Question | Answer |
~ a | before |
a.c. | before meals |
ASA | aspirin AKA AcetylSalicylic Acid |
ad lib | as desired (as necessary) |
APAP | acetaminophen (N-acetyl-P-aminophenol) |
A.D. {AD} (a=auditory) | right ear or Alzheimer's disease |
A.S {AS} | left ear |
A.U. {AU} | both ears |
B.I.D. or b.i.d. or bid | twice a day |
~ c | with |
cap(s) | capsule(s) or caplet(s) |
comp. | compound (mixed drugs) |
CR or C-R | controlled release (long acting) |
D (Zyrtec D) | decongestant |
D/C | discontinue or discharge |
DR | drug resistant |
D.S. or DS | double strength |
elix | elixir |
h or hr | hour |
hour is also written as a | degree sign |
{h.s.} | hours of sleep (bedtime) |
{h.s.} is usually at | 2200 hours (10:00 pm) |
HTN | hypertension(high blood pressure) |
IB | ibuprofen (motrin/advil) |
IND | investigational new drug |
INJ or inj | injection |
K | potassium |
KCl | potassium chloride |
K or KCl is commonly measured in | milliequivalents (mEq.) |
LA or L.A. or L-A | long acting |
liq. | liquid |
MDR | multidrug resistant or minimum daily requirements |
MN | midnight(2400 h or hr) |
{MS} | morphine sulfate or multiple sclerosis or magnesium sulfate |
MSO4 | morphine sulfate |
MgSO4 | magnesium sulfate |
NIH | National Institutes of Health |
NKA | no known allergies |
NKDA | no known drug allergies |
NPO or n.p.o. | nothing by mouth |
NR | no refills |
NS or NSS | normal saline solution |
NS or NSS is AKA | 0.9% sodium chloride(NaCl) [normal saline amount in your blood] |
O.D. {OD} [O=occular] | right eye or overdose |
O.S. {OS} | left eye |
O.U. {OU} | both eyes |
OTC or otc | over the counter |
~ p | after |
p.c. or pc | after meals |
Pt {pt} | patient |
PCN | penicillin |
PCA | patient controlled analgesia |
PR | per rectum (supp. = suppository) |
PRN or p.r.n. | as needed(whenever necessary) |
~ q | every |
Q.D. or q.d.{qd} | every day |
q.h. or qh | every hour |
q.2.h. or q2h | every two hours |
Q.I.D. or q.i.d. (quad) | four times a day |
Q.O.D. or q.o.d. | every other day |
RDA | recommended daily allowance |
RFs | refills |
RPh | registered pharmacist |
~ s or w/o | without |
SA | sustained action (SR=slow release, LA or L.A or L-A=long acting, CR or C-R=controlled released, XR=extended release) |
SPF | sun protection factor (recommended 30SPF) |
SR | slow release |
ss | one half or sliding scale(insulin) |
stat. | now |
syp. | syrup |
supp. | suppository (PR per rectum) |
tab or tabs | tablet(s) |
TDM | therapeutic drug monitoring |
T.I.D. or t.i.d. | three times a day |
TPN | total parenteral/needle nutrition |
TPN is AKA | hyperalimentation("hyperal") |
UD | unit dose |
ung. or oint. | ointment |
WHO | World Health Organization |
WNL | within normal limits |
w/o or ~ s | without |
XR | extended release |
> | greater than |
< | less than |
a triangle | change |