a.c.

= before meals (from "ante cibum," before meals) ad lib: use as much as one desires (from "ad libitum") b.i.d. = twice a day caps = capsules da or daw = dispense as written g (or gm or GM) = gram gtt. = drops (from "guttae," drops) h. = hour mg = milligram ml = milliliter p.c. = after meals (from "post cibum," after meals) p.o. = by mouth, orally (from "per os," by mouth) p.r.n. = when necessary (from "pro re nata," for an occasion that has arisen, as circumstances require, as needed) q.d. = once a day (from "quaque die," once a day) q.i.d. = four times a day (from "quater in die," 4 times a day) q._h.: If a medicine is to be taken every so-many hours (from "quaque," every and the "h" indicating the number of hours) q.h. = every hour q.2h. = every 2 hours q.3h. = every 3 hours q.4h. = every 4 hours t.i.d. = three times a day (from "ter in die," 3 times a day) ut dict. = as directed (from "ut dictum," as directed)

List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions Abbreviation Aa Ad a.c. a.d. ad lib. admov. agit alt. h. a.m. amp ana ad ante cibum auris dextra ad libitum admove agita alternis horis ante meridiem Latin of each up to before meals right ear use as much as one desires; freely apply stir/shake every other hour morning, before noon ampule "a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could read "o.d.", meaning right eye Meaning Possible confusion

amt aq a.l., a.s. A.T.C. a.u. bis b.d./b.i.d. B.M. bol. B.S. B.S.A b.t. BUCC cap., caps. c, c. cib. cc cf comp. cr., crm CST D5W D5NS D.A.W. dc, D/C, disc dieb. alt. dil. diebus alternis bucca capsula cum cibus cum cibo bolus auris utraque bis bis in die aqua auris laeva, auris sinistra

amount water left ear around the clock both ears twice twice daily bowel movement as a large single dose (usually intravenously) blood sugar body surface areas bedtime 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 every other day dilute ambiguous meaning mistaken for "U", meaning units; also has an ambiguous meaning; use "mL" or "milliters" mistaken for "b.i.d", meaning twice daily "a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could read "o.u.", meaning both eyes "a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could read "o.s." or "o.l", meaning left eye

disp. div. d.t.d. 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 IU IV IVP IVPB L.A.S. LCD lin linimentum injectio hora hora somni gutta(e) fiat ex aqua ex modo prescripto emulsum et dentur tales doses

dispersible or dispense divide give of such doses distilled water elixir 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 half-strength ambiguous meaning intradermal injection intramuscular (with respect to injections) intranasal intraperitoneal international unit intravenous intravenous push intravenous piggyback label as such coal tar solution liniment mistaken for "IV" or "10", spell out "international unit" mistaken for "IM", meaning intramuscular, or "IV", meaning intravenously mistaken for "IV", meaning intravenously

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. o_2 o.d. OJ o.p.d. o.s. o.u.

liquor mane misce minimum more dicto utendus

solution lotion in the morning mix a minimum microgram to be used as directed milliequivalent milligram magnesium sulfate may be confused with "MSO4", spell out "magnesium sulfate"

mistura mitte

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

nebula nocte non repetatur

a spray not more than at night no repeats normal saline (0.9%) half normal saline (0.45%) not to exceed both eyes, sometimes written as o2

oculus dexter

right eye orange juice once per day

"o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could read "a.d.", meaning right ear mistaken for "OD", meaning right eye, or "OS" meaning left eye "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

oculus sinister oculus uterque

left eye both eyes

oz per p.c. pig./pigm. p.m. PRN, prn p.o. p.r. pulv. PV q q.a.d. q.a.m. q.d.s. q.p.m. q.h. q.h.s. q.1h, q.1 q.d., q1d q.i.d. q4PM q.o.d. qqh q.s. QWK R rep., rept. RL, R/L repetatur quater quaque hora quantum sufficiat pulvis per vaginam quaque per post cibum pigmentum post meridiem pro re nata per os

ounce by or through after meals paint evening or afternoon as needed by mouth or orally by rectum powder via the vagina every

quoque alternis every other day die quaque die ante every day before noon meridiem quater die sumendus four times a day

quaque die post every day after noon meridiem quaque hora quaque hora somni quaque 1 hora quaque die quater in die every hour every night at bedtime every 1 hour; (can replace "1" with other numbers) every day four times a day at 4pm every other day every four hours a sufficient quantity every week rectal repeats Ringer's lactate mistaken to mean every four hours mistaken for "QD", spell out "every other day" mistaken for "QOD", spell out "every day" or "daily"

s s.a. SC, subc, subcut, subq, SQ sig SL sol s.o.s., si op. sit ss SSI, SSRI stat supp susp syr tab tal., t tbsp troche tsp t.i.d. t.d.s. t.i.w. top. T.P.N. tr, tinc., tinct.a U g u.d., ut. dict. ung.

sine

without (usually written with a bar on top of the "s") "SC" can be mistaken for "SL", meaning sublingual; "SQ" can be mistaken for "5Q" meaning five every dose

secundum artum use your judgement subcutaneous write on label sublingually, under the tongue solutio si opus sit semis solution if there is a need one half or sliding scale sliding scale insulin or sliding scale regular insulin statim suppositorium syrupus tabella talus trochiscus ter in die ter die sumendum immediately suppository suspension syrup tablet such tablespoon lozenge teaspoon three times a day three times a day three times a week topical total parenteral nutrition tincture unit microgram ut dictum unguentum as directed ointment mistaken for a "4", "0" or "cc", spell out "unit" mistaken for "mg", meaning milligram mistaken for twice a week ambiguous meaning; mistaken for "55" or "1/2" mistaken to mean "strong solution of iodine" or "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor"

U.S.P. vag w wf w/o X Y.O.

United States Pharmacopoeia vaginally with with food (with meals) without times years old List of symbols used in prescriptions

Symbols @ > <

Latin at

Meaning greater than less than

Possible confusion mistaken for "2"; spell out "at" mistaken for a "7" mistaken for an "L"

take, take this, or take thus

prescription drug