OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY

College of Pharmacy

LABORATORY DISCUSSION
 ABBREVIATIONS,
ACRONYMS AND SYMBOLS
USED IN PRESCRIPTION
POST –LABORATORY DISCUSSION
ABBREVIATION LATIN MEANING
aa. ana Of each
ad ad Up to; to make
disp. dispensatur Dispense
div. Dividatur Divide
d.t.d. Dentur tales doses Give of such doses
ft fiat Make
M. mice Mix
No. numero number
Non rep. / NR non repatatur Do not repeat
q.s. quantum sufficit A sufficient quantity
q.s. ad Quantum sufficiat ad A sufficient quantity to make
Sig. Signa Write (directions on label)
ABBREVIATION LATIN MEANING
BSA Body surface area
cm3 Cubic centimeter or milliliter (mL)
f or fl Fluidus Fluid
flƺ or fƺ Fluid dram
flƺss or fƺss
Half fluid ounce

g Gram
gal Gallon
gtt gutta Drop
lb libra pound
kg kilogram
L liter
2 2
ABBREVIATION LATIN MEANING
mcg microgram
mEq milliequivalent
mg milligram
mg/kg milligram per kilogram
mg/m2 milligrams per square meter
mL milliliter
mL/h milliliters per hour
mOsm or mOsmol milliosmokes
oz. ounce
pt pint
qt quart
ss. semissem one half
ABBREVIATION LATIN MEANING
a.c. ante cibos before meals
ad lib ad libitum at pleasure, freely
admin administer
A.M ante meridiem morning
aq. aqua water
ATC around the clock
b.i.d. bis in die twice a day
c or ĉ cum with
d die day
dil. dilutus dilute
et and
h. or hr hora hour
ABBREVIATION LATIN MEANING
h.s. hora somni at bedtime
i.c. inter cibos between meals
min. minutum minute
m&n morning and night
N&V nausea nad vomiting
noct. nocte night
NPO non per os nothing by mouth
p.c. post cibos after meals
P.M. post meridiem afternoon, evening
p.o. per os by mouth, orally
p.r.n. pro re nata as needed
q quaque every
ABBREVIATION LATIN MEANING
qAM every morning
q.a.d. quoque alternis die every other day
q.d.s. quarter die sumendusfour times a day
quaque
qh/q.h./q1h/q_1 h every hour
hora/quaque1hora
q2h/q_2 h quaque 2 hora every 2 hours
q3h/q_3 h quaque 3 hora every 3 hours
q4h/q_4 h quaque 4 hora every 4 hours
qd/q.d. quaque die every day
qid/q.i.d. quarter in die four times a day
qod/q.o.d. every other day
qqh quarter quaque hora every four hours
ABBREVIATION LATIN MEANING
tds/t.d.s. ter die sumendum three times a day/daily
tid/t.i.d. ter in die three times a day
t.i.w. three times a week
rep./rept. Repetatur repeat/repeats
non rep. non repetatur only once/ do not repeat
s sine without
s.i.d semel in die once a day
s.o.s. si opus sit if there is need; as needed
stat. statim immediately
ut.dict. ut dictum as directed
wk. week
o.p.d. once per day
ABBREVIATION MEANING
APAP Acetaminophen
ASA Aspirin
AZT Zidovudine
EES Erythromycin ethylsuccinate
HC Hydrochlorothiazide
MTX Methotrexate
NTG Nitroglycerin
ABBREVIATION MEANING
BM bowel movement
BP blood pressure
BS blood sugar
CHD coronary heart disease
CHF congestive heart failure
GERD gastrointestinal reflux disease
GI gastrointestinal
GFR glomerular filtration rate
GU genitourinary
HA headache
HBP high blood pressure
ABBREVIATION MEANING
HRT hormone replacement therapy
HT or HTN hypertension
IOP intraocular pressure
MI Myocardial ischemia/ infarction
OA osteoarthritis
Pt patient
SOB Shortness of breath
TPN total parenteral therapy
URI upper respiratory infection
UTI Urinary tract infection
ABBREVIATION MEANING
amp ampule
cap capsule
D5LR dextrose 5% in Lactated Ringer’s
dextrose 5% in normal saline
D5NS
0.9% sodium chloride
D5W dextrose 5% in water
D10W dextrose 10% in water
elix elixir
inj injection
NS normal saline
½ NS ½ normal saline
ABBREVIATION LATIN MEANING
oint or ungt unguentum ointment
pulv. pulvis powder
RL R/L or LR Ringer’s Lactate or Lactated Ringer’s
sol. solution solution
supp. suppositorium suppository
susp. suspension
syr. syrupus syrup
tab. tabletta tablet
ABBREVIATION MEANING
CIVI continuous intravenous infusion
ID intradermal
IM intramuscular
IT intrathecal
IV intravenous
IVB intravenous bolus
IV Drip intravenous infusion
IVP intravenous push
IVPB intravenous piggy bank
NGT nasogastric tube
rect. rectal
SubQ subcutaneous
Top topically
 VERBS USED IN PRESCRIPTION

• FOR DROPS (LIKE EYEDROPS) à INSTILL

• FOR TABLETS/CAPSULE à GIVE, TAKE, OR
PROVIDE
• FOR INJECTABLES à INJECT
• FOR TOPICAL PRODUCTS (LIKE LOTION,
CREAM, ETC.) à APPLY
 EXAMPLE
• 1-tab PO BID for 7 days, then q24h PRN.

• Translate:
The abbreviation PO is latin for per os, or “by mouth.”
BID is an abbreviation for bis in die—latin for “twice a
day.” The letter q in prescription writing indicates
“every,” from the latin origin quaque, so in this case,
every 24 hours. PRN, the abbreviation used for “as
needed,” is derived from the latin pro re nata.
• Tab. II stat tab. 1 q6h X 7d.

• Translate:
Tab stands for tablet. II is the roman numeral for
two (2). Stat means immediately. q6h wherein “q”
means every and “h” means hour. x7d means
”times 7 days” or for 7 days.
• gtt III o.d. q.d. A.M.

• Translate:
gtt means drop. III is the roman numeral for
three (3). o.d means right eye. q.d stands for
every day. A.M. means morning
THANK YOU.