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Rx Abbreviations

Quiz yourself by thinking what should be in each of the black spaces below before clicking on it to display the answer.
        Help!  

Term
Meaning
Caution
ac & hs   before meals and at bedtime   no warning  
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ad   right ear   "a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could read "o.d.", meaning right eye  
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am   morning, before noon   no warning  
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amp   ampule (ampul, ampoule)   no warning  
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amt   amount   no warning  
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as   left ear   "a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could read "o.s." or "o.l", meaning left eye  
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au   both ears   "a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could read "o.u.", meaning both eyes  
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bid   twice daily   AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation (spell out "twice a day")  
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BM   bowel movement   no warning  
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BS   blood sugar   no warning  
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BSA   body surface area   no warning  
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bucc   buccal (inside cheek)   no warning  
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cap   capsule   no warning  
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c   with (usually written with a bar on top of the "c")   no warning  
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cc   cubic centimeter   use mL instead-less confusing  
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d   days [or] doses   ambiguous meaning, write out "days" or "doses"  
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D5LR   dextrose 5% in lactated Ringer's solution (intravenous sugar solution)   no warning  
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D5NS   dextrose 5% in normal saline (0.9%) (intravenous sugar solution)   no warning  
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D5W   dextrose 5% in water (intravenous sugar solution)   no warning  
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D10W   dextrose 10% in water (intravenous sugar solution)   no warning  
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DAW   dispense as written (i.e., no generic substitution)   no warning  
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DC   discontinue [or] discharge   ambiguous meaning  
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disp   dispense   no warning  
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g   gram (modern SI symbol is g, not gm)   no warning  
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garg   gargle   no warning  
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gr   grain   no warning  
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gtt(s)   drop(s)   no warning  
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h   hour   no warning  
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hs   at bedtime [or] half-strength   ambiguous (2 meanings, easily conflated); spell out  
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IBW   ideal body weight (for dosing based on clearance estimation)   no warning  
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inj   injection   mistaken for "IV", meaning intravenously  
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IM   intramuscular   no warning  
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IN   intranasal   mistaken for "IM", meaning intramuscular, or "IV", meaning intravenously  
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i   Roman Numeral for 1   no warning  
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ii   Roman Numeral for 2   no warning  
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iii   Roman Numeral for 3   no warning  
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IT   intrathecal   mistaken for other abbreviations; spell out  
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IU   international unit   RED ALERT: mistaken for "IV" or "10", spell out "international unit"  
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IV   intravenous   no warning  
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IVP   intravenous push   no warning  
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IVPB   intravenous piggyback   no warning  
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kg   kilogram   no warning  
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lb   pound   no warning  
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max   maximum   no warning  
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mcg   microgram   Recommended replacement for "µg" which may be confused with "mg"  
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mEq   milliequivalent   no warning  
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mg   milligram   no warning  
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MgSO4   magnesium sulfate   RED ALERT: may be confused with "MSO4", spell out "magnesium sulfate"  
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mL   milliliter   no warning  
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MS   morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate   RED ALERT: can mean either morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate, spell out either  
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MSO4   morphine sulfate   RED ALERT: may be confused with "MgSO4", spell out "morphine sulfate"  
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nebul   a spray (such as for insufflation)   no warning  
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NMT   not more than   no warning  
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noct   at night   no warning  
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non rep or NR   no repeats (no refills)   no warning  
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NPO   nothing by mouth   AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation (spell out "nothing by mouth")  
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NS   normal saline (0.9%)   no warning  
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1/2NS   half-normal saline (0.45%)   no warning  
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NTE   not to exceed   no warning  
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od   right eye   "o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could read "a.d.", meaning right ear, confusion with "omni die"  
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os   left eye   "o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could read "a.s.", meaning left ear  
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ou   both eyes   "o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could read "a.u.", meaning both ears  
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oz   ounce   no warning  
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pm   evening or afternoon   no warning  
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po   by mouth or orally   AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation (spell out "orally")  
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pr   rectally   no warning  
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prn   as needed   no warning  
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pv   vaginally   no warning  
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q   every, per   no warning  
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q 1 h   every 1 hour (can replace "1" with other numbers)   no warning  
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q4PM   at 4 pm (can replace "4" with other numbers)   mistaken to mean every 4 hours  
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q am   every morning (every day before noon)   no warning  
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q d   every day   mistaken for "QOD" or "qds," spell out "every day" or "daily". AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation (spell out "every day")  
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q hs   every night at bedtime   can be mistaken as "q.h.r." (every hour)  
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qid   4 times a day   can be mistaken for "qd" or "qod," write out "4 times a day". AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation (spell out "4 times a day")  
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qod   every other day   RED ALERT: mistaken for "QD," spell out "every other day". AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation (spell out "every other day")  
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qs   a sufficient quantity   no warning  
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QWK   every week   no warning  
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rep   repeats   no warning  
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RL   Ringer's lactate   no warning  
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℞   take (often effectively a noun meaning "prescription"—medical prescription or prescription drug)   no warning  
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rep   let it be repeated   no warning  
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SC   subcutaneous   "SC" can be mistaken for "SL," meaning sublingual. See also SQ  
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sig   write (write on the label)   no warning  
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s   without (usually written with a bar on top of the "s")   no warning  
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sl   sublingually, under the tongue   no warning  
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SOB   shortness of breath   no warning  
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sol   solution   no warning  
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ss   one-half [or] sliding scale   mistaken for "55" or "1/2"  
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SSI   sliding scale insulin or sliding scale regular insulin   mistaken to mean "strong solution of iodine" or "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor". See also SSRI  
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SQ   subcutaneously   "SQ" can be mistaken for "5Q" meaning "5 every dose". See also SC  
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SSRI   selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor [or] sliding scale regular insulin   ambiguous. Do not abbreviate  
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stat   immediately   no warning  
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SubQ   subcutaneously   no warning  
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supp   suppository   no warning  
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susp   suspension   no warning  
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syr   syrup   no warning  
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tab   tablet   no warning  
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tbsp   tablespoon   no warning  
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tid   3 times a day   AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation (spell out "3 times a day")  
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tinct   tincture   no warning  
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tiw   3 times a week   mistaken for "twice a week"  
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TPN   total parenteral nutrition   no warning  
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tinc   tincture   no warning  
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trit   grind to a powder   no warning  
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troch   lozenge   no warning  
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tsp   teaspoon   no warning  
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U   unit   RED ALERT: mistaken for a "4", "0" or "cc", spell out "unit"  
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ud or ut dict   as directed   no warning  
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ung   ointment   no warning  
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USP   United States Pharmacopeia   no warning  
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vag   vaginally   no warning  
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w   with   no warning  
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w/a   while awake   no warning  
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wf   with food (with meals)   no warning  
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w/o   without   no warning  
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x   times   no warning  
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yo   years old   no warning  
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μg   microgram   mistaken for "mg", meaning milligram  
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>   greater than   mistaken for a "7"  
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<   less than   mistaken for an "L"  
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℔   pound   no warning  
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℥   ounce   RED ALERT: apothecary symbol confusing  
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ʒ   dram (drachm)   RED ALERT: apothecary symbol confusing  
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℈   scruple   RED ALERT: apothecary symbol confusing  
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ug   until gone   no warning  
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