A Guide to Pharmacy Abbreviations
Once you have decided to be a Pharmacist you will be reading a lot of prescriptions. All of these prescriptions are not well written and the majority of them use a lot of abbreviations.
If you are a student you might be well aware of the abbreviations as they are often asked in exams and terms in Pharmacy schools and colleges.
Later when we step behind the counter to refill these prescriptions we might face a lot of difficulty in understanding what a doctor wants to write for his patient.
All of these abbreviations can be learnt in an easy way but with practice and always double checking with the Pharmacists in charge. For a head start you can refer to the table below.
This can be taken as a beginner’s guide for fresh pharmacy graduates, technicians, and nurses to help them understand proper medicine administration.
Pharmacy Prescription Abbreviations
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|
Abbreviation
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
|
aa
|
of each
|
Derived from Latin, ana
|
|
AAA
|
apply to affected area
|
|
|
a.c.
|
before meals
|
Derived from Latin, ante cibum
|
|
a.d.
|
right ear
|
Derived from Latin, auris dextra
|
|
ad lib.
|
as much as desired; freely
|
Derived from Latin, ad libitum (“at one’s
pleasure”) |
|
a.m.
|
morning; before noon
|
Derived from Latin, ante meridiem
|
|
amp.
|
ampule
|
|
|
amt.
|
amount
|
|
|
APAP
|
acetaminophen
|
|
|
aq.
|
water
|
Derived from Latin, aqua
|
|
a.s.
|
left ear
|
Derived from Latin, auris sinistra
|
|
ATC
|
around the clock
|
|
|
a.u.
|
both ears
|
Derived from Latin, auris utraque
|
|
bib.
|
drink
|
Derived from Latin, bibe
|
|
b.i.d.
|
twice a day
|
Derived from Latin, bis in die
|
|
BP
|
blood pressure
|
|
|
bucc.
|
inside cheek
|
Derived from Latin, bucca
|
|
c.
|
with
|
Derived from Latin, cum; often written with a bar
above it |
|
cc
|
cubic centimeter (cm3)
|
Less commonly used as an abbreviation for cum cibo (“with
food”) |
|
cap.
|
capsule
|
|
|
cm
|
centimeter
|
Also used as an abbreviation for cream
|
|
d.
|
day
|
Derived from Latin, dies
|
|
DAW
|
dispense as written
|
|
|
d.c.; d/c
|
discontinue
|
|
|
dil.
|
dilute
|
|
|
disp.
|
dispense
|
|
|
div.
|
divide
|
|
|
dL
|
deciliter
|
|
|
DR
|
delayed-release
|
|
|
EC
|
enteric-coated
|
|
|
EOD
|
every other day
|
|
|
ER; XR
|
extended-release
|
|
|
et
|
and
|
Derived from Latin, et
|
|
f., ft.
|
make; let it be made
|
Derived from Latin, fiat
|
|
fl.
|
fluid
|
|
|
FXD
|
for 10 days
|
X = Roman numeral for 10
|
|
g, gm
|
gram
|
|
|
gal
|
gallon
|
|
|
gr.
|
grain
|
|
|
gtt.
|
drop
|
Derived from Latin, gutta
|
|
h., hr., hor.
|
hour
|
Derived from Latin, hora
|
|
HCT; HCTZ
|
hydrochlorothiazide
|
|
|
h.s.
|
at bedtime
|
Derived from Latin, hora somni (“at the hour of
sleep”) |
|
ID
|
intradermal
|
|
|
IM
|
intramuscular
|
|
|
IN
|
intranasal
|
|
|
inf.
|
infusion
|
|
|
inh.
|
inhalation
|
|
|
inj.
|
injection
|
|
|
IR
|
immediate-release
|
|
|
IU
|
international unit
|
|
|
IV
|
intravenous
|
|
|
K
|
potassium
|
|
|
kg
|
kilogram
|
|
|
L
|
liter
|
|
|
lb
|
pound
|
Derived from Latin, libra
|
|
liq.
|
liquid
|
|
|
lot.
|
lotion
|
|
|
m
|
meter
|
|
|
max.
|
maximum
|
|
|
mcg; μg
|
microgram
|
μ = Greek letter mu
|
|
MDP
|
Medrol Dosepak
|
Pre-dosed packaging of methylprednisolone (Medrol)
|
|
mg
|
milligram
|
|
|
min.
|
minimum
|
|
|
mL
|
milliliter
|
|
|
mm
|
millimeter
|
|
|
neb.
|
nebulizer
|
|
|
NSAID
|
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
|
Drug class that includes ibuprofen (Motrin)
|
|
o.d.
|
right eye
|
Derived from Latin, oculus dexter
|
|
ODT
|
oral disintegrating tablet
|
|
|
oint.
|
ointment
|
|
|
o.s.
|
left eye
|
Derived from Latin, oculus sinister
|
|
OTC
|
over the counter
|
|
|
o.u.
|
both eyes
|
Derived from Latin, oculus uterque
|
|
oz
|
ounce
|
|
|
PA
|
prior authorization
|
|
|
p.c.
|
after meals
|
Derived from Latin, post cibum
|
|
p.m.
|
evening; after noon
|
Derived from Latin, post meridiem
|
|
p.o.
|
by mouth; orally
|
Derived from Latin, per os
|
|
p.r.
|
rectally
|
Derived from Latin, per rectum
|
|
p.r.n.
|
as needed (for)
|
Derived from Latin, pro re nata
|
|
pt
|
pint
|
|
|
p.v.
|
vaginally
|
Derived from Latin, per vaginam
|
|
q
|
every; per
|
Derived from Latin, quaque
|
|
q12; q. 12 h.; q12°
|
every 12 hours
|
12 can be substituted with any number
|
|
q1-2; q. 1-2 h.; q1-2°
|
every 1 to 2 hours
|
1 and 2 can be substituted with any number
|
|
q.a.d.; q.o.d.
|
every other day
|
Derived from Latin, quaque alternis die
|
|
q.a.m.
|
every morning; every day before noon
|
Derived from Latin, quaque anti meridiem
|
|
q.d.
|
every day
|
Derived from Latin, quaque die
|
|
q.h.s.
|
every day at bedtime
|
Derived from Latin, quaque hora somni
|
|
q.i.d.
|
4 times a day
|
Dervied from Latin, quater in die
|
|
qt
|
quart
|
|
|
qty.
|
quantity
|
|
|
q.p.m.
|
every evening; every day after noon
|
Derived from Latin, quaque post meridiem
|
|
q.s.
|
a sufficient quantity
|
Derived from Latin, quantum sufficiat
|
|
q.w.
|
every week
|
|
|
Rx
|
prescription
|
Derived from Latin, recipere (‘to take”)
|
|
s.
|
without
|
Derived from Latin, sine; often written with a bar
above it |
|
SC; SQ; SubQ
|
subcutaneous
|
|
|
sig.
|
write; label
|
Derived from Latin, signa
|
|
SL; s.l.
|
sublingually; under the tongue
|
|
|
SOB
|
shortness of breath
|
|
|
sol.
|
solution
|
|
|
SSRI
|
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
|
Drug class that includes escitalopram (Lexapro) and fluoxetine
(Prozac) |
|
stat.
|
immediately
|
Derived from Latin, statim
|
|
supp.
|
suppository
|
|
|
susp.
|
suspension
|
|
|
syr.
|
syrup
|
|
|
tab.
|
tablet
|
|
|
TAD
|
take as directed
|
|
|
tbsp
|
tablespoon
|
|
|
t.i.d.
|
3 times a day
|
Derived from Latin, ter in die
|
|
top.
|
topical
|
|
|
troch.
|
lozenge
|
Derived from Latin, trochiscus
|
|
tsp
|
teaspoon
|
|
|
U
|
unit
|
|
|
u.d., ut. dict.
|
as directed
|
Derived from Latin, ut dictum
|
|
ung.
|
ointment
|
Derived from Latin, unguentum
|
|
w.
|
with
|
|
|
w/f
|
with food; with meals
|
|
|
w/o
|
without
|
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