List of prescription abbreviations
This is a list of all abbreviations used in prescriptions. Capitalization and the use of a period 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.
- aa (ana) of each
- ad to, up to
- a.c. (ante cibum) before meals
- a.d. (aurio dextra) right ear
- ad lib. (ad libitum) use as much as one desires; freely
- admov. (admove) apply
- agit (agita) stir/shake
- alt. h. (alternis horis) every other hour
- a.m. (ante meridiem) morning, before noon
- amp ampule
- amt amount
- aq (aqua) water
- a.l., a.s. (aurio laeva, aurio sinister) left ear
- A.T.C. around the clock
- a.u. (auris utrae) both ears
- bis (bis) twice
- b.i.d. (bis in die) twice daily
- B.M. bowel movement
- bol. (bolus) a large pill
- B.S. blood sugar
- B.S.A body surface areas
- cap., caps. (capsula) capsule
- c (cum) with (usually written with a bar on top of the "c")
- c (cibos) food
- cc cubic centimeter; also means "with food" (cum cibos)
- cf with food
- D5W dextrose 5% solution (sometimes written as D5W)
- D5NS dextrose 5% in normal saline (0.9%)
- D.A.W. dispense as written
- dc, D/C, disc discontinue
- dieb. alt. (diebus alternis) every other day
- dil. dilute
- disp. dispense
- div. divide
- d.t.d. (dentur tales doses) give of such doses
- D.W. distilled water
- elix. elixir
- e.m.p. (ex modo prescripto) as directed
- emuls. (emulsum) emulsion
- et and
- ex aq in water
- fl., fld. fluid
- ft. (fiat) make; let it be made
- g gram
- GI gastrointestinal
- gr grain
- gtt(s) (gutta(e)) drop(s)
- GU genitourinary
- H hypodermic
- h, hr hour
- h.s. (hora somni) at bedtime
- ID intradermal
- IM intramuscular (with respect to injections)
- inj. (injectio) injection
- IP intraperitoneal
- IV intravenous
- IVP intravenous push
- IVPB intravenous piggyback
- L.A.S. label as such
- LCD coal tar solution
- lin (linimentum) liniment
- liq (liquor) solution
- lot. lotion
- M. (misce) mix
- m, min (minimum) a minimum
- mcg microgram
- mEq milliequivalent
- mg milligram
- mist. (mistura) mix
- mitte (mitte) send
- mL millilitre
- N&V, N/V nausea and vomiting
- nebul (nebula) a spray
- NKA. no known allergies
- NKDA no known drug allergies
- non rep. (non repetatur) no repeats
- NPO, n.p.o. (nil per os) nothing by mouth
- NS normal saline (0.9%)
- 1/2NS half normal saline (0.45%)
- N.T.E. not to exceed
- o.d. (oculus dexter) right eye
- o.s. (oculus sinister) left eye
- o.u. (oculo utro) both eyes
- oz ounce
- per by or through
- p.c. (post cibum) after meals
- p.m. (post meridiem) evening or afternoon
- prn (pro re nata) as needed
- p.o. (per os) by mouth or orally
- p.r. by rectum
- pulv. (pulvis) powder
- q (quaque) every
- q.a.d. (quoque alternis die) every other day
- q.h. (quaque hora) every hour
- q.1h (quaque 1 hora) every 1 hour; (can replace "1" with other numbers)
- q.d. (quaque die) every day
- q.i.d. (quater in die) four times a day
- q.o.d. every other day
- q.s. (quantum sufficiat) a sufficient quantity
- R rectal
- rep., rept. (repetatur) repeats
- RL, R/L Ringer's lactate
- s (sine) without (usually written with a bar on top of the "s")
- s.a. (secundum artum) use your judgment
- SC, subc, subq, subcut subcutaneous
- sig write on label
- SL sublingually, under the tongue
- sol (solutio) solution
- s.o.s., si op. sit (si opus sit) if there is a need
- ss (semis) one half
- stat (statim) immediately
- supp (suppositorium) suppository
- susp suspension
- syr (syrupus) syrup
- tab (tabella) tablet
- tal., t (talus) such
- tbsp tablespoon
- troche (trochiscus) lozenge
- tsp teaspoon
- t.i.d. (ter in die) three times a day
- t.i.w. three times a week
- top. topical
- TPN total parenteral nutrition
- tr, tinc., tinct. tincture
- u.d., ut. dict. (ut dictum) as directed
- ung. (unguentum) ointment
- USP United States Pharmacopoeia
- vag vaginally
- w/o without
- X times
To avoid ambiguity, the following abbreviations are not recommended:
· a.u., a.d., a.s. - Latin for both, left and right ears; the "a" can be misread to be an "o" and interpreted to mean both, right or left eyes
· d/c - can mean "discontinue" or "discharge"
· h.s. - can mean half strength or "hour of sleep"
· q.o.d. - meant "every other day" but the "o" can be interpreted as "." or "i" resulting in double or eight times the frequency
· SC/SQ - meant "subcutaneous" but mistaken for "SL" for "sublingual"
· TIW - meant 3 times a week but mistaken for twice a week
· U - meant "units" but mistaken for "0", "4" or "cc" when poorly written; conversely cc can be mistaken for "U"
· μg - meant "microgram" but mistaken for "mg"; this 1000-fold error can cause potentially fatal misunderstandings.