COMMON ABBREVIATIONS USED IN PRESCRIPTIONS AND 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,
tetanus
a.m. Morning DS Double strength
amp. Ampule d.t.d. Give of such doses
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 centimetre GI gastro-intestinal
CCT Crude coal tar gr Grain
chart of chartulae Powder or powder paper gtt, gtts drop, drops
CHD Congestive 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 OB-GYN obstetrics-gynecology
pressure
IU or iu International unit OC oral contraceptive
IV Intravenous OD Overdose
IVP intravenous push or IV o.d. right eye
pyelogram
IVPB intravenous piggy back oint. Ointment
L Liter o.s. left eye
LCD Coal Tar Solution OR operating room
M. Mix OT occupational therapy
2 2
m or M square meter OTC over-the-counter
mcg or mg Microgram o.u. each eye
MEq Milliequivalent o2 both eyes
Mg Milligram oz. ounce (avoirdupois)
MI myocardial infarction p or per By
Ml Millilitre pt. Patient
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 insert 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 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 ung. 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 w/WBC with white blood cell
count
subc or subq or Subcutaneously w/o Without
s.c.
supp. Suppository X Times
susp. Suspension y.o. year old
SVR Alcohol ZnO Zinc Oxide