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Common Pharmacy Abbreviation & Dosage Forms
Common Pharmacy Abbreviation & Dosage Forms
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION
AAA – apply to the affected area
a.c. – take before meals. It comes from the Latin ante cibum
ad lib – take as much as desired. This comes from the Latin ad libitum, which means “at one’s
pleasure.”
amt – amount
BP – blood pressure
d.c. – discontinue
h.s. – at bedtime. From the Latin hora somni, meaning “at the hour of sleep”
inh. – inhalation
liq. – liquid
max. – maximum
min. – minimum
neb. – nebulizer
q12 or q.12h. or q.12° -- every 12 hours. Any number can be used in place of 12 for the desired
time period.
q.a.d. or q.o.d. – every other day. From the Latin quaque alternis die
qty – quantity
stat. – immediately
L...
laevus l. left
linimentum lin. liniment
liquor liq. a solution
lot. lotion
M...
minimum min; Mx minim
misce m.; M mix
mcg. microgram
mEq. milliequivalent
mg. milligram
ml. milliliter
N...
nocte n. at night
naristillae narist. nasal drops
nebule neb. a spray
N.F. National Formulary
non repetatur non.rep. do not repeat
NS normal saline
O...
octarius O. pint
oculentum occulent. eye ointment
oculus o. eye
oculus dexter o.d. right eye
oculus laevus o.l. left eye
oculus sinister o.s. left eye
oculus utro o.u. both eyes, each eye
omni mane o.m. every morning
P...
parti affectae applicandus p.a.a. to be applied to affected part
per os p.o. by mouth
post cibum p.c. after meals
p.r. per rectum
pro re nata p.r.n. as needed
pulvis pulv. powder
Q...
quater in die q.i.d. four times a day
quaque q. each, every
quaque die q.d. every day
quaque hora q.h. every hour
quantum sufficiat q.s. a sufficient quantity
quantum sufficiat ad q.s. ad a sufficient quantity to make
R...
S...
secundum artem s.a. according to the art
S.C.; subc; subq subcutaneously
semis ss one-half
signa Sig. write, label
sine s without
si opus sit s.o.s. if necessary
sol. solution
statim stat. immediately
suppositorum supp. suppository
syrupus syr. syrup
T...
tabella tab. tablet
tbsp. tablespoonful
ter in die t.i.d. three times a day
tinc.; tr. tincture
trochiscus troche lozenge
tussis tuss. a cough
U...
ungentum ung. an ointment
ut dictum ut dict.; u.d. as directed
Drug Name Abbreviations
-FU 5-fluorouracil
Al(OH)3 aluminum hydroxide
APAP acetaminophen
ASA aspirin (acetylsalicyclic acid)
AZT zidovudine
C ascorbic acid
Ca calcium
Cl- chloride
CO castor oil
F fluorine
Fe iron
FeGluc ferrous gluconate
FeSO4 ferrous sulfate
I iodine
INH isoniazid
ISDN isosorbide dinitrate
ISMN Isosorbide mononitrate
K potassium
KCl potassium chloride
LD levodopa
LR Lactated Ringer's solution
Mg magnesium
MgO magnesium oxide
MgSO4 magnesium sulfate
MOM milk of magnesia
MS morphine sulfate
MTX methotrexate
MV multiple vitamin
Na sodium
NaCl sodium chloride
NaHCO3
NO nitrous oxide
NPH Neutral protamine Hagedorn (insulin)
NS normal saline solution (0.9% sodium chloride)
� NS one-half normal saline solution (0.45% sodium chloride)
NTG nitroglycerin
OC oral contraceptive
RS Ringer's solution
SS Saline solution
SSKI Saturated solution of potassium iodide
T3 triiodothyroxine, liothyronine
T4 Levothyroxine
TCA Trichloroacetic acid
TCN tetracycline
TMP trimethoprim
TMP/SMX Trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole aka cotrimoxazole
TPN total perenteral nutrition
Parenteral medications are injected or placed into the body tissues and
do not pass through the liver before entering the bloodstream. This can
include injections, topical and inhalation routes. Generally in pharmacy,
parenteral refers to injection. Topical and inhalation routes are separated
into their own routes of administration.
Lozenge and Lozenges and Troches are meant to be dissolved slowly in the
Troche mouth and generally have a local effect.
Intradermal Injected into the top layer of the skin at a slight angle.
A dusting powder is a finely divided insoluble powder containing ingredients such as talc, zinc
oxide, or starch. Coarse powders often have a gritty feel, whereas powders containing particles
that are <20 μm in all dimensions have a smooth feel. Some dusting powders absorb moisture,
which discourages bacterial growth. Others are used for their lubricant properties. The use of
dusting powders is indicated on skin folds and contraindicated on wet surfaces, because caking is
likely to result.
A cream is a semisolid emulsion formulated for application to the skin or mucous membranes.
Droplet diameter in topical emulsions generally ranges from 0.1–100 μm. Cream emulsions are
most commonly oil-in-water but may be water-in-oil. The former readily rub into the skin (hence
the term “vanishing” cream) and are removed by licking and washing. By comparison, water-in-
oil emulsions are emollient and cleansing. Water-in-oil emulsions are also less greasy and spread
more readily than ointments, and they soothe inflamed skin as a consequence of the water in the
formulation evaporating.
A paste for topical use is a stiff preparation containing a high proportion of finely powdered
solids such as starch, zinc oxide, calcium carbonate, and talc. Pastes are less greasy than
ointments, because much of the fluid hydrocarbon fraction is absorbed onto the solid particles;
they are also less occlusive than ointments. Pastes are indicated for ulcerated lesions.
A gel is a nongreasy, semisolid, aqueous solution. The semisolid properties are due to a polymer
imparting a continuous structure to the hydrophilic liquid. The polymers used include natural
gums such as tragacanth, pectin, and agar; semisynthetic materials such as methylcellulose,
hydroxymethylcellulose, and carboxymethylcellulose; and synthetic polymers such as carbopol.
Medicaments are generally well released from gels, which are easily washed off on account of
their water miscibility.
A solution for topical use is a mixture of two or more components that form a single phase down
to the molecular level. Topical solutions include eye drops, ear drops, and lotions. Eye drops are
sterile liquids that contain a range of drugs, including local anesthetics, antibiotics, anti-
inflammatory agents, and drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system of the eye. They are
instilled onto the eyeball or within the conjunctival sac. Ear drops are solutions of drugs such as
antibiotics, insecticides, or anti-inflammatory agents. The vehicle may be water, glycerol,
propylene glycol, or alcohol/water mixtures. They are applied to the external auditory canal.
A lotion is usually an aqueous solution (or suspension) for application to inflamed, ulcerated
skin. Lotions cool the skin by evaporation of solvents, leaving a film of dry powder. Lotions are
suitable for use on hairy areas and for lesions with minor exudation and ulceration.