one.

Discouraged practices
Abbreviating names of drugs Using apothecary's units Using trailing zeros or not using a leading zero
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References
1. ^ "The Official "Do Not Use" List of Abbreviations" (http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/Do_Not_Use_List.pdf) . The Joint Commission. http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/Do_Not_Use_List.pdf. Retrieved 23 August 2012. 2. ^ "ISMP's List of Error Prone Abbreviations, Symbols, and Dose Designations" (http://www.ismp.org/tools/errorproneabbreviations.pdf) . Institute for Safe Medication Practices. http://www.ismp.org/tools/errorproneabbreviations.pdf. Retrieved 11 February 2011. 3. ^ Johnston, Mike (2006). [http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Pharmacy-Practice-TechnicianSeries/dp/013114751X The pharmacy technician series: Fundamentals of pharmacy practice]. Pearson Prentice Hall. p. 24. ISBN 9780131147515. http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Pharmacy-Practice-TechnicianSeries/dp/013114751X. 4. ^ BNF (British National Formulary (http://www.bnf.org/) ) - published twice yearly by the British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

External links
DAW Codes (http://www.studyrx.org/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id=122&Itemid=266) SIG Code Challenge, Interactive Tool for Learning SIG Codes (http://www.studyrx.org/index.php? option=com_gamebuilder&game_id=11&Itemid=135) Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php? title=List_of_abbreviations_used_in_medical_prescriptions&oldid=541077168" Categories: Lists of medical abbreviations This page was last modified on 27 February 2013 at 23:28. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details. Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

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