COMMON ABBREVIATIONS USED IN PRESCRIPTIONS & MEDICATION ORDERS

Abbreviations Meaning Abbreviations Meaning

A Before C&S Culture and Sensitivity
aa. or ã ã of each d Day
ABW Actual Body Weight disc. Or D.C. Discontinue
a.c. Before meals disp. Dispense
a.d. Right ear div. Divide
ad lib. at pleasure, freely DOB Date of Birth
admin. Administer DPT Diphtheria, Pertussis,
ad to make Tetanus
a.m. Morning DS Double strength
amp. Ampule d.t.d. Give of such doses
Dispense
APAP Acetaminophen DW Distilled Water
aq. Water D5W Dextrose 5% in water
aq.dist Distilled water DX Diagnose
a.s. Left ear EC enteric coated
ASA Aspirin ECG or EKG Electrocardiogram
ATC Around the clock EDTA Edetate
a.u. Each ear EENT ees, ears, nose, throat
b.i.d. Twice a day EFAD essential fatty acid
deficiency
BM Bowel movement elix. Elixir
BMI Body mass index e.m.p. as directed
BP Blood pressure EPI Epinephrine
BS Blood sugar ER emergency room
BSA Body surface area et And
BUN Blood urea nitrogen f. or ft. Make
BW Body weight F Fahrenheit
C Centigrade FBS fasting blood sugar
c. or C With FFA Free fatty acid
Cc With food or meals fl. or fld Fluid
CA Cancer or cardiac arrest ft. Make
Cap Capsule garg Gargle
CBC Complete Blood Count g or Gm Gram
Cc Cubic centimeter GI gastro-intestinal
CCT Crude coal tar gr Grain
chart of Powder or powder paper gtt, gtts drop, drops
chartulae
CHD Congestive
Coronary heart disease GYN Gynecology

CHF Congestive heart failure H Hypodermic

CNS Central nervous system h or hr. Hour
comp. Compound HA Headache
COPD Chronic Obstructive HBP High blood pressure
Pulmonary Disease
CPZ Chlorpromazine HCT Hematocrit
HCTZ Hydrochlorothiazide N&V nausea and vomiting
HEPA high efficiency particular air NG Nasogastric
h.s. at bedtime NF national formulary
HT Height NK none known
HPN Hypertension no. or No. Number
HPI History of present illness noct. Night
IBW Ideal body weight non rep or N.R. do not repeat or no
refills
ICU Intensive care unit NPO nothing by mouth
ID Intradermal NS normal saline
IM Intramuscular ½ NS half-strength normal
saline
INH Isoniazid NTG Nitroglycerin
I&O input and output NVD nausea, vomiting, &
diarrhea
inj. Injection O. Pint
IPPB Intermittent positive pressure OB-GYN obstetrics-gynecology

IU or iu International unit OC oral contraceptive

IV Intravenous OD Overdose
IVP intravenous push or IV o.d. right eye
pyelogram
IVPB intravenous piggyback oint. Ointment
L Liter o.s. left eye
LCD Coal Tar Solution OR operating room
M. Mix OT occupational therapy
m2 or M2 square meter OTC over the counter
mcg or mg Microgram o.u. both eye
MEq Milliequivalent
Mg Milligram oz. ounce (avoirdupois)
MI myocardial infarction p or per By
Ml Milliliter pt. Patient (pint)
MMR measles, mumps, rubella Pb Phenobarbital

MO mineral oil p.c. after meals

MOM milk of magnesia PCN Penicillin
mOsmol Milliosmoles p.m. afternoon; evening
MR may repeat p.o. by mouth
MRX_ may repeat times p or post After
N Nostril
PPD purified protein derivative syr. Syrup
(tuberculin)
PPI patient package inserts SZ Seizure
PPM part per million T&C type and crossmatch
Pr Rectally tab Tablet
Pre-op before surgery TAC Tetracaine, Adrenalin
and Cocaine
p.r.n. when required or as needed tal. Such
PT physical therapy tal. dos. such dose
pulv. Powder tbsp Tablespoon
Pv or V Vaginally TCA tricyclic antidepressant
q or q Every t.a.t until all taken
q AM every morning tx Treatment
q.d. Everyday TCN Tetracycline
q.h. every hour t.i.d. three times a day
q.i.d. four times a day t.i.w. three times a week
q.o.d. every other day TMP/SMX Trimethoprim /
Sulfamethoxazole
q.s. a sufficient quantity top Topically
q.s. ad a sufficient quantity to make TPN total parenteral nutrition
r or R Rectal tr. Tincture
R.L. or R/L Ringer’s Lactate Tsp Teaspoon
s or s Without U or u unit (s)
sat. Saturated UA Urinalysis
Sig. write on label u.d. or ut dict as directed
SL Sublingual (under the tongue) ung.t Ointment
SOB shortness of breath URI upper respiratory
infection
sol. Solution USP United States
Pharmacopeia
s.o.s if there is need UTI urinary tract infection
SS saturated solution UUN urine urea nitrogen
ss. or ss one-half UV Ultraviolet

SSKI Saturated Solution of VS vital signs

Potassium Iodide
stat. Immediately, now w/WBC with white blood cell
count
subc, subq, Subcutaneously w/o Without
s.c., sq
supp. Suppository X Times
susp. Suspension y.o. year old
SVR Alcohol ZnO Zinc Oxide
q4h,q5h,q6h-every (number)hours CAD-coronary artery disease
m&n-morning and night CRF-chronic renal failure
s.i.d-once a day CV-cardiovascular
Gal-gallom ENT-ear,nose,throat
lb-pound GERD-gastrointestinal reflux disease
kg-kilogram GFR-glomerular filtration rate
L-liter GU-genitourinary
qt-quart HR-heart rate
ss-one half HRT-hormone replacement theraphy
dil-dilute HT or HTN-hypertension
m&n-morning and night IOP-intraocular pressure
s.i.d-once a day OA-osteoarthritis
wk-week Pt.-patient
AZT-zidovudine QL-quality of life
EES-erythromycin ethylsuccinate RA-rheumatoid arthritis
HC-hydrocortisone D5LR-dextrose 5%in lactated ringers
MTX-methhotrexate D5NS-dextrose in 5% in normal saline
NSAID-nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drug CIVI-continous(24 hrs) intravenous infusion
NTG-nitroglycerin IV-intravenous
Afib-atrial fibrillation IT-intrathecal
ADR-adverse drug reaction IVPB-intravenous piggyback
NGT-nasogastric tube IVB-intravenous bolus