Pharmaceutical Terminology and Drug Information

Brand name

the trademarked name of the drug that appears on the package label.

Generic drug

a manufactured drug product identical to the brand drug, once the patent on a specific Brand name pharmaceutical product expires, manufactured by a different pharmaceutical company (usually) and cheaper (usually).

am

morning

bid

twice daily

cap

capsule

po

by mouth

q

every

qd

every day

qid

four times a day

sc

subcutaneously (under the skin)

sl

sublingually (under the tongue)

tab

tablet

tid

three times a day

IV

intravenous

IM

intra muscularly

Accreditation

Accreditation programs give an official authorization or approval to an organization by comparing it with a set of industry-derived standards.

PPCP

Pharmacist' Patient Care Process

EPAs

Entrustable Professional Activities

Generic substitution

In cases in which the patent on a specific pharmaceutical product expires and drug manufacturers produce generic versions of the original branded product, the generic version of the drug is dispensed, even though the original product is prescribed.

Contraindication

A contraindication is a specific situation in which a drug, procedure, or surgery should not be used because it may be harmful to the person.

National Drug Code

A unique eleven-digit character code given to a drug that identifies the labeler, product, and package size.

DUR

Drug Utilization Review (DUR). A system of drug use review that can detect potential adverse drug interactions, drug-pregnancy conflicts, therapeutic duplication, drug-age conflicts, and so on.

Formulary

A specific list of drugs included with a given plan for a client.

Intervention

Educational, directive (eg, formulary or prior authorization), or consultative communications between providers, especially pharmacists to physicians.

Therapeutic Substitution

A drug that is believed therapeutically equivalent to the exact drug prescribed by a physician is substituted.

APAP

acetaminophen (brand name is Tylenol)

ASA

acetylsalicylic acid (also known as aspirin)

prn

as needed

pm

evening

h

hour

Indication

In medicine, an indication is a valid reason to use a certain test, medication, procedure, or surgery.

mcg

microgram

mg

milligram

.algia

pain

Analgesic

Relieves pain.

No Substitution

The legal wording in Massachusetts that indicates the prescriber wants the brand name dispensed.

Adherence

(Formerly referred to as compliance.) The patient taking the right drug as prescribed, including the prescribed dose of medication at the prescribed frequency for the prescribed length of time.

Antibiotic

Inhibits growth or destroys microorganisms whose overgrowth causes infection.

Antihistamine

A drug that opposes the action of histamine.

myalgia

muscle pain/ ache

neuralgia

nerve pain

dementia

loss of intellectual function

FeSO4

Ferrous Sulfate (iron)

PCN

penicillin

Anticoagulant

(1) Delaying or preventing blood coagulation. (2) An agent that prevents or delays blood coagulation.

hemorrhage

bursting forth of blood

thrombosis

having a blood clot

anti.

against

pericardium

structure around heart

embolism

condition of a traveling clot

my.

pertaining to the muscle

.itis

inflammation

.malacia

softening

.oma

tumor

.ia or .ism

condition of

.ium

structure or tissue

gtt (gtts)

drop (drops)

od

right eye

os

left eye

dextre.

right

sinistro.

left

tsp

teaspoonful

5mL

5 milliliters = 1 teaspoonful

quad.

four

tetra.

four

multi.

many

poly.

many

myel.

pertaining to the bone

.lysis

breaking down or dissolution

.megaly

enlargement

.rrhea

discharge

.spasm

involuntary contraction

.emia

blood condition

.meter

instrument for measuring

.metry

process of measuring

.scope

instrument for examination

.scopy

examination

ad

right ear

as

left ear

au

both ears

HA

headache

hs

bedtime (hour of sleep)

ou

both eyes

p

after

pa

pain

pc

after meals

qs

a sufficient quantity

top

topically

ac

before food / meals

.osis

condition or increase

.rrhage

to burst forth

.ectomy

removal (excision)

erythrocyte

red cell = red blood cell

.cyte

cell

cytology

study of cells

optometrist

one who specializes in measuring the eye

cyan.

blue

erythro.

red

leuko.

white

melan.

black