The prescription
Page 1: Title Page
Title: The Prescription
Author: Muhammed Mansour Ali, MSc in pharmaceutics
Contact: Mohamd.ali@uot.edu.ly
Course: Pharmaceutics I - 2023
Page 2: Introduction to Prescription
A prescription (℞ or Rx) is a formal document from a physician or registered healthcare professional authorizing a pharmacist to dispense medication for a patient.
Historically, the prescription served as the apothecary's instruction listing materials for compounding treatments.
The symbol ℞ originates from the Latin word Recipere (meaning "Take thou").
Page 3: Importance of Precision in Prescriptions
Prescription errors can be costly and dangerous.
Essential information must be included clearly:
Identifying information
Inscription
Subscription
Patient use instructions
Page 4: Drug Classification
Medicinal drugs can be classified into two categories:
Prescription Drugs (POM)
Required to treat significant conditions, these must be prescribed by qualified healthcare professionals.
Non-Prescription Drugs (OTC)
Includes remedies for common ailments and lower dosage forms (e.g., paracetamol, ibuprofen) that are generally safe for self-administration.
Page 5: Parts of a Prescription
Superscription: Denoted by ℞
Inscription: Body of the prescription containing the medication details
Subscription: Specific directions for preparing or dispensing the medication
Transcription: Not explicitly described in detail
Page 6: Understanding "Rx"
"Rx" indicates the superscription of a prescription
Typically printed on forms, it is immediately followed by the medication details in the inscription.
Page 7: Medication Writing Standards
Prescribers are advised to use the generic name for medications rather than brand names.
Brand names should only be included if specified, which may increase the cost for the patient.
If prescribing a brand, note "No Generics" on the prescription.
Page 8: Example Prescription
Prescriber: Dr. Martha C. Kane, M.D.
Address: 456 DEF Street, California
Phone: 02-123-4567
Patient: Jane Michelle Smith
Age: 33
Address: 123 ABC St., California
Date: 17-01-20
RX: ABC Medicine (No Generics)
Form: 250 mg capsules
Page 9: Medication Strength
The strength of the medication must be noted immediately after the name.
Strengths are expressed in milligrams (mg) for tablets, capsules, and suppositories, and in milliliters (mL) for liquids.
Page 10: Prescribed Amount
Indicate how much medication to be filled and dispensed to the patient.
This is typically preceded by noted headings like "dispense", "disp", or "how much" and should specify the bottle size or tablet count.
Page 11: Refills
Prescribers often permit a number of refills for chronic conditions, noting how many are allowed.
For example, writing "Refills 11" allows the patient to get medication refills up to 11 times before needing a new prescription.
Using "Refills 0" signals no refills allowed, reducing tampering risk.
Page 12: Route of Administration
Indicates the method of taking the medication.
Terms can be in English or Latin abbreviations including:
By mouth (PO)
Per rectum (PR)
Intramuscular (IM)
Intravenous (IV)
And others as detailed.
Page 13: Dosage Amount & Frequency
Specifies how much medication to use each time.
May include phrasing like "one 30 mg tablet" or "30 mL."
Frequency: Describes how often the patient should take it—strongly recommended to be written out in full (e.g., daily) to avoid confusion.
Page 14: Writing Frequency
Frequencies such as "daily" or "every other day" must be written in full.
Abbreviations may be used for others, though it’s preferred to spell them out.
Common frequency abbreviations include:
Twice a day (BID)
Three times a day (TID)
And other similar notations.
Page 15: Example Prescription Scenario
Similar to Page 8, providing a detailed example of the prescription specifics.
Page 16: Discontinuation of Drug Use
Indicates that the drug should usually be taken until it runs out.
The prescriber must specify if the patient should stop once symptoms disappear.
Page 17: "As Needed" (PRN) Instructions
When medication is prescribed on an "as needed" basis, a brief diagnosis or reason must be included (e.g., "PRN pain").
Specify the amount of medication for each instance of use.
Page 18: Special Instructions
Special instructions may be required on the label, such as:
"Take with food"
"Avoid alcohol"
Others as noted.
Page 19: Conventions for Clarity
Avoid unnecessary decimal points and trailing zeros to prevent misinterpretation (e.g., use 5 mL, not 5.0 mL).
Always use leading zeros for decimals less than 1 (e.g., 0.5).
Directions should be written out in full (some Latin abbreviations acceptable) and include specific times where possible.
Page 20: Continued Conventions
Use permanent ink and avoid terms like "teaspoons" or "tablespoons".
Write numbers out both as words and numerals and employ correct abbreviations (e.g., "mcg" for micrograms).
Pharmacists should remain vigilant against prescribing errors.