Medical and Pharmaceutical Abbreviations

aa

of each

aaa

apply to affected area

ac

before meals

aq.

water

aq dist or DW

distilled water

bid

twice a day

caps

capsules

cc

cubic centimeter

disp

dispense

el., elix.

elixir

fl oz

fluid ounce

fl dr

fluid dram

g or gm

gram

gal

gallon

gr

grain

gtt or gtts

drop or drops

hs

hour of sleep, bedtime

ID

intradermal

IM

intramuscular

IV

intravenous

L

liter

liq.

liquid, solution

mcg

microgram

mEq

milliequivalent

mg

milligram

ml

milliliter

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NPO

nothing by mouth

NS

normal saline

OTC

over the counter

oz

ounce

pc

after meals

po

by mouth

prn

as needed

q

every

qd

every day

qid

four times a day

qod

every other day

qs

a sufficient quantity

qt

quart

Rx

prescription

S. or Signa or sig

write directions

sat.

saturated

sc, SQ, or subq

subcutaneous

SL

sublingual

sol.

solution

ss

one half

stat

immediately

supp

suppository

syr.

syrup

tabs

tablets

T, or Tbsp

tablespoonful

tid

three times a day

TKO

to keep open

trit

triturate

t, or Tsp

teaspoonful

u

units

I or i

one, once

II or ii

two

III or iii

three

IV or iv

four

V or v

five

X

ten

C

one hundred

D

five hundred

M

one thousand

ʒ or cursive "z"

1 teaspoonfuls, 5 ml, one dram

℥ or cursive "z" with an extra hump on top

2 tablespoonfuls, 30 ml, 1 fluid ounce

"c" with a line on top

with

"L" in a circle

left

"R" in a circle

right

p

after, post

"s" with a line on top

without

@

at

∅

none

∆

change

>

greater than

<

less than

↑

increase

↓

decrease

'

minutes

"

seconds

°

hours

1°

primary

2°

secondary

AD

right ear

ad lib

as desired

amb

ambulate, ambulation

AS

left ear

AU

both ears

BAC

blood alcohol content

BM

bowel movement

BP

blood pressure

Bx

biopsy

CA

cancer, cardiac arrest

CBC

complete blood count

COPD

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

c/o

complains of

CPR

cardiopulmonary resuscitation

C & S

culture and sensitivity