Appendix B

Common Pharmacy
Abbreviations and
Acronyms

The abbreviations with lines through them are ones that are still in use but are discouraged by Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). The ISMP recommends the use of the correct words instead. Many of these discouraged abbreviations are also on the Joint Commission’s Official “Do Not Use” List of Abbreviations.

Abbreviation

Meaning

A-B-C

aaa

apply to affected area

ac; a.c.; AC

before meals

ACE

angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors

ad; a.d.; AD

right ear

ADR

adverse drug reaction

AM; a.m.

morning

APAP

acetaminophen; Tylenol

ARBs

angiotensin receptor blockers

as; a.s.; AS

left ear

ASA

aspirin

au; a.u.; AU

both ears; each ear

b.i.d.; BID

twice daily

BMI

Body Mass Index

BP

blood pressure

BUD

beyond-use date

°C

degrees centigrade; temperature in degrees centigrade

Ca++

calcium

Cap, cap

capsule

CSP

compounded sterile preparation

CV

cardiovascular

D-E-F

D5; D5W; D5W

dextrose 5% in water

D5 ¼; D5 1/4

dextrose 5% in ¼ normal saline; dextrose 5% in 0.225% sodium chloride

D5 ⅓; D5 1/3

dextrose 5% in ⅓ normal saline; dextrose 5% in 0.33% sodium chloride

D5 ½; D5 1/2

dextrose 5% in ½ normal saline; dextrose 5% in 0.45% sodium chloride

D5LR; D5LR

dextrose 5% in lactated Ringer’s solution

D5NS; D5NS

dextrose 5% in normal saline; dextrose 5% in 0.9% sodium chloride

DAW

dispense as written

DC; d/c

discontinue

D/C

discharge

DCA

direct compounding area

disp

dispense

EC

enteric-coated

Elix

elixir

eMAR

electronic medication administration record

EPO

epoetin alfa; erythropoietin

ER; XR; XL

extended-release

°F

degrees Fahrenheit; temperature in degrees Fahrenheit

FeSO4

ferrous sulfate; iron

G-H-I

g, G

gram

gr

grain

gtt; gtts

drop; drops

h; hr

hour

h.s.; HS

bedtime (comes from Latin hora somni <italic hora somni> meaning “hour of sleep”)

IBU

ibuprofen; Motrin

IM

intramuscular

Inj

injection

IPA

isopropyl alcohol

ISMP

Institute for Safe Medication Practices

IV

intravenous

IVF

intravenous fluid

IVP

intravenous push

IVPB

intravenous piggyback

J-K-L

K; K+

potassium

KCl

potassium chloride

kg

kilogram

L

liter

LAFW

laminar airflow workbench; hood

lb

pound

LD

loading dose

LVP

large-volume parenteral

JCAHO

Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

M-N-O

Mag; Mg; MAG

magnesium

mcg

microgram

MDI

metered-dose inhaler

MDV

multiple-dose vial

mEq

milliequivalent

mg

milligram

MgSO4

magnesium sulfate; magnesium

mL

milliliter

mL/hr

milliliters per hour

mL/min

milliliters per minute

MMR

measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine

MRSA

methiciliin-resistant S. aureaus

MOM; M.O.M.

milk of magnesia

M.S.

morphine sulfate (save MS for multiple sclerosis)

MU†; mu

million units

MVI; MVI-12

multiple vitamin injection; multivitamins for parenteral administration

Na+

sodium

NaCl

sodium chloride; salt

NDC

National Drug Code

NF; non-form

nonformulary

NKA

no known allergies

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NPO, npo

nothing by mouth

NR; d.n.r.

no refills; do not repeat

NS

normal saline; 0.9% sodium chloride

½ NS

one-half normal saline; 0.45% sodium chloride

¼ NS

one-quarter normal saline; 0.225% sodium chloride

NSAID

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

NTG

nitroglycerin

OC

oral contraceptive

od; o.d.; OD

right eye

ODT

orally disintegrating tablet

OPTH; OPHTH; Opth

ophthalmic

os; o.s.; OS

left eye

OTC

over the counter; no prescription required

ou; o.u.; OU

both eyes; each eye

oz

ounce

P-Q-R

p.c.; PC

after meals

PM; p.m.

afternoon; evening

PN

paternal nutrition

PO; po

orally; by mouth

PPE

personal protective equipment

PR

per rectum; rectally

PRN; p.r.n.

as needed; as occasion requires

PV

per vagina; vaginally

PVC

polyvinyl chloride

q

every

q.h.; qhour

every hour

q2h

every 2 hours

q4h

every 4 hours

q6h

every 6 hours

q8h

every 8 hours

q12h

every 12 hours

q24h

every 24 hours

q48h

every 48 hours

QA

quality assurance

QAM; qam

every morning

qDay; QD

every day

q.i.d.; QID

four times daily

QOD; Q other day; Q.O. Day

every other day

QPM; qpm

every evening

qs; qsad

quantity sufficient; a sufficient quantity to make

QTY; qty

quantity

qwk; qweek

every week

Rx

prescription; pharmacy; medication; drug; recipe; take

S-T

sig

write on label; signa; directions

SL; sub-L

sublingual

SR

sustained-release

SS; ss

one-half

STAT, Stat

immediately; now

Sub-Q; SC; SQ; sq, subcut, SUBCUT

subcutaneous

SUPP; Supp

suppository

susp

suspension

SVP

small-volume parenteral

SW

sterile water

SWFI

sterile water for injection

Tab; tab

tablet

TB

tuberculosis

TBSP; tbsp

tablespoon; tablespoonful; 15 mL

TDS

transdermal delivery system

t.i.d.; TID

three times daily

t.i.w.; TIW

three times a week

TKO; TKVO; KO; KVO

to keep open; to keep vein open; keep open; keep vein open (a slow IV flow rate)

TNA

Total Nutrition Admixture

TPN

total parenteral nutrition

TSP; tsp

teaspoon; teaspoonful; 5 mL

U-V-W

U or u

unit

u d, UD, ut dictum utd

as directed

ung

ointment

USP

U.S. Pharmacopoeial Convention

USP-NF

U.S. Pharmacopeia-National Forumulary

UV

ultraviolet light

VAG; vag

vagina; vaginally

VO; V.O.; V/O

verbal order

w/o

without

X-Y-Z

Zn

zinc