Pharmacology Vocab Quiz

half-life

time it takes half of a dose of medication to be excreted from the body

buccal

medication placed against the mucous membranes of the cheek to dissolve

parenteral

injection, either IV or into tissue

pharmacokinetics

how medication enters the blood stream, reaches intended sites, and is removed from the body

pharmacodynamics

what a drug does to the body (action on receptors, therapeutic effect, adverse effects)

polypharmacy

concurrent use of multiple medications

sublingual

medication placed under the tongue to dissolve

cc

cubic centimeter (equivalent to 1mL)

g or gm

gram

gr

grain

Mcg

microgram

gtt

drop

L

liter

lb

pound

mEq

milliequivalent

min

minute

ml or mL

mililiter

no or #

number

oz

ounce

tbsp

tablespoon

tsp

teaspoon

u or U

unit

mcg

microgram

IU

international units

AD

right ear

AS

left ear

AU

both ears

IM

intramuscular

IV

intravenous

IVP

IV push

IVPB

IV piggyback

NG

nasogastric

OD

right eye

OS

left eye

OU

both eyes

PO

by mouth

SUBQ

subcutaneous

SL

sublingual

PR

per rectum, rectally

ac

before meals

ad lib

as desired, freely

bid

twice a day

h or hr

hour

hs

hour of sleep, at bedtime

noct

night

NPO

nothing by mouth

pc

after meals

prn

when needed/as needed

qd

every day, once a day

qh

every hour

qid

four times a day

Q

every

Rx

presribe, take prescription

stat

immediately

tid

three times a day

PO

by mouth