Pharmacy Sig Codes & Abbreviations

aa-

of each

a.c.

before meals

a.d.

right ear

a.s.

left ear

au

both ears

aaa

apply to affected areas

ad hib

to be administered

ad lib

as needed or desired

ad us.

Ext for external use

ad

up to

Aer

aerosol

AM

before noon

am

morning

amp

ampule

app

applicator

asap

as soon as possible

AWP

average wholesale price

bid / B.I.D.

two times a day

c (with straight line on top)

with

cap

capsule

crm

cream

d

day

D/C

discharge

d/c

discontinue

det

give

dil

dilute

disp

dispense

EC

enteric coated

elix

elixir

emul

emulsion

ext

extrac

ft

fix & make

gtt

drops

hr

hour

hs

at bedtime; hour of sleep

inj

inject

IM

intramuscular

IT

intrathecal

IV

intravenous

noc

in the night

Non

do not repeat; no

non rep

do not repeat

NPO

nothing by mouth

od

right eye

os

left eye

ou

each eye; both eyes

oint, ung

ointment

p (with straight line on top)

after

p.c.

after meals (food)

per

by

PM

after noon

po

orally; by mouth

pr

rectally; per rectum

prn

whenever necessary; as needed

pulv

powder

PV

vaginally; per vaginal

q

every

q12h

every 12 hours

q2h

every 2 hours

q4h

every 4 hours

q6h

every 6 hours

q8h

every 8 hours

qam

every morning

qd

every day; once a day

qh

every hour

qhs

every bedtime

qid

four times a day

qod

every other day

qpm

every evening

Q 4 degrees - 6 degrees

every 4 to 6 hours

Qs ad

a sufficient quantity to make

rep

refills; repeat

Rx

prescription only; take; a recipe

s (with straight line on top)

without

SC, sq, subQ

subcutaneous

Sig

directions; label; let it be printed

sl, subling

sublingual

sol

solution

solv

dissolve

stat

now; immediately

supp

suppository

syr

syrup

tab

tablet

tid

three times a day

tr, tinc

tincture

t.u.d.

take as directed

u.d., u dict, dict

as directed

ud

unit dose

vag

vaginal

VO

verbal order

wa

while awake

t

test

u

use

p

pain