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pc : After meals . Ad lib : As desired; freely . prn : When necessary . stat : Immediately; at once . BID : Twice a day . TID : Three times a day . QID : Four times a day
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This is a list of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions, including hospital orders (the patient-directed part of which is referred to as sig codes).
Abbreviation Or SymbolLatin, Greek, Or Neo-latinEnglishPossible Confusiona.d.auris dextraright eara single-storey a can be mistaken as an o ...ad lib.Latin, "at one's pleasure"; as much as ...compare pro re nata, "as needed", which ...a.l., a.s.auris laeva, auris sinistraleft eara can be mistaken as an o which could ...a.u.auris utraqueboth earsa can be mistaken as an o which could ...Technically, the abbreviation should really be q.a.d. (and some people use it this way), but sometimes weird things happen with medical abbreviations. q.p.m. = Every day after noon.
Frequencies refer to the amount of times something should be completed or administered. For example, frequency abbreviations in nursing can be used to describe how often a patient needs to take a medication like in the am or pm, q4hr, AC, PC, or BID etc.
- Dose
- Form
- Delivery Route
- Frequency
- Timing and Administration
- Purpose
The dose is the amount of a drug to be taken at one time. It is commonly specified in metric mass (e.g., milligrams) or international units (an agreed upon measure of biological effect for a given drug). Prescriptions are occasionally written using apothecary units, such as ounces and teaspoons. Common abbreviations for medical doses:
Dosage form indicates the physical form of the medication, including active and inert ingredients. The form is selected to maximize drug efficacy and safety while simplifying administration. The form may be solid (e.g., tablets and capsules), semi-solid (e.g., ointments and creams), liquid (e.g., syrups and drops), or gas (e.g., inhalers and aeroso...
The delivery route indicates where the drug is to be administered to the patient. The route may be enteral (ingested or rectal), parenteral (injected), inhaled (through the nose or mouth into the lungs), topical (onto the skin), ophthalmic (into the eye), or otic (into the ear).
Frequency refers to when or how often a medication should be administered. This is typically expressed in terms of how many times per day, week, or month the medication should be taken.
Instructions for the patient on when or how to take the medication. These instructions are usually intended to maximize the therapeutic effect of a medication or minimize side effects. Directions may include administering the drug at a certain time of day or at a specific time relative to the consumption of food.
To reduce the risk of medication errors, prescribers are encouraged to list the intended purpose of the medication (e.g., insomnia, high blood pressure, etc.). This is vital, as it helps pharmacists avoid errors from misreading the medication or dose. It is also important because it helps patients understand the purpose of each medication. The use ...
May 22, 2024 · Definitions of the top 150 prescription abbreviations, including bid, qhs, po, ad, hs, and tid. Your essential guide to medical terminology.
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Find definitions of medical abbreviations commonly found in health records. If you do not know an abbreviation, you may be able to find out what it means here.
