What Do The Prescription Abbreviations Mean?

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Q. What Do The Prescription Abbreviations Mean?

Source: U. S. Food and Drug Administration

Centuries ago, all prescriptions were written in Latin.

Currently, only one section of the prescription (the directions for

taking the drug) uses abbreviations in Latin.

Unless you have a medical background, these prescription

abbreviations can be hard to understand.

What do the prescription abbreviations mean?

A.

The Use Of Prescription Abbreviations: A Brief History

Latin once served a greater role on prescriptions when they were

first written in the 1400s. Spread widely by Roman soldiers and

traders, Latin was the main language of western Europe for hundreds

of years. It was unlikely to change, because it was a " dead "

language, and it was unlikely to be misinterpreted, because it was

exact in its meaning.

Patients who didn't know Latin probably didn't have the slightest

idea what they were taking.

Today, the only part of a prescription where Latin still appears is

in the directions for taking the drug. This use has become a kind of

medical shorthand between doctors and pharmacists.

Some of these abbreviated terms have the potential to cause

medication errors because they look so similar in handwriting, so

their use is slowly on the decline.

The Origins Of Using " Rx " For " Prescription "

Where does the " Rx " for " prescription " come from? Its origins are

given variously as an abbreviation of the Latin word " recipe, "

meaning " take, " or as a representation of the astrological sign of

Jupiter. This sign was placed on ancient prescriptions to invoke

that deity's blessing on the medicine to help the person get well.

More recently, the cross that sometimes appears at the end of

the " R " has been explained as a substitute period.

The Use Of Prescription Abbreviations: An Example

On your prescription your doctor may have written these

abbreviations:

Sig: I tab po qid pc & hs

Unless you have a medical background, that bunch of letters is

probably unintelligible. In this example, the prescription

abbreviations instruct the pharmacist to, " Label the container for

this patient's medication with the following instructions: Take one

tablet by mouth 4 times a day, after meals and at bedtime. "

Prescription Abbreviations: Common Latin Rx Terms

Some of the common latin prescription abbreviations include:

ac (ante cibum) means " before meals "

bid (bis in die) means " twice a day "

gt (gutta) means " drop "

hs (hora somni) means " at bedtime "

od (oculus dexter) means " right eye "

os (oculus sinister) means " left eye "

po (per os) means " by mouth "

pc (post cibum) means " after meals "

prn (pro re nata) means " as needed "

q 3 h (quaque 3 hora) means " every 3 hours "

qd (quaque die) means " every day "

qid (quater in die) means " 4 times a day "

Sig (signa) means " write "

tid (ter in die) means " 3 times a day "

For An In-Depth Listing Of Prescription Abbreviations:

Please See: Prescription And Other Medical Abbreviations

A comprehensive listing and explanation of commonly used

prescription and other medical abbreviations, from The Department of

Pharmaceutical Sciences at the State University of New York at

Buffalo.

Please See: Common Abbreviations Used in Prescriptions, and other

Latin Trivia Ad Nauseam

A large list of abbreviations commonly used in medical charts and

prescriptions with a touch of light humor, from W. Mayo, PD,

CCRA

Prescription Abbreviations: Use Slowly In Decline

While Latin terms are still commonly seen on prescriptions, some

doctors are gradually retiring use of these old terms and better

clarifying their drug orders in plain language.

Since improved readability helps prevent medication mix-ups, it has

been recommended that prescribers write out instructions rather than

use more ambiguous abbreviations. (For example, write " daily " rather

than " qd, " the abbreviated Latin term for " every day, " which could

be misinterpreted as " qid, " meaning " 4 times a day, " or " od, "

meaning " right eye. " )

Prescription Abbreviations: The Bottom Line

If the directions written on a prescription are unclear or

confusing, please ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain. Do not

take your medication without fully understanding the prescribing

instructions.