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Latin Medical Abbreviations
How Often To Take A Drug:
| Abbreviation | Latin | Meaning | | | | | | ad lib | adlibitum | freely, as often as it is needed | | alt. h. | alternis horis | every other hour | | A.T.C. | | around the clock | | bid/b.d./b.i.d. | bis in die | twice a day | | non rep. | non repetatur | only once/ do not repeat | | cc* | cum cibum | with food | | o.p.d. | | once per day | | prn | pro re nata1 | as needed | | q | quaque | every | | q.a.d. | quoquealternis die | every other day | | q.d.s. | quarter die sumendus | four times a day | | qh/q.h./q1h/q_1°h | quaque hora/quaque1hora | every hour | | q2h/q_2°h | quaque 2 hora | every 2 hours | | q3h/q_3°h | quaque 3 hora | every 3 hours | | q4h/q_4°h | quaque 4 hora | every 4 hours | | qd/q.d. | quaque die | every day | | qid/q.i.d. | quarter in die | four times a day | | qod/q.o.d. | | every other day | | qqh | quarter quaque hora | every four hours | | rep./rept. | Repetatur | repeat/repeats | | tds/t.d.s. | ter die sumendum | three times a day/daily | | tid/t.i.d. | ter indie | three times a day | | t.i.w. | | three times a week | | | | | | | | | | 1. There is another school that insists it means “per necesitas” or “per necessity” | | but either way the meaning is the same. | |
When To Take A Drug:
| Abbreviation | Latin | Meaning | | | | | | a.c. | ante cibum | before meals | | ad* | ad | up to | | a.m. | ante meridiem | morning, before noon | | bt | | bedtime | | dieb. alt. | diebus alternis | every other day | | hs/h.s. | hora somni | at bedtime | | int.c. | inter cibum | between meals | | mane | mane | in the morning | | noct. | nocte | at night | | opd/o.p.d. | | once per day | | p.c. | post cibum | after meals | | p.m. | post meridiem | afternoon or evening | | q.a.m. | quaque die ante meridiem | every morning/day before noon | | q.h.s. | quaque hora somni | every night at bedtime | | q.p.m. | quaque die post meridiem | every day after noon | | stat | statim | immediately | | wf | | with food (meals) |
What Form/How Much:
| Abbreviation | Latin | Meaning | | | | | | bol. | bolus | single large dose/usually injected | | cap./caps. | capsula | capsule | | elix. | | elixir | | emuls. | emulsum | emulsion | | ex aq | ex aqua | in water | | i, ii, iii, or iiii ² | | the number of doses (1, 2, 3, 4) | | mg | | milligrams | | ml | | milliliters | | gtt(s) | gutta(e) | drops | | lin. | linimentum | liniment | | liq. | | liquor | | lot. | | lotion | | qs/q.s. | quantum sifficiat | a sufficient quantity | | ss | semis | one half | | supp | suppositorium | suppository | | susp | | suspension | | syr | syrupus | syrup | | tabs | tabla | tablets | | tbsp | | tablespoon (15ml) | | troche | trochiscus | lozenge | | tsp | | teaspoon (5ml) | | tr/tinc./tinct. | | tincture | | ung. | unguentum | ointment | | | | |
2. This takes into account an older form of writing out Roman numerals. The form we are used to became a shortened form sometime in the 1700s when the number became to mean “take this number from the one that follows it” (e.g. IV for 4, XC for 90, etc., so that there would never be more than 4 of a given character in a row). The convention in common usage can lead to problems because “iv” also stands for “intravenous.”
Where or How To Use It:
| | | | | Abbreviation | Latin | Meaning | | | | | | ad/a.d.* | auris dextra | right ear | | admov. | admove | apply | | al/a.l.* | auris laeva | left ear | | as/a.s. | auris sinistra | left ear | | au/a.u. | auris utraque | both ears | | BUCC | bucca | (mouth) inside cheek | | B.S.A. | | body surface areas | | e.m.p. | ex modo prescripto | as directed or written | | o_2 | | both eyes | | O2* | | both eyes | | od/o.d. | oculus dexter | right eye | | os/o.s. | oculus sinister | left eye | | ou/o.u. | oculus uterque | both eyes | | pig./pigm. | pigmentum | paint | | po/p.o. | per os | by mouth or orally | | pr/p.r. | per rectum | anally or through the rectum | | R | | rectal | | SC/subc./subcut./subq./SC | sub cutaneous | under the skin | | SL | sub lingual | under the tongue | | top. | | topically | | vag. | | vaginally | | | | |
Miscellaneous:
| | | | | Abbreviation | Latin | Meaning | | | | | | agit | agita | agitate/shake/stir | | amp | | ampule | | amt | | amount | | aq | aqua | water | | b/bis | bis | twice | | BM/B.M. | | bowel movement | | B.S. | | blood sugar | | Ç | cum | with | | cc* | | cubic centimeter | | cib. | cibum | food (meals) | | DAW/D.A.W.3 | | dispense as written | | dc/D/C/disc. | | Discontinue/discharge | | dil. | | dilute | | disp. | | dispense | | div. | | divide | | d.t.d. | dentue tales doses | give of such doses | | D.W. | | distilled water | | fl./fld. | | fluid | | ft.* | fiat | let it be made thus | | g | | gram | | gr | | grain | | H | | hypodermic | | h/hr | hora | hour | | ID | intra dermal | in the skin | | IM | intramuscular | into the muscle (usually injected) | | inj. | injection | injection | | | | | | IV/iv* | intravenous | into the vein | | IVPB | | intravenous piggyback | | L.A.S. | | label as such | | LCS | | coal tar solution | | M. | misce | mix | | m.,min. | minimum | a minimum | | mcg | | microgram | | m.d.u. | more dicto utendus | | | mEq | | milliequivalent | | mg | | milligram | | mist. | mistura | mix | | mitte | mitte | send | | mL | | milliliter | | nebul | nebula | spray | | NS | | normal saline (0.9%) | | 1/2NS | | half normal saline (0.45%) | | NTE | | not to exceed | | o | | with | | ø | | without | | O2* | | oxygen | | ) | sine | without | | s.a. | secundum artum | according to your judgment | | sig. | signetur | label it as/write directions | | tal.,t | talus | such | | u.d./ut.dict. | ut dictum | as directed | | w/ | | with | | w/o | | without | | X | | times | | | | |
3. When a physician writes this on a prescription or checks the DAW box, this means the pharmacy cannot legally substitute a generic drug but must dispense the name brand version.
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