Understanding Your Prescription In this age of modern medicines and consumer distrust an informed consumer has become more important than ever before. With doctors under high loads of patients, fear of law suits, and the cost of medicine, an informed consumer may be able to seek out the right doctor, get the right treatment and conserve on medical expenses. We all have heard horror stories. Do not become one of those horror stories. With the availability of information on the internet, it easy to become informed; but it is also easy to be confused.
As part of being informed, it is important that you understand your doctor's prescription. There are often abbreviations and Latin words we do not understand and frequently even the instructions on our medicine bottle is confusing. Do we take one each day or one every hour? How many drops does that say? It looks like 3 no 8 drops. So even if we get the right information we may interrupt the information incorrectly.
Below are a list of frequently used abbreviations that are used to give directions to the pharmacist filling the prescription and directions to aid the patient taking the prescribed medication. This is not an all inclusive list, but a starter list to help you become an informed consumer; and a guide to assist you in doing your own future research. You do have to take responsibility for your own health and knowledge is power.
Abbreviation Meaning Latin Term
a.c. before meals ante cibum
b.i.d twice a day bis in die
caps capsule capsula
gtt drops gutta
h.s. at bedtime hora somni
o.d. right eye oculus dexter
o.s. left eye oculus sinister
P.O. orally per os
p.c. after meals post cibum
pil pill pilula
p.r.n. as needed pro re nata
q.4.h. every 4 hours quaque 4 hora
q.d. every day quaque die
q.h. every hour quaque hora
q.i.d. 4 times a day quater in die
q.o.d. every other day alternus die
sig write signa
tab tablet tabella
t.i.d. 3 times a day ter in die
ung. ointment unguentum
Ut dict., UD. as directed ut dictum
Evey drug has its risks, and pharmacists are human; and they do make mistakes. Be an informed health consumer. If in doubt, ask your doctor or your pharmacist. They do not wish to harm you; and like they say, four eyes are better than two.
Research From:
http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article1344.html
http://pharmsci.buffalo.edu/courses/phc311/latin.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_medical_abbreviations:_Latin_abbreviations
http://arthritis.about.com/od/arthritismedications/f/rxabbreviations.htm
zzzzz
Science
