Oral (PO)
medications taken by mouth
Sublingual (SL)
medications that dissolve under the tongue
Rectal (PR)
suppositories or solutions that are absorbed after rectal insertion
Inhalation
vapors or gasses taken in through the nose or mouth
Topical
applications- applied to the skin or mucosa and absorbed
Parenteral
injection of a drug from a syringe through a hollow needle or catheter
Parenteral
injection of a drug from a syringe through a hollow needle or catheter
Intradermal injection
shallow injection made into the upper layers of skin
Subcutaneous injection (SC)
small needled introduced into the subcutaneous tissue under the skin
Intramuscular injection (IM)
injection into muscle
Intravenous (IV)
injection directly into a vein
Q
(Latin: quaque) = every
HS
(Latin: hora somni) = at bedtime
ac
(Latin: ante cibum) = before meals
pc
(Latin: post cibum) = after meals
QD
(Latin: quaque die) = every day (once a day)
BID
(Latin: bis in die) = two times a day
TID
(Latin: ter in die) = three times a day
QID
(Latin: quarter in die) = four times a day
QH
(Latin: quaque hora) = every hour
q2h
(Latin: quaque 2 hora) every two hours
qAM
every morning
qPM
every night
prn
(Latin: pro re nata) = as needed
gtt (Latin: guttae) = drops (such as ear drops)
...
mg
milligram
mL
milliliter
mcg
microgram
NPO (Latin: nil per os)
nothing by mouth
qs (Latin: quantum satis)
quantity sufficient
Rx
prescription
Sig.
directions, how to take a medication
Tab
tablet
aer/o
air
alges/o
sensitivity to pain
bronch/o
bronchial tube
chem/o
drug
cras/o
mixture
derm/o
skin
erg/o
work
esthes/o
feeling, sensation
hist/o
tissue
hypn/o
sleep
iatr/o
treatment
lingu/o
tongue
myc/o
mold, fungus
narc/o
stupor
or/o
mouth
pharmac/o
drug
prurit/o
itching
pyret/o
fever
thec/o
sheath
tox/o
poison
vas/o
vessel
ven/o
vein
vit/o
life
ana-
upward, excessive, again
anti-
against
contra-
against, opposite
par-
other than, apart from
syn-
together, with
Pharmacist
Healthcare professional specializing in the safe and effective use of medication.
Pharmacologist
Healthcare professional specializing in medication and medication research
Toxicologist
Specializes in the adverse effects of medications