MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS ON PRESCRIPTIONS

Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion

Meaning

1/2NS one-half normal saline Normal saline (NS) is 0.9%, so

(0.45%) one-half normal saline is 0.45%

5-ASA 5-aminosalicylic acid Can be misinterpreted as five

tablets of aspirin (per FDA).

Spell out full drug name.

a before

A.M. morning

aa of each

AAA abdominal aortic aneurysm Can be misinterpreted as 'apply

(called a "triple-A") to affected area'

AAA apply to affected area Can be misinterpreted as

'abdominal aortic aneurysm'

ac before meals

achs before meals and at

bedtime

AD right ear

ad lib freely; as much as desired

ad sat. to saturation

ad. to; up to Caution not to confuse with AD

(meaning right ear)

ALT alanine aminotransferase

alt. alternate

alt. h. every other hour

Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

am, A.M. in the morning; before noon

amp ampule

amt. amount

ant. anterior

ante before

ap before dinner

APAP acetaminophen Spell out drug name

"acetaminophen"

aPTT activated partial

thromboplastin

AQ, aq water

a.s., AS left ear

ASA aspirin Spell out drug name "aspirin"

AST aspartate aminotransferase

ATC around the clock

AU each ear; both ears

AZT zidovudine Can be misinterpreted as

azathioprine (per FDA).

Spell out drug name.

Ba barium

BCP birth control pills

Bi bismuth
Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

bid, BID twice a day

BM bowel movement

BMI body mass index

bol bolus

BP blood pressure

BPH benign prostatic

hypertrophy

BS blood sugar

BSA body surface area

BT bedtime In U.S., 'hs' or 'HS' is more

commonly used for bedtime.

c with

C.C. chief complaint

c/o complaints of

C&S culture and sensitivity

CABG coronary artery bypass graft

CaCO3 calcium carbonate

CAD coronary artery disease

CAP cancer of the prostate Do not confuse with "capsule"

cap. capsule Do not confuse with "cancer of

the prostate"

CBC complete blood count

Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

cc cubic centimeters May be mistaken as u (units) per

ISMP.

Use mL instead of cc.

CD controlled delivery

CF cystic fibrosis

cm centimeter

CNS central nervous system

conc concentrated

CPZ Compazine Can be misinterpreted as

chlorpromazine (per FDA).

Spell out drug name.

CR controlled-release

cr, crm cream

CV cardiovascular

CXR chest x-ray

D/C, dc, disc. discontinue OR discharge Multiple possible meanings; spell

out instead of using "D/C"

D5/0.9 NaCl 5% dextrose and normal

saline solution (0.9% NaCl)

D5 1/2/NS 5% dextrose and half

normal saline solution
(0.45% NaCl)

D5NS dextrose 5% in normal

saline (0.9%)
Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

D5W 5% dextrose in water

DAW dispense as written

DBP diastolic blood pressure

dil. diluted

disp dispense

div divide

DKA diabetic ketoacidosis

dL deciliter

DM diabetes mellitus

DO Doctor of Osteopathic
Medicine

DOB date of birth

DPT diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus Better to spell out vaccine name;

can be misinterpreted as
Demerol-Phenergan-Thorazine
per FDA

DR delayed-release

DVT deep vein thrombosis

DW dextrose in water, diabetes Multiple possible meanings; spell

mellitus or distilled water out instead of using "DW"

EC enteric-coated

EENT Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat

elix. elixir
Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

emuls. emulsion

ER extended-release Can also mean "emergency

room"

ER emergency room Can also mean "extended-

release"

ETOH ethyl alcohol

F Fahrenheit

f or F female

FBS fasting blood sugar

FDA Food and Drug

Administration

Fe Iron

FFP fresh frozen plasma

fl or fld fluid

ft foot

G, or g, or gm gram "g" is preferred symbol

garg gargle

GERD gastroesophageal reflux

disease

GI gastrointestinal

gr. grain Apothecary measurement

(obsolete and may be
misinterpreted as gram; do not
use)
Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

GTT glucose tolerance test Can be confused with gtt for

drops

gtt, gtts drop, drops Can be confused with GTT for

glucose tolerance test

GU genitourinary

guttat. drop by drop

h, or hr. hour

h/o history of

H&H hematocrit and hemoglobin

H2 histamine 2

H20 water

HAART highly active antiretroviral

therapy

HCT, or Hct hematocrit

HCT hydrocortisone Better to spell out drug name;

can be misinterpreted as
hydrochlorothiazide per FDA

HCTZ hydrochlorothiazide Better to spell out drug name;

can be misinterpreted as
hydrocortisone per FDA

HR heart rate

HS half-strength better to spell out; do not

mistake for "bedtime"

hs or HS at bedtime, hours of sleep Do not misinterpret as 'half-

strength'
Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

HTN hypertension

hx history

IBW ideal body weight

ID intradermal OR infectious Multiple possible meanings; spell

disease out word instead of using "ID"

IJ injection better to spell out 'injection'

IM intramuscular

IN intranasal

inf infusion

inj. injection

instill. instillation

IP intraperitoneal

IR immediate-release

IU international unit(s) Mistaken as IV (intravenous) or

the number 10 (ten); Instead use
"International Unit(s)" (per Joint
Commission's "Do Not Use" List
of Abbreviations)

IUD intrauterine device

IV intravenous

IVP intravenous push Could be confused with

'intravenous pyelogram'

IVPB intravenous piggyback

J joule
Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

K potassium

KOH potassium hydroxide

L or l liter Lowercase letter l may be

mistaken as the number 1 (per
ISMP). Instead use L (uppercase)
for liter.

LA long-acting

lab laboratory

lb. pound

LDL low-density lipoprotein

LFT liver function tests

Li lithium

liq. liquid

LMP last menstrual period

lot lotion

LPN licensed practical nurse

LR lactated ringer (solution)

mane in the morning

mcg or µg microgram Can be misinterpreted to mean

"mg" or milligram, better to spell
out 'microgram'

MD medical doctor

MDI metered-dose inhaler

Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

mEq milliequivalent

mEq/L milliequivalent per liter

Mg magnesium

mg milligram

MgSO4 magnesium sulfate May be confused with "MSO4"

(morphine sulfate), spell out
"magnesium sulfate" - Joint
Commission's "Do Not Use" List
of Abbreviations

mL milliliter Do not use ml as lowercase l may

be mistaken for the number 1.
Use mL (lowercase m, uppercase
L) for milliliter (per ISMP).

mm millimeter

MM or M million May be mistaken as thousand.

Use million.

M or K thousand May be mistaken as million. Use

thousand.

mm of Hg millimeters of mercury

mMol millimole

MMR measle-mumps-rubella
(vaccine)

mol wt molecular weight

MR modified-release

MS morphine sulfate or Can mean either morphine

magnesium sulfate sulfate or magnesium sulfate,
Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

spell out full drug name - Joint

Commission's "Do Not Use" List
of Abbreviations

MSO4 morphine sulfate May be confused with "MgSO4";

instead spell out "morphine
sulfate" - Joint Commission's "Do
Not Use" List of Abbreviations

n or noct. in the night

N/A not applicable

N/V, N&V nausea and vomiting

Na sodium

NAS intranasal

NDC National Drug Code

Ng or ng nanogram May be mistaken as mg or

nasogastric. Use nanogram.

NGT nasogastric tube

NH3 ammonia

NKA no known allergies

NKDA no known drug allergies

noct. maneq. night and morning

NP nurse practitioner

NPO, n.p.o. nothing by mouth Preferred by AMA to spell out

"nothing by mouth"

NS normal saline
Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

NSAID nonsteroidal anti-

inflammatory drug

NTE not to exceed

O2 oxygen

OC oral contraceptive

o.d., OD right eye Can also mean "overdose" or

"once daily"; better to spell out
"right eye"

o.d. once per day Preferred in the UK; Can also

mean "overdose" or "right eye";
better to spell out "once per day"

OJ orange juice

o.s., OS left eye

OTC over-the-counter

PA Physician Assistant

pc after meals

PRN as needed

PM evening

PO orally or by mouth May be better to spell out "by

mouth" or "orally" (per AMA)

q every

q4h every 4 hours

q6h every 6 hours

q8h every 8 hours

Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

q12h every 12 hours

qam every morning

qd, QD, q.d., every day Can be mistaken as q.i.d. Instead

Q.D. write "daily" (per The Joint
Commission "Do Not Use List") or
"use daily" per ISMP list

qhs each night at bedtime Can be confused with "qh" (every

hour); better to spell out "each
night at bedtime"

q.i.d. , QID four times a day

qod, QOD, every other day May be mistaken as qid or QID

q.o.d., or (four times daily).
Q.O.D.
Write "every other day" (per ISMP
and The Joint Commission).

RA rheumatoid arthritis

Rx prescription

SA sustained action

SL, s.l. sublingual (under the

tongue)

SC, SQ sq, or subcutaneous or Use SUBQ (all uppercase) or spell

sub q subcutaneously out subcutaneous or
subcutaneously

SR sustained release

STD sexually transmitted disease

supp suppository
Abbreviation Meaning / Intended Notes About Confusion
Meaning

susp suspension

syr syrup

T temperature

tbsp or Tbsp tablespoon Mistaken as teaspoon(s). Use the

metric system (e.g., mL).

TID, t.i.d. three times a day

top. topical

TR timed-release

tsp teaspoon Mistaken as tablespoon(s). Use

the metric system (e.g., mL).

U or u unit Mistaken as the number "0"

(zero), the number "4" (four) or as
"cc". Write "unit" instead (per The
Joint Commission "Do Not Use"
List).

ud, ut, dict, as directed

UD

ung ointment

UTI urinary tract infection

WBC white blood cell

XR extended-release

mcg, µg microgram µg mcg can be misinterpreted as

"mg". Better to spell out
"microgram"