The main discussion of these abbreviations in the context of drug prescriptions and other medical prescriptions is at List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions . Some of these abbreviations are best not used, as marked and explained here.
Abbrev. [1] | Meaning [1] | Latin (or Neo-Latin) origin [1] |
---|---|---|
a.c. | before meals | ante cibum |
a.d., ad, AD | right ear | auris dextra |
a.m., am, AM | morning | ante meridiem |
nocte | every night | Omne Nocte |
a.s., as, AS | left ear | auris sinistra |
a.u., au, AU | both ears together or each ear | aures unitas or auris uterque |
b.d.s, bds, BDS | 2 times a day | bis die sumendum |
b.i.d., bid, BID | twice a day / twice daily | bis in die |
gtt., gtts | drop(s) | gutta(e) |
h., h | hour | hora |
qhs, h.s., hs | at bedtime or half strength | quaque hora somni |
ii | two tablets | duos doses |
iii | three tablets | trēs doses |
n.p.o., npo, NPO | nothing by mouth / not by oral administration | nil per os |
o.d., od, OD | right eye once a day (United Kingdom) | oculus dexter omne in die |
o.s., os, OS | left eye | oculus sinister |
o.u., ou, OU | both eyes | oculus uterque |
p.c. | after food | post cibum |
p.m., pm, PM | afternoon or evening | post meridiem |
p.o., po, PO | by mouth / oral administration | per os / nonstandard form per orem |
p.r., pr, PR | rectally / rectal administration | per rectum |
p.r.n., prn, PRN | as needed | pro re nata |
q. | every | quaque |
q.1.h., q1h | every hour | quaque hora |
q.2.h., q2h | every 2 hours | quaque secunda hora |
q.4.h., q4h | every 4 hours | quaque quarta hora |
q.6.h., q6h | every 6 hours | quaque sexta hora |
q.8.h., q8h | every 8 hours | quaque octava hora |
q.a.m., qAM, qam | every morning | quaque ante meridiem |
q.d., qd | every day / daily | quaque die |
q.h.s., qhs | every night at bedtime | quaque hora somni |
q.d.s, qds, QDS | 4 times a day | quater die sumendum |
q.i.d, qid | 4 times a day | quater in die |
q.h., qh | every hour, hourly | quaque hora |
q.o.d., qod | every other day / alternate days | quaque altera die |
q.p.m., qPM, qpm | every afternoon or evening | quaque post meridiem |
q.s., qs | a sufficient quantity (enough) | quantum sufficiat |
q.wk. also qw | weekly (once a week) | quaque week |
Rx, Rx, ℞ | prescription | recipe |
Sig., S. | directions | signa |
Stat. | immediately, with no delay, now | statim |
t.i.d., tid, TID | 3 times a day | ter in die |
t.d.s., tds, TDS | take by mouth 3 times a day | ter die sumendus |
u.d., ud | as directed | ut dictum |
The symbol # is known variously in English-speaking regions as the number sign, hash, or pound sign. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes including the designation of an ordinal number and as a ligatured abbreviation for pounds avoirdupois – having been derived from the now-rare ℔.
Micro is a unit prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of 10−6. It comes from the Greek word μικρός, meaning "small".
A grain is a unit of measurement of mass, and in the troy weight, avoirdupois, and apothecaries' systems, equal to exactly 64.79891 milligrams. It is nominally based upon the mass of a single ideal seed of a cereal. From the Bronze Age into the Renaissance, the average masses of wheat and barley grains were part of the legal definitions of units of mass. Expressions such as "thirty-two grains of wheat, taken from the middle of the ear" appear to have been ritualistic formulas. Another source states that it was defined such that 252.458 units would balance 1 cubic inch (16 cm3) of distilled water at an ambient air-water pressure and temperature of 30 inches of mercury (100 kPa) and 62 °F (17 °C) respectively. Another book states that Captain Henry Kater, of the British Standards Commission, arrived at this value experimentally.
A prescription, often abbreviated ℞ or Rx, is a formal communication from a physician or other registered healthcare professional to a pharmacist, authorizing them to dispense a specific prescription drug for a specific patient. Historically, it was a physician's instruction to an apothecary listing the materials to be compounded into a treatment—the symbol ℞ comes from the first word of a medieval prescription, Latin recipe, that gave the list of the materials to be compounded.
A drug overdose is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended. Typically it is used for cases when a risk to health will potentially result. An overdose may result in a toxic state or death.
A prescription drug is a pharmaceutical drug that is permitted to be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs can be obtained without a prescription. The reason for this difference in substance control is the potential scope of misuse, from drug abuse to practicing medicine without a license and without sufficient education. Different jurisdictions have different definitions of what constitutes a prescription drug.
An eyeglass prescription is an order written by an eyewear prescriber, such as an optometrist, that specifies the value of all parameters the prescriber has deemed necessary to construct and/or dispense corrective lenses appropriate for a patient. If an eye examination indicates that corrective lenses are appropriate, the prescriber generally provides the patient with an eyewear prescription at the conclusion of the exam.
The regulation of therapeutic goods, defined as drugs and therapeutic devices, varies by jurisdiction. In some countries, such as the United States, they are regulated at the national level by a single agency. In other jurisdictions they are regulated at the state level, or at both state and national levels by various bodies, as in Australia.
Charges for prescriptions for medicines and some medical appliances are payable by adults in England under the age of 60. However, people may be exempt from charges in various exemption categories. Charges were abolished by NHS Wales in 2007, Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland in 2010 and by NHS Scotland in 2011. In 2010/11, in England, £450 million was raised through these charges, some 0.5% of the total NHS budget. As of August 2024 the prescription charge is £9.90 per item.
In medicine, an indication is a valid reason to use a certain test, medication, procedure, or surgery. There can be multiple indications to use a procedure or medication. An indication can commonly be confused with the term diagnosis. A diagnosis is the assessment that a particular medical condition is present while an indication is a reason for use. The opposite of an indication is a contraindication, a reason to withhold a certain medical treatment because the risks of treatment clearly outweigh the benefits.
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care which provides a number of support services to the National Health Service in England and Wales. It was created on 1 October 2005 following a review by the Department of Health of its "arm's length bodies". It began operating on 1 April 2006, bringing together five previously separate NHS business support organisations.
Before the introduction of the euro, the current eurozone members issued their own individual national coinage, most of which featured mint marks, privy marks and/or mint master marks. These marks have been continued as a part of the national designs of the euro coins, as well. This article serves to list the information about the various types of identifying marks on euro coins, including engraver and designer initials and the unique edge inscriptions found on the €2 coins.
A pharmacy is a premises which provides pharmaceutical drugs, among other products. At the pharmacy, a pharmacist oversees the fulfillment of medical prescriptions and is available to counsel patients about prescription and over-the-counter drugs or about health problems and wellness issues. A typical pharmacy would be in the commercial area of a community.
Healthcare in England is mainly provided by the National Health Service (NHS), a public body that provides healthcare to all permanent residents in England, that is free at the point of use. The body is one of four forming the UK National Health Service, as health is a devolved matter; there are differences with the provisions for healthcare elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and in England it is overseen by NHS England. Though the public system dominates healthcare provision in England, private health care and a wide variety of alternative and complementary treatments are available for those willing and able to pay.
Electronic prescription is the computer-based electronic generation, transmission, and filling of a medical prescription, taking the place of paper and faxed prescriptions. E-prescribing allows a physician, physician assistant, pharmacist, or nurse practitioner to use digital prescription software to electronically transmit a new prescription or renewal authorization to a community or mail-order pharmacy. It outlines the ability to send error-free, accurate, and understandable prescriptions electronically from the healthcare provider to the pharmacy. E-prescribing is meant to reduce the risks associated with traditional prescription script writing. It is also one of the major reasons for the push for electronic medical records. By sharing medical prescription information, e-prescribing seeks to connect the patient's team of healthcare providers to facilitate knowledgeable decision making.
Oral administration is a route of administration whereby a substance is taken through the mouth, swallowed, and then processed via the digestive system. This is a common route of administration for many medications.
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