Ref |
Abbreviations |
Meaning |
1 |
½ NS |
half-strength normal saline |
2 |
½ NS |
half-strength normal saline |
3 |
a.c. |
before meals |
4 |
a.d.or AD or a.r. or AR |
right ear |
5 |
a.m. or AM |
morning |
6 |
a.s. |
left ear |
7 |
a.u. or AU |
each ear |
8 |
aa |
of each |
9 |
ad |
up to |
10 |
ad lib. |
at pleasure, freely; as desired |
11 |
amp. |
ampul(e); ampoule |
12 |
app. or applic |
applicatorful |
13 |
aq. or aqua |
water |
14 |
ASA |
aspirin |
15 |
ATC |
around the clock |
16 |
b.i.d. or BID |
twice a day/ two times daily |
17 |
BM |
bowel movement |
18 |
BP |
blood pressure |
19 |
BS |
blood sugar |
20 |
BSA |
body surface area |
21 |
c |
meals, food |
22 |
c. |
with |
23 |
cap. |
capsule |
24 |
cc or CC |
with food/a meal/meals |
25 |
cc. |
cubic centimeter |
26 |
CHF |
congestive heart failure |
27 |
comp. |
compound |
28 |
cr |
cream |
29 |
d.c. |
discontinue |
30 |
d.t.d. |
give of such doses |
31 |
D10W |
dextrose 10% in water |
32 |
D5LR |
dextrose 5% in lactated Ringer's |
33 |
D5NS |
dextrose 5% in normal saline (0.9% sodium
chloride) |
34 |
D5W |
dextrose 5% in water |
35 |
dil. |
dilute |
36 |
disc. or D.C. |
discontinue |
37 |
disp. |
dispense |
38 |
div. |
divide |
39 |
DW |
distilled water |
40 |
el or elix. |
elixir |
41 |
et |
and |
42 |
ex aq. or in aq |
with water |
43 |
F or ft. |
make |
44 |
fl |
fluid |
45 |
g. or Gm. or g |
gram |
46 |
garg |
gargle |
47 |
GI |
gastrointestinal |
48 |
gr |
grain |
49 |
gtt. |
drop |
50 |
GU |
genitourinary |
51 |
H |
hypodermic |
52 |
h. or hr. |
hour |
53 |
h.s. or HS |
at bedtime |
54 |
HA |
headache |
55 |
HBP |
high blood pressure |
56 |
HC |
hydrocortisone |
57 |
HT or HTN |
hypertension |
58 |
I.V. |
intravenous |
59 |
I.V. |
intravenous |
60 |
ID |
intradermal |
61 |
IM |
intramuscular |
62 |
in aq or ex aq. |
with water |
63 |
inj. |
injection |
64 |
IU |
international units |
65 |
IVP |
intravenous push |
66 |
IVPB |
intravenous piggy back |
67 |
liq. |
liquid |
68 |
lot. |
lotion |
69 |
loz. |
lozenge |
70 |
M or Mitte or Mt |
send |
71 |
M. or Misce |
mix |
72 |
m.d.u. or MDU |
use as directed |
73 |
mcg |
microgram |
74 |
mEq |
milliequvalent |
75 |
mg |
milligram |
76 |
mg/kg |
milligrams (of drug) per kilogram (of body
weight) |
77 |
mg/m^2 |
milligrams (of drug) per square metre (of body
surface area) |
78 |
ml |
millitre |
79 |
ml/h |
millilitres (of drug administered) per hour
(as through intravenous administration) |
80 |
mOsm or mOsmol |
milliosmoles |
81 |
MS |
morphine sulfate |
82 |
N&V |
nausea and vomiting |
83 |
N.S. or NS |
normal saline |
84 |
NMT |
not more than |
85 |
noct. |
night |
86 |
non rep. or N.R. |
do not repeat |
87 |
NPO |
nothing by mouth |
88 |
NTE |
not to exceed |
89 |
NTG |
nitroglycerin |
90 |
O. |
pint |
91 |
o.d. or OD or o.r. or OR |
right eye |
92 |
o.l. |
left eye |
93 |
o.l. or OL or o.s. or OS |
left eye |
94 |
o.s. |
left eye |
95 |
o.u. |
each eye; both eyes |
96 |
o.u. or OU |
each eye; both eyes |
97 |
o_2 |
both eyes |
98 |
od or OD |
daily |
99 |
oint. |
ointment |
100 |
OJ |
orange juice |
101 |
ovu |
ovule |
102 |
p.c. |
after meals |
103 |
p.m. |
afternoon, evening |
104 |
p.o. |
by mouth |
105 |
p.o. |
by mouth; oral(ly) |
106 |
p.r.n. |
when required; as necessary |
107 |
postop |
postoperatively |
108 |
pulv. |
pulvule; powder |
109 |
pwd |
powder |
110 |
q |
every |
111 |
q.d. |
every day |
112 |
q.h. |
every hour |
113 |
q.h.s. or qHS |
every bedtime |
114 |
q.i.d. |
four times a day |
115 |
q.o.d. |
every other day; every second day |
116 |
q.s. |
a sufficient quantity |
117 |
q.s. ad |
a sufficient quantity to make |
118 |
q12h or q12H |
every 12 hours (morning and night) |
119 |
q2h or q2H |
every 2 hours |
120 |
q4h or q4H |
every 4 hours |
121 |
q8h |
every 8 hours |
122 |
q8h or q8H |
every 8 hours |
123 |
qa.m. or qAM |
every morning |
124 |
R |
rectal |
125 |
R |
take (thou) |
126 |
R.L. or R/L |
Ringer's Lactate |
127 |
rect |
rectal(ly) |
128 |
rep |
repeat |
129 |
S or Sig. |
write on label |
130 |
s. or S |
without |
131 |
s.o.s. |
if there is need; if necessary |
132 |
shamp |
shampoo |
133 |
Sig. |
write on label |
134 |
SL |
sublingually; under the tongue |
135 |
SOB |
shortness of breath |
136 |
sol. or soln |
solution |
137 |
spr |
spray |
138 |
sq |
subcutaneously |
139 |
ss. or SS |
one-half |
140 |
stat. |
immediately |
141 |
subc or subq or s.c.. or SC or SQ |
subcutaneously |
142 |
sup. or supp. |
suppository |
143 |
susp. |
suspension |
144 |
syr. |
syrup |
145 |
t.i.d. |
three times a day |
146 |
t.i.w. |
three times a week |
147 |
tab. |
tablet |
148 |
tbsp. |
tablespoonful |
149 |
top |
topical(ly) |
150 |
TPN |
total parenteral nutrition |
151 |
tr. |
tincture |
152 |
tsp. |
teaspoonful |
153 |
U or u |
unit |
154 |
u.d. or UD |
as directed |
155 |
u.f. or UF |
until finished |
156 |
ung. |
ointment |
157 |
URI |
upper respiratory infection |
158 |
UTI |
urinary tract infection |
159 |
vag |
vagina(ly) |
160 |
wk |
week |