List of abbreviations used in medical

prescriptions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions and hospital orders (sometimes
referred to as sig codes). This list does not include abbreviations for pharmaceuticals or drug name
suffixes such as CD, CR, ER, XT (See Time release technology List of abbreviations for those).
Capitalization and the use of periods are a matter of style. In the list, Latin is not capitalized whereas
English acronyms are.
These abbreviations can be verified in reference works, both recent [1] and older. [2] [3] [4] Some of
those works (such as Wyeth 1901[4]) are so comprehensive that their entire content cannot be
reproduced here. But this list includes all that are frequently encountered in today's health care.
Some of these are obsolete (such as the apothecaries' units); others remain current.
Abbreviations which are deprecated by the Joint Commission are marked in red. Those
abbreviations which are deprecated by other organizations, such as theInstitute for Safe Medication
Practices (ISMP) and the American Medical Association (AMA), are marked in orange.
The Joint Commission is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization which
offers accreditation to hospitals and other health care organizations in the United States. While their
recommendations are not binding on U.S. physicians, they are required of organizations who wish
accreditation by the Joint Commission.

Contents
[hide]

1Table
2Similarity of handwritten letters
3Numerical notation
4Currently discouraged practices
5References
6External links

Table[edit]
Key

Not recommended for use in the United States by the Joint Commission[5]

Not recommended for use by other organizations, such as the ISMP (Institute for Safe Medication Practices)[6])
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

aa, , ana of each

AAA apply to affected area

a.c. ante cibum before meals

ante cibum et
a.c.h.s., ac&hs before meals and at bedtime
hora somni

"a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could

a.d. auris dextra right ear
read "o.d.", meaning right eye

adde add
ad.
addatur let there be added

adde add
add.
addatur let there be added

Compare pro re nata, "as needed", which by

Latin, "at one's pleasure"; as convention includes an aspect of "up to
ad lib. ad libitum
much as one desires; freely some maximum". Similarly,
compare s.o.s., q.l., and q.s.

admove apply [or] add

admov.
admoveatur add; let there be added

ad us. ad usum according to custom

q. quales equal
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

agit. agita agitate (stir or shake)

every other day; on alternate

alt. d., alt. dieb. alternis diebus
days

every other hour; at alternate

alt. h., alt. hor. alternis horis
hours

a.m. ante meridiem morning, before noon

amp. ampulla ampule (ampul, ampoule)

amt amount

aq. aqua water

aq. bull. aqua bulliens boiling water

aq. com. aqua communis common water

aq. dest. aqua destillata distilled water

aq. ferv. aqua fervens hot water

auris laeva, "a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could

a.l., a.s. left ear
auris sinistra read "o.s." or "o.l", meaning left eye

ATC around the clock

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

"a" can be mistaken as an "o" which could

a.u. auris utraque both ears
read "o.u.", meaning both eyes

bis die
BDS, b.d.s. twice daily
sumendum

bib. bibe drink

bis bis twice

AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation

b.i.d., b.d. bis in die twice daily
(spell out "twice a day")

bis ind. bis indies twice a day

bis in septem
bis in 7 d. twice a week
diebus

BM bowel movement

BNF British National Formulary

as a large single dose

bol. bolus
(usuallyintravenously)

Pharmacopoeia
BP, Ph.Br. British Pharmacopoeia
Britannica

BS blood sugar
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

BSA body surface area

b.t. bedtime mistaken for "b.i.d", meaning twice daily

bucc. bucca buccal (inside cheek)

cap., caps. capsula capsule

let him take (let the patient

cap. capiat
take)

c.m. cras mane tomorrow morning

cras mane to be taken tomorrow

c.m.s.
sumendus morning

with (usually written with a

c, c. cum
bar on top of the "c")

cib. cibus food

mistaken for "U", meaning units; also has an

with food [or]
c.c. cum cibo ambiguous meaning; use "mL" or
cubic centimetre
"milliliters" (1 cm = 1 mL)

cf. confer compare

c.n. cras nocte tomorrow night

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

cochl. cochleare spoonful

cochleare an ample spoonful

cochl. ampl.
amplum (a tablespoonful)

cochleare a small spoonful

cochl. infant.
infantis (a teaspoonful)

cochleare a large spoonful

cochl. mag.
magnum (a tablespoonful)

cochleare a modest spoonful (a desert-

cochl. mod.
modicum spoonful)

cochleare a scant spoonful

cochl. parv.
parvum (a teaspoonful)

colet. coletur let it be strained

comp. compositus compound

contin. continuetur let it be continued

let him take (let the patient

cpt. capiat
take)

cr., crm cream

CST continue same treatment

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

cuj. cujus of which

c.v. cras vespere tomorrow evening

cyath. cyathus a glassful

cyath. vinos. cyathus vinosus a wine-glassful

die [or] days [or] ambiguous meaning, write out "days" or

D, d.
dosis doses "doses"

dextrose 5% in lactated
Ringer's
D5LR
solution (intravenous sugar
solution)

dextrose 5% in normal
D5NS saline (0.9%) (intravenous
sugar solution)

dextrose 5%
D5W, D5W in water (intravenous sugar
solution)

dextrose 10%
D10W, D10W in water (intravenous sugar
solution)

da da give

DAW
dispense as written (i.e.,
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

no generic substitution)

DC, dc, D/C, discontinue [or]

ambiguous meaning
disc discharge

decoct. decoctum decoction

det. detur let it be given

every other day; on alternate

dieb. alt. diebus alternis
days

dil. dilute

dim. dimidius one-half

divide in partes
d. in p. . divide into equal parts
quales

dispersible [or]
disp.
dispense

div. divide divide

dL deciliter

dentur tales
d.t.d. give of such doses
doses
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

can easily be confused with "diluted tincture

of opium," which is 1/25th the strength of
deodorized tincture of opium; deaths have
DTO deodorized tincture of opium
resulted due to massive morphine
overdose.[7] Compare laudanum and paregori
c.

distilled water [or]

DW dextrose in water (intravenou
s sugar solution)

elix. elixir elixir

ex modo as directed (in the manner

e.m.p.
prescripto prescribed)

emuls. emulsum emulsion

et et and

EOD every other day

ex aq. ex aqua in water

exhib. exhibiatur let it be given

f. fiat make; let it be made

f.h. fiat haustus make a draught

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

fluid (usually meaning

fl., fld. fluidus specificallyliquid in health
care)

f.m. fiat mistura make a mixture

f. pil. fiat pilula make a pill

fiat secundum
f.s.a. make according to art
artem

ft. fiat make; let it be made

gram (modern SI symbol is

g, gm
g, not gm)

garg. gargarisma gargle

gr. granum grain

gtt(s) gutta(e) drop(s)

gutt. gutta(e) drop(s)

H hypodermic

h, hr, hor. hora hour

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

habt. habeat let him have

every other hour (every

hor. alt. hora alternis second hour; at alternate
hours)

hor. decub. hora decubitus at bedtime

horis
hor. intermed. at intermediate hours
intermediis

hor. tert. horis tertiis every third hour

hora somni (at

at bedtime [or] ambiguous (2 meanings, easily conflated);
h.s. the hour of
half-strength spell out
sleep)

ideal body weight (for

IBW dosing based
on clearance estimation)

ID intradermal

IJ, inj. injectio injection mistaken for "IV", meaning intravenously

IM intramuscular

mistaken for "IM", meaning intramuscular,

IN intranasal
or "IV", meaning intravenously
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

ind. indies daily

infusion
inf. infusum (extraction) / intravenous
infusion

IP intraperitoneal

IT intrathecal mistaken for other abbreviations; spell out

mistaken for "IV" or "10", spell out

IU international unit
"international unit"

IV intravenous

IVP intravenous push

IVPB intravenous piggyback

kg kilogram

LAS label as such

lat. dol. lateri dolenti to the painful side

lb. libra pound

l.c.d. coal tar solution

liquor carbonis
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

detergens

lin linimentum liniment

liq. liquor solution

lot. lotio lotion

M., m. misce mix

mane mane in the morning

max. maximum maximum

Recommended replacement for "g" which

mcg microgram
may be confused with "mg"

more dicto
m.d.u. to be used as directed
utendus

mEq milliequivalent

mg milligram

mg/dL milligrams per deciliter

may be confused with "MSO4", spell out

MgSO4 magnesium sulfate
"magnesium sulfate"
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

minimum [or] minimum [or]

min. minim [or] minim [or]
minutum minute

mist. mistura mixture

mit., mitt. mitte send

mL millilitre

modo
mod. prscript. in the manner directed
prscripto

morphine can mean either morphine sulfate or

MS
sulfate or magnesium sulfate magnesium sulfate, spell out either

may be confused with "MgSO4", spell out

MSO4 morphine sulfate
"morphine sulfate"

a spray (such as
nebul nebula
for insufflation)

NMT not more than

noct. nocte at night

non rep. non repetatur no repeats (no refills)

NPO, n.p.o. nil per os nothing by mouth

AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

(spell out "nothing by mouth")

NS normal saline (0.9%)

1/2NS half-normal saline (0.45%)

NTE not to exceed

"O2" usually means oxygen or oxygen

o 2, o2 both eyes
therapy

every day (once daily)

o.d. omne in die (preferred to "qd" in the
UK[8])

"o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could

o.d. oculus dexter right eye read "a.d.", meaning right ear, confusion
with "omne in die"

o.m. omne mane every morning

omn. bih. omni bihora every 2 hours

omn. hor. omni hora every hour

o.n. omne nocte every night

OPD once per day

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

"o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could

o.s. oculus sinister left eye
read "a.s.", meaning left ear

"o" can be mistaken as an "a" which could

o.u. oculus uterque both eyes
read "a.u.", meaning both ears

oz ounce

p. perstetur continue

part. q. partes quales equal parts

per per by or through

p.c. post cibum after meals

post cibum et
p.c.h.s., pc&hs after meals and at bedtime
hora somni

Pharmacopoeia
Ph.Br., BP British Pharmacopoeia
Britannica

Pharmacopoeia
Ph.Eur. European Pharmacopoeia
Europaea

Pharmacopoeia
Ph.Int. International Pharmacopoeia
Internationalis

pig./pigm. pigmentum paint

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

p.m. post meridiem evening or afternoon

AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation

p.o. per os by mouth or orally
(spell out "orally")

ppt. prparata prepared

p.r., PR per rectum rectally

p.r.n., PRN pro re nata as needed

pt. perstetur continue

pulv. pulvis powder

p.v., PV per vaginam vaginally

q quaque every, per

every 1 hour (can replace "1"

q.1 h, q.1 quaque 1 hora
with other numbers)

at 4 pm (can replace "4" with

q4PM mistaken to mean every 4 hours
other numbers)

quaque alternis
q.a.d. every other day
die
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

quaque die ante every morning (every day

q.a.m.
meridiem before noon)

mistaken for "QOD" or "qds," spell out

"every day" or "daily". AMA style avoids
q.d./q.1.d. quaque die every day
use of this abbreviation (spell out "every
day")

quaque die ante

q.d.a.m. once daily in the morning
meridiem

quaque die post

q.d.p.m. once daily in the evening
meridiem

quater die
q.d.s. 4 times a day can be mistaken for "qd" (every day)
sumendus

quaque die post every evening (every day

q.p.m.
meridiem after noon)

q.h. quaque hora every hour

quaque hora
q.h.s. every night at bedtime can be mistaken as "q.h.r." (every hour)
somni

can be mistaken for "qd" or "qod," write out

q.i.d. quater in die 4 times a day "4 times a day". AMA style avoids use of
this abbreviation (spell out "4 times a day")

q.l. quantum libet as much as is requisite

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

q.n. quaque nocte every night can be mistaken as "q.h." (every hour)

mistaken for "QD," spell out "every other

quaque altera
q.o.d. every other day day". AMA style avoids use of this
die
abbreviation (spell out "every other day")

quater quaque
q.q.h. every 4 hours
hora

quantum
sufficiat
q.s. (subjunctive), a sufficient quantity
quantum sufficit
(indicative)

quantum
at will [or]
q.v. volueris [or]
which see
quod vide

QWK every week

rep., rept. repetatur repeats

RL, R/L Ringer's lactate

take (often effectively a

noun meaning
Rx, Rx, RX, , recipe "prescription"medical
prescription or prescription
drug)

rep. repetatur let it be repeated

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

s. signa write (write on the label)

according to the art

s.a. secundum artem (accepted practice or best
practice)

"SC" can be mistaken for "SL," meaning

SC subcutaneous
sublingual. See also SQ

sem. semen seed

s.i.d. semel in die once a day used exclusively in veterinary medicine

sig. signa write (write on the label)

without (usually written with

s sine
a bar on top of the "s")

sing. singulorum of each

sublingually, under
SL, s.l. sub lingua
the tongue

SOB shortness of breath

sol. solutio solution

s.o.s., si op. sit si opus sit if there is a need

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

one-half [or]
s.s., SS semisse mistaken for "55" or "1/2"
sliding scale

mistaken to mean "strong solution of iodine"

sliding scale insulin or
SSI or "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor".
sliding scale regular insulin
See also SSRI

"SQ" can be mistaken for "5Q" meaning "5

SQ subcutaneously
every dose". See also SC

selective serotonin reuptake

SSRI inhibitor [or] ambiguous. Do not abbreviate
sliding scale regular insulin

let it stand (for example,

st. stet
for settling)

stat statim immediately

SubQ subcutaneously

sumat [or] let him take [or]

sum.
sumendum let it be taken

supp. suppositorium suppository

susp. suspensio suspension

syr. syrupus syrup

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

tab. tabella tablet

tal., t. talus such

tbsp tablespoon

ter die
t.d.s., TDS 3 times a day
sumendum

AMA style avoids use of this abbreviation

t.i.d., t.d. ter in die 3 times a day
(spell out "3 times a day")

tinct. tinctura tincture

t.i.w. 3 times a week mistaken for "twice a week"

top. topical

TPN total parenteral nutrition

tr, tinc., tinct. tinctura tincture

trit. triturate grind to a powder

troch. trochiscus lozenge

tsp teaspoon
 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

mistaken for a "4", "0" or "cc", spell out

U unit
"unit"

u.d., ut. dict. ut dictum as directed

ung. unguentum ointment

USP United States Pharmacopeia

vag. vagine vaginally

w with

w/a while awake

w/f with food (with meals)

w/o without

X, x times

YO, y.o. years old

g microgram mistaken for "mg", meaning milligram

@ at mistaken for "2"; spell out "at"

 Latin, Greek
Abbreviatio
, orNew English Possible confusion
n or symbol
Latin

> greater than mistaken for a "7"

< less than mistaken for an "L"

libra pound

uncia ounce

drachma dram (drachm)

scrupulus scruple

Similarity of handwritten letters[edit]

Especially in handwritten prescriptions or orders, and most especially in hasty handwriting (which is
the usual kind), letter shape can be ambiguous. The example below compares "a" and "o" in a script
where both consist of an incoming stroke, a loop from about 12 o'clock, and an outgoing stroke.
They differ only in the angle of the latter.

Cursive script 'a' and capital 'A' in theU.S. D'Nealian script style
Cursive script 'o' and capital 'O' in theU.S. D'Nealian script style

Numerical notation[edit]
When expressing a numerical quantity, Roman numerals are commonly used in place of arabic
digits so as to avoid confusion. The numbers 1 - 3, (I, II, III) usually written as upper-case Roman
numerals, often have the appearance of a capital "T" or a series of capital "T's" with a dot above
each "T." They are also sometimes written as lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii).