Sigs/Abbreviations Table

Abbreviation Meaning
a  before Frequency/Schedules
ac  before meals Frequency/Schedules
ATC  around the clock Frequency/Schedules
am  morning Frequency/Schedules
bid  twice daily; two times per day Frequency/Schedules
d  day Frequency/Schedules
h, hr, ⁰   hour Frequency/Schedules
hs  at bedtime Frequency/Schedules
ic  between meals Frequency/Schedules
min  minute Frequency/Schedules
m & n  morning and night Frequency/Schedules
noct  at night Frequency/Schedules
p  after Frequency/Schedules
pc  after meals Frequency/Schedules
pm  afternoon, evening Frequency/Schedules
q    every, each Frequency/Schedules
q__h, q__hr  every__ hour (ie. Q8h = every 8 hours) Frequency/Schedules
qd   every day, daily, once daily Frequency/Schedules
qod   every other day Frequency/Schedules
qid  four times daily Frequency/Schedules
stat  immediately, now Frequency/Schedules
wk  week Frequency/Schedules
ad lib  freely, as desired Patient Instruction/Other
admin  administer Patient Instruction/Other
aq, H2O water Patient Instruction/Other
c, w/  with Patient Instruction/Other
s, w/o  without Patient Instruction/Other
prn  as needed, when required Patient Instruction/Other
n/v, NV  nausea & vomiting Patient Instruction/Other
ud, utd   as directed Patient Instruction/Other
et   and Patient Instruction/Other
wk  week Patient Instruction/Other
wa  while awake Patient Instruction/Other
ug, uf  until gone, until finished Patient Instruction/Other
DAW  dispense as written Patient Instruction/Other
d/c  discontinue (or discharge) Patient Instruction/Other
NTE  not to exceed Patient Instruction/Other
rep  repeat Patient Instruction/Other
MR  may repeat Patient Instruction/Other
non rep, NR  do not repeat, no refills Patient Instruction/Other
NPO  nothing by mouth Patient Instruction/Other
ss one‐half Quantities/Measurement (Roman Numerals)
i, ii, iii  1, 2, 3 Quantities/Measurement (Roman Numerals)
V  5 Quantities/Measurement (Roman Numerals)
X  10 Quantities/Measurement (Roman Numerals)
L  50 Quantities/Measurement (Roman Numerals)
C  100 Quantities/Measurement (Roman Numerals)
D  500 Quantities/Measurement (Roman Numerals)
M  1000 Quantities/Measurement (Roman Numerals)
g, G  grams Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
mg  milligrams Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
mcg, µg microgram Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
kg  kilogram Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
L  liter Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
mL  milliliter Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
m meter Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
cm  centimeter Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
km  kilometer Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
cc, cm3 cubic centimeter (1 mL) Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
lb  pound Quantities/Measurement (Metric Units)
gr grain Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
mEq  milliequivalent Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
mOsm  milliosmole Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
ppm  parts per million Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
gtt, gtts  drop, drops Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
tsp or Ӡ teaspoon, teaspoonful (5 mL) Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
Tbsp or tablespoon, tablespoonful (15 mL) Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
oz   ounce Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
fl oz or fluid ounce Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
pt  pint Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
qt  quart Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
gal  gallon Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
IU International Units Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
u units Quantities/Measurement (Household and Other)
aa, aa.  Of each Dosage Forms and Compounding
aq dist, DW  distilled water Dosage Forms and Compounding
tab  tablet Dosage Forms and Compounding
cap  capsule Dosage Forms and Compounding
susp  suspension Dosage Forms and Compounding
sol, soln  solution Dosage Forms and Compounding
syr  syrup Dosage Forms and Compounding
elix  elixir Dosage Forms and Compounding
ung, oint  ointment Dosage Forms and Compounding
supp  suppository Dosage Forms and Compounding
inj  injection Dosage Forms and Compounding
amp  ampule Dosage Forms and Compounding
pulv  powder Dosage Forms and Compounding
qs  a quantity sufficient, sufficient quantity Dosage Forms and Compounding
qs ad, qsad  a sufficient quantity to make Dosage Forms and Compounding
ad  up to, make Dosage Forms and Compounding
disp  dispense Dosage Forms and Compounding
div  divide Dosage Forms and Compounding
dil  dilute Dosage Forms and Compounding
Sig  write (directions on label) Dosage Forms and Compounding
M.  mix Dosage Forms and Compounding
#, No.  number Dosage Forms and Compounding
ft.  make Dosage Forms and Compounding
dtd, d.t.d.  give of such doses Dosage Forms and Compounding
EC  enteric coated Dosage Forms and Compounding
NS  normal saline Dosage Forms and Compounding
½ NS  half normal saline Dosage Forms and Compounding
D5W  dextrose 5% in water Dosage Forms and Compounding
D10W  dextrose 10% in water Dosage Forms and Compounding
LR, RL, R/L  Lactated Ringer’s solution, Ringer’s Lactate Dosage Forms and Compounding
TPN  total parenteral nutrition Dosage Forms and Compounding
Abbreviation Meaning
AAA, aa  apply to affected area Routes of Administration
ad   right ear Routes of Administration
as  left ear Routes of Administration
au  both ears; each ear Routes of Administration
ID  intradermal Routes of Administration
IM  intramuscular Routes of Administration
IV  intravenous Routes of Administration
IT  intrathecal Routes of Administration
IVP  intravenous push Routes of Administration
IVB  intravenous bolus Routes of Administration
IVPB  intravenous Piggyback Routes of Administration
IV drip  intravenous infusion Routes of Administration
CIVI  continuous intravenous infusion Routes of Administration
NGT  nasogastric tube Routes of Administration
po  by mouth, orally Routes of Administration
pr, rect.  per rectal route, rectally Routes of Administration
pv,V, vag.  per vaginal route, vaginally Routes of Administration
od   right eye Routes of Administration
os  left eye Routes of Administration
ou  both eyes; each eye Routes of Administration
SubQ, SC, sub‐Q  subcutaneously Routes of Administration
SL  sublingually Routes of Administration
top.  topically Routes of Administration
inh  inhale, inhalation Routes of Administration
per neb  by nebulizer Routes of Administration
APAP acetaminophen Medications
ASA  aspirin Medications
AZT zidovudine Medications
EES  erythromycin ethylsuccinate Medications
HC, HCT hydrocortisone Medications
HCTZ  hydrochlorothiazide Medications
MTX methotrexate Medications
MOM  milk of magnesia Medications
MVI  multivitamin Medications
NTG  nitroglycerin Medications
PCN  penicillin Medications
PPI  proton pump inhibitor Medications
SSRI  selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor Medications
TCA  tri‐cyclic antidepressant Medications
TCN  tetracycline Medications
ACE, ACE‐I  angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor Medications
ARB  angiotensin II receptor blocker Medications
NSAID  non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug Medications
Pt patient Clinical/Charting
Hx  history Clinical/Charting
Dx  diagnosis Clinical/Charting
Tx  treatment Clinical/Charting
FH  family history Clinical/Charting
SH  social history Clinical/Charting
PMH  past medical history Clinical/Charting
DOB  date of birth Clinical/Charting
__yo  __ year old (ie. 6yo = 6 year old) Clinical/Charting
f/u  follow‐up Clinical/Charting
VS  vital signs Clinical/Charting
HR  heart rate Clinical/Charting
CC  chief complaint Clinical/Charting
c/o  complains of Clinical/Charting
BSA  body surface area Clinical/Charting
nka, nkda  no known allergies, no known drug allergies Clinical/Charting
DUR  drug utilization review Clinical/Charting
ADR  adverse drug reaction Clinical/Charting
ADHD  attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Clinical/Charting
BM  bowel movement Clinical/Charting
BP  blood pressure Clinical/Charting
BPH  benign prostatic hyperplasia Clinical/Charting
BS  blood sugar Clinical/Charting
CHD  coronary heart disease Clinical/Charting
CHF  congestive heart failure Clinical/Charting
COPD  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Clinical/Charting
CA  cancer Clinical/Charting
CV  cardiovascular Clinical/Charting
DM  diabetes mellitus Clinical/Charting
ENT  ears, nose, throat Clinical/Charting
GERD  gastroesophageal reflux disease Clinical/Charting
GI  gastrointestinal Clinical/Charting
GU  genitourinary Clinical/Charting
HA  headache Clinical/Charting
HBP  high blood pressure Clinical/Charting
HT, HTN  hypertension Clinical/Charting
HRT  hormone replacement therapy Clinical/Charting
MI  myocardial infarction/ischemia Clinical/Charting
OA  osteoarthritis Clinical/Charting
RA  rheumatoid arthritis Clinical/Charting
SOB  shortness of breath Clinical/Charting
URI  upper respiratory infection Clinical/Charting
UTI  urinary tract infection Clinical/Charting
DVT  deep vein thrombosis Clinical/Charting