Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

1/2NS one-half normal saline Normal saline (NS) is 0.9%, so one-

(0.45%) half normal saline is 0.45%

5-ASA 5-aminosalicylic acid Can be misinterpreted as five

tablets of aspirin (per FDA).

Spell out full drug name.

a before  

A.M. morning  

aa of each  

AAA abdominal aortic aneurysm Can be misinterpreted as 'apply to

(called a "triple-A") affected area'

AAA apply to affected area Can be misinterpreted as

'abdominal aortic aneurysm'

ac before meals  

achs before meals and at bedtime  

AD right ear  

ad lib freely; as much as desired  

ad sat. to saturation  

ad. to; up to Caution not to confuse with AD

(meaning right ear)

ALT alanine aminotransferase  

alt. alternate  

alt. h. every other hour  

am, A.M. in the morning; before noon  

amp ampule  
Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

amt. amount  

ant. anterior  

ante before  

ap before dinner  

APAP acetaminophen Spell out drug name

"acetaminophen"

aPTT activated partial  

thromboplastin

AQ, aq water  

a.s., AS left ear  

ASA aspirin Spell out drug name "aspirin"

AST aspartate aminotransferase  

ATC around the clock  

AU each ear; both ears  

AZT zidovudine Can be misinterpreted as

azathioprine (per FDA).

Spell out drug name.

Ba barium  

BCP birth control pills  

Bi bismuth  

bid, BID twice a day  

BM bowel movement  

BMI body mass index  

Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

bol bolus  

BP blood pressure  

BPH benign prostatic hypertrophy  

BS blood sugar  

BSA body surface area  

BT bedtime In U.S., 'hs' or 'HS' is more

commonly used for bedtime.

c with  

C.C. chief complaint  

c/o complaints of  

C&S culture and sensitivity  

CABG coronary artery bypass graft  

CaCO3 calcium carbonate  

CAD coronary artery disease  

CAP cancer of the prostate Do not confuse with "capsule"

cap. capsule Do not confuse with "cancer of the

prostate"

CBC complete blood count  

cc cubic centimeters May be mistaken as u (units) per

ISMP.

Use mL instead of cc.

CD controlled delivery  

CF cystic fibrosis  
Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

cm centimeter  

CNS central nervous system  

conc concentrated  

CPZ Compazine Can be misinterpreted as

chlorpromazine (per FDA).

Spell out drug name.

CR controlled-release  

cr, crm cream  

CV cardiovascular  

CXR chest x-ray  

D/C, dc, disc. discontinue OR discharge Multiple possible meanings; spell

out instead of using "D/C"

D5/0.9 NaCl 5% dextrose and normal  

saline solution (0.9% NaCl)

D5 1/2/NS 5% dextrose and half normal  

saline solution (0.45% NaCl)

D5NS dextrose 5% in normal saline  

(0.9%)

D5W 5% dextrose in water  

DAW dispense as written  

DBP diastolic blood pressure  

dil. diluted  

disp dispense  

div divide  
Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

DKA diabetic ketoacidosis  

dL deciliter  

DM diabetes mellitus  

DO Doctor of Osteopathic  
Medicine

DOB date of birth  

DPT diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus Better to spell out vaccine name;

can be misinterpreted as Demerol-
Phenergan-Thorazine per FDA

DR delayed-release  

DVT deep vein thrombosis  

DW dextrose in water, diabetes Multiple possible meanings; spell

mellitus or distilled water out instead of using "DW"

EC enteric-coated  

EENT Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat  

elix. elixir  

emuls. emulsion  

ER extended-release Can also mean "emergency room"

ER emergency room Can also mean "extended-release"

ETOH ethyl alcohol  

F Fahrenheit  

f or F female  

FBS fasting blood sugar  

FDA Food and Drug  

Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

Administration

Fe Iron  

FFP fresh frozen plasma  

fl or fld fluid  

ft foot  

G, or g, or gm gram "g" is preferred symbol

garg gargle  

GERD gastroesophageal reflux  

disease

GI gastrointestinal  

gr. grain Apothecary measurement

(obsolete and may be
misinterpreted as gram; do not
use)

GTT glucose tolerance test Can be confused with gtt for drops

gtt, gtts drop, drops Can be confused with GTT for

glucose tolerance test

GU genitourinary  

guttat. drop by drop  

h, or hr. hour  

h/o history of  

H&H hematocrit and hemoglobin  

H2 histamine 2  

H2 0 water  
Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

HAART highly active antiretroviral  

therapy

HCT, or Hct hematocrit  

HCT hydrocortisone Better to spell out drug name; can

be misinterpreted as
hydrochlorothiazide per FDA

HCTZ hydrochlorothiazide Better to spell out drug name; can

be misinterpreted as
hydrocortisone per FDA

HR heart rate  

HS half-strength better to spell out; do not mistake

for "bedtime"

hs or HS at bedtime, hours of sleep Do not misinterpret as 'half-

strength'

HTN hypertension  

hx history  

IBW ideal body weight  

ID intradermal OR infectious Multiple possible meanings; spell

disease out word instead of using "ID"

IJ injection better to spell out 'injection'

IM intramuscular  

IN intranasal  

inf infusion  

inj. injection  

instill. instillation  

IP intraperitoneal  
Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

IR immediate-release  

IU international unit(s) Mistaken as IV (intravenous) or the

number 10 (ten); Instead use
"International Unit(s)" (per Joint
Commission's "Do Not Use" List of
Abbreviations)

IUD intrauterine device  

IV intravenous  

IVP intravenous push Could be confused with

'intravenous pyelogram'

IVPB intravenous piggyback  

J joule  

K potassium  

KOH potassium hydroxide  

L or l liter Lowercase letter l may be mistaken

as the number 1 (per ISMP). Instead
use L (uppercase) for liter.

LA long-acting  

lab laboratory  

lb. pound  

LDL low-density lipoprotein  

LFT liver function tests  

Li lithium  

liq. liquid  

LMP last menstrual period  

Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

lot lotion  

LPN licensed practical nurse  

LR lactated ringer (solution)  

mane in the morning  

mcg or µg microgram Can be misinterpreted to mean

"mg" or milligram, better to spell
out 'microgram'

MD medical doctor  

MDI metered-dose inhaler  

mEq milliequivalent  

mEq/L milliequivalent per liter  

Mg magnesium  

mg milligram  

MgSO4 magnesium sulfate May be confused with "MSO4"

(morphine sulfate), spell out
"magnesium sulfate" - Joint
Commission's "Do Not Use" List of
Abbreviations

mL milliliter Do not use ml as lowercase l may

be mistaken for the number 1. Use
mL (lowercase m, uppercase L) for
milliliter (per ISMP).

mm millimeter  

MM or M million May be mistaken as thousand. Use

million.

M or K thousand May be mistaken as million. Use

thousand.
Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

mm of Hg millimeters of mercury  

mMol millimole  

MMR measle-mumps-rubella  
(vaccine)

mol wt molecular weight  

MR modified-release  

MS morphine sulfate or Can mean either morphine sulfate

magnesium sulfate or magnesium sulfate, spell out full
drug name - Joint Commission's
"Do Not Use" List of Abbreviations

MSO4 morphine sulfate May be confused with "MgSO4";

instead spell out "morphine
sulfate" - Joint Commission's "Do
Not Use" List of Abbreviations

n or noct. in the night  

N/A not applicable  

N/V, N&V nausea and vomiting  

Na sodium  

NAS intranasal  

NDC National Drug Code  

Ng or ng nanogram May be mistaken as mg or

nasogastric. Use nanogram.

NGT nasogastric tube  

NH3 ammonia  

NKA no known allergies  

NKDA no known drug allergies  

Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

noct. maneq. night and morning  

NP nurse practitioner  

NPO, n.p.o. nothing by mouth Preferred by AMA to spell out

"nothing by mouth"

NS normal saline  

NSAID nonsteroidal anti-  

inflammatory drug

NTE not to exceed  

O2 oxygen  

OC oral contraceptive  

o.d., OD right eye Can also mean "overdose" or "once

daily"; better to spell out "right
eye"

o.d. once per day Preferred in the UK; Can also mean
"overdose" or "right eye"; better to
spell out "once per day"

OJ orange juice  

o.s., OS left eye  

OTC over-the-counter  

PA Physician Assistant  

pc after meals  

PRN as needed  

PM evening  

PO orally or by mouth May be better to spell out "by

mouth" or "orally" (per AMA)
Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

q every  

q4h every 4 hours  

q6h every 6 hours  

q8h every 8 hours  

q12h every 12 hours  

qam every morning  

qd, QD, q.d., every day Can be mistaken as q.i.d. Instead

Q.D. write "daily" (per The Joint
Commission "Do Not Use List") or
"use daily" per ISMP list

qhs each night at bedtime Can be confused with "qh" (every

hour); better to spell out "each
night at bedtime"

q.i.d. , QID four times a day  

qod, QOD, every other day May be mistaken as qid or QID

q.o.d., or (four times daily).
Q.O.D.
Write "every other day" (per ISMP
and The Joint Commission).

RA rheumatoid arthritis  

Rx prescription  

SA sustained action  

SL, s.l. sublingual (under the tongue)  

SC, SQ sq, or subcutaneous or Use SUBQ (all uppercase) or spell

sub q subcutaneously out subcutaneous or
subcutaneously

SR sustained release  
Abbreviation Meaning Notes About Confusion

STD sexually transmitted disease  

supp suppository  

susp suspension  

syr syrup  

T temperature  

tbsp or Tbsp tablespoon Mistaken as teaspoon(s). Use the

metric system (e.g., mL).

TID, t.i.d. three times a day  

top. topical  

TR timed-release  

tsp teaspoon Mistaken as tablespoon(s). Use the

metric system (e.g., mL).

U or u unit Mistaken as the number "0" (zero),

the number "4" (four) or as "cc".
Write "unit" instead (per The Joint
Commission "Do Not Use" List).

ud, ut, dict, as directed  

UD

ung ointment  

UTI urinary tract infection  

WBC white blood cell  

XR extended-release  

mcg, µg microgram µg mcg can be misinterpreted as

"mg". Better to spell out
"microgram"