COMMON MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS
aa of each gr grain PM evening; after noon
ac before meals gt a drop po by mouth; orally
ad right ear gtt drops PPI Patient Package Insert
ad lib as desired H, h, hr hour as needed; whenever
prn necessary
ADR adverse drug reaction H2O water
AM morning; before noon high-density lipoprotein- pt patient, pint
HDL-C cholesterol pulv powder
amt amount
Abbreviated New Drug HR heart rate pwdr powder
ANDA Application hormone replacement q every
HRT
ante before therapy q4h every 4 hours
APAP acetaminophen hs at bedtime, hour of sleep q6h every 6 hours
aq water; aqueous Hx history qd every day
as left ear IM intramuscular qh, qhr every hour
ASA aspirin Investigational New Drug qid four times per day
INDA Application
au both ears qiw four times per week
inh inhalation
AUC area under the curve ql as much as desired
INH isoniazid
bid twice a day qod every other day
inj injection
biw twice weekly qs a sufficient quantity
intermittent positive pressure
BMR basal metabolism rate IPPB breathing qt quart
bp boiling point IU international units qw once per week
BP blood pressure IV intravenous R/O rule out
BUN blood urea nitrogen kg kilogram Rx prescription only
c with sat saturated
KMnO4 sol potassium permanganate
C Centigrade solution SC, SQ subcutaneously
Ca calcium L liter, left, put left first sig label; let it be printed
cap(s) capsule(s) lb pound SL sublingual
cath catheter low-density lipoprotein- sob shortness of breath
LDL-C cholesterol
CBC complete blood count sol solution
cc cubic centimeter liq liquid solv dissolve
chol cholesterol monoamine oxidase sos if necessary or required
MAOI inhibitor
Cl chloride ss one half
cm centimeter mcg microgram stat immediately
maximum effective plasma MDI metered dose inhaler supp suppository
Cmax mEq milliequivalent
concentration susp suspension
minimum effective plasma mg milligram Sx symptoms
Cmin concentration Mg magnesium syr syrup
c/o complains of MgSO4 magnesium sulfate t½ half life
comp compounded of mL milliliter tab(s) tablet(s)
CV cardiovascular mm millimeter tbsp tablespoonful
DAW dispense as written MOM milk of magnesia temp temperature
DC, D/C discontinue MSO4 morphine sulfate tid three times per day
dil dilute Na sodium tiw three times per week
disch discharge NaCl sodium chloride
Tmax time to maximum
disp dispense NDA New Drug Application concentration
DNR do not resuscitate neg negative top topically
dr dram NKA no known allergies TPN total parenteral nutrition
drp(s) drop(s) No. number tr, tinc tincture
Dx diagnosis noct in the night tsp teaspoonful
EENT Eye, Ear, Nose, & Throat NPO nothing by mouth Tx treatment
etc and so on NR no refill ud as directed
EtOH alcohol nonsteroidal anti- UD unit-dose package
NSAID
exp expired inflammatory drug ung ointment
ext extract, external od right eye URI upper respiratory infection
F Fahrenheit oint ointment United States
FBS fasting blood sugar os left eye USP Pharmacopoeia
Fe iron OTC over the counter UTI urinary tract infection
fl fluid ou each eye vag vaginal
fl dr fluidram oz ounce VO verbal order
fl oz fluid ounce P pulse, pint vol volume
ft let there be made PB phenobarbital VS vital signs
FUO fever of unknown origin pc after meals wa while awake
Fx fracture per by wt weight
g, gm gram PI Package Insert x times
(Rev. 6/2018)
aa of each gr grain PM evening; after noon
ac before meals gt a drop po by mouth; orally
ad right ear gtt drops PPI Patient Package Insert
ad lib as desired H, h, hr hour as needed; whenever
prn necessary
ADR adverse drug reaction H2O water
AM morning; before noon high-density lipoprotein- pt patient, pint
HDL-C cholesterol pulv powder
amt amount
Abbreviated New Drug HR heart rate pwdr powder
ANDA Application hormone replacement q every
HRT
ante before therapy q4h every 4 hours
APAP acetaminophen hs at bedtime, hour of sleep q6h every 6 hours
aq water; aqueous Hx history qd every day
as left ear IM intramuscular qh, qhr every hour
ASA aspirin Investigational New Drug qid four times per day
INDA Application
au both ears qiw four times per week
inh inhalation
AUC area under the curve ql as much as desired
INH isoniazid
bid twice a day qod every other day
inj injection
biw twice weekly qs a sufficient quantity
intermittent positive pressure
BMR basal metabolism rate IPPB breathing qt quart
bp boiling point IU international units qw once per week
BP blood pressure IV intravenous R/O rule out
BUN blood urea nitrogen kg kilogram Rx prescription only
c with sat saturated
KMnO4 sol potassium permanganate
C Centigrade solution SC, SQ subcutaneously
Ca calcium L liter, left, put left first sig label; let it be printed
cap(s) capsule(s) lb pound SL sublingual
cath catheter low-density lipoprotein- sob shortness of breath
LDL-C cholesterol
CBC complete blood count sol solution
cc cubic centimeter liq liquid solv dissolve
chol cholesterol monoamine oxidase sos if necessary or required
MAOI inhibitor
Cl chloride ss one half
cm centimeter mcg microgram stat immediately
maximum effective plasma MDI metered dose inhaler supp suppository
Cmax mEq milliequivalent
concentration susp suspension
minimum effective plasma mg milligram Sx symptoms
Cmin concentration Mg magnesium syr syrup
c/o complains of MgSO4 magnesium sulfate t½ half life
comp compounded of mL milliliter tab(s) tablet(s)
CV cardiovascular mm millimeter tbsp tablespoonful
DAW dispense as written MOM milk of magnesia temp temperature
DC, D/C discontinue MSO4 morphine sulfate tid three times per day
dil dilute Na sodium tiw three times per week
disch discharge NaCl sodium chloride
Tmax time to maximum
disp dispense NDA New Drug Application concentration
DNR do not resuscitate neg negative top topically
dr dram NKA no known allergies TPN total parenteral nutrition
drp(s) drop(s) No. number tr, tinc tincture
Dx diagnosis noct in the night tsp teaspoonful
EENT Eye, Ear, Nose, & Throat NPO nothing by mouth Tx treatment
etc and so on NR no refill ud as directed
EtOH alcohol nonsteroidal anti- UD unit-dose package
NSAID
exp expired inflammatory drug ung ointment
ext extract, external od right eye URI upper respiratory infection
F Fahrenheit oint ointment United States
FBS fasting blood sugar os left eye USP Pharmacopoeia
Fe iron OTC over the counter UTI urinary tract infection
fl fluid ou each eye vag vaginal
fl dr fluidram oz ounce VO verbal order
fl oz fluid ounce P pulse, pint vol volume
ft let there be made PB phenobarbital VS vital signs
FUO fever of unknown origin pc after meals wa while awake
Fx fracture per by wt weight
g, gm gram PI Package Insert x times
(Rev. 6/2018)
