ABBREVIATIONS
Drug administration
Table 3 Drug administration times
| Times | UK | Latin | USA | Latin | |
| Once daily | o.d | omni die | q.d. | quaque die | |
| Every morning | o.m. | omni mane | q.a.m. | quaque ante meridiem | |
| At bedtime | o.n. | omni nocte | h.s. | hora somni | |
| Twice daily | b.d. | bis die | b.i.d. | bis in die | |
| Three times daily | t.d.s. | ter die sumendus | t.i.d. | ter in die | |
| Four times daily | q.d.s. | quarta die sumendus | q.i.d. | quarta in die | |
| Every 4 hours etc. | q4h | quaque quarta hora | q4h | quaque quarta hora | |
| Rescue medication | p.r.n. | pro re nata | p.r.n. | pro re nata | |
| (as needed/required) | |||||
| Give immediately | stat | stat | |||
| a.c. | ante cibum (before food) |
| amp | ampoule containing a single dose (cf. vial) |
| CD | preparation subject to prescription requirements under the Misuse of Drugs Act (UK); for regulations see BNF |
| CIVI | continuous intravenous infusion |
| CSCI | continuous subcutaneous infusion |
| e/c | enteric-coated |
| ED | epidural |
| IM | intramuscular |
| IT | intrathecal |
| IV | intravenous |
| IVI | intravenous infusion |
| m/r | modified-release; alternatives, slow-release, sustained-release, controlled-release, extended-release |
 |
not prescribable on NHS prescriptions |
| OTC | over the counter (i.e. can be obtained without a prescription) |
| p.c. | post cibum (after food) |
| PO | per os, by mouth |
| POM | prescription-only medicine |
| PR | per rectum |
| PV | per vaginum |
| SC | subcutaneous |
| SL | sublingual |
| TD | transdermal |
| vial | sterile container with a rubber bung containing either a single or multiple doses (cf. amp) |
| WFI | water for injections |
| General | |
| * | specialist use only |
| † | unlicensed use |
| BNF | British National Formulary |
| BP | British Pharmacopoeia |
| CHM | Commission on Human Medicines |
| CSM | Committee on Safety of Medicines (now part of CHM) |
| EMEA | European Medicines Agency |
| EORTC | European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration (USA) |
| IASP | International Association for the Study of Pain |
| IDIS | International Drug Information Service |
| MCA | Medicines Control Agency (now MHRA) |
| MHRA | Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (formerly MCA) |
| NICE | National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence |
| NPF | Nurse Prescribers' Formulary |
| PCS/PCU | Palliative care service/unit |
| PIL | Patient Information Leaflet |
| rINN | recommended International Non-proprietary Name |
| SPC | Summary of Product Characteristics |
| UK | United Kingdom |
| USA | United States of America |
| VAS | visual analogue scale, 0–100mm |
| WHO | World Health Organization |
| Medical | |
| ACD | anaemia of chronic disease |
| ACE | angiotensin-converting enzyme |
| ADH | antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin) |
| AUC | area under the plasma concentration–time curve |
 2 |
beta 2 adrenergic (receptor) |
| BUN | blood urea nitrogen |
| CHF | congestive heart failure |
| CNS | central nervous system |
| COX | cyclo-oxygenase; alternative, prostaglandin synthase |
| COPD | chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
| CRP | C-reactive protein |
| CSF | cerebrospinal fluid |
| CT | computed tomography |
 |
delta-opioid (receptor) |
| D2 | dopamine type 2 (receptor) |
| DIC | disseminated intravascular coagulation |
| DVT | deep vein thrombosis |
| ECG | electrocardiogram |
| ECT | electroconvulsive therapy |
| FEV1 | forced expiratory volume in 1 second |
| FRC | functional residual capacity |
| FSH | follicle-stimulating hormone |
| FVC | forced vital capacity of lungs |
| GABA | gamma-aminobutyric acid |
| GI | gastro-intestinal |
| H1, H2 | histamine type 1, type 2 (receptor) |
| Ig | immunoglobulin |
| INR | international normalized ratio |
 |
kappa-opioid (receptor) |
| LABA | long-acting β2-adrenergic receptor agonist |
| LFTs | liver function tests |
| LH | luteinising hormone |
| LMWH | low molecular weight heparin |
| MAOI | mono-amine oxidase inhibitor |
| MARI | mono-amine re-uptake inhibitor |
| MRI | magnetic resonance imaging |
| MSU | mid-stream specimen of urine |
 |
mu-opioid (receptor) |
| NaSSA | noradrenergic and specific serotoninergic antidepressant |
| NDRI | noradrenaline (norepinephrine) and dopamine re-uptake inhibitor |
| NG | nasogastric |
| NJ | nasojejunal |
| NMDA | N-methyl D-aspartate |
| NNH | number needed to harm, i.e. the number of patients needed to be treated in order to harm one patient sufficiently to cause withdrawal from a drug trial |
| NNT | number needed to treat, i.e. the number of patients needed to be treated in order to achieve 50% improvement in one patient compared with placebo |
| NRI | noradrenaline (norepinephrine) re-uptake inhibitor |
| NSAID | non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug |
| PaCO2 | arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide |
| PaO2 | arterial partial pressure of oxygen |
| PCA | patient-controlled analgesia |
| PE | pulmonary embolus/embolism |
| PG | prostaglandin |
| PPI | proton pump inhibitor |
| PUB | gastro-intestinal perforation, ulceration or bleeding (in relation to serious GI events caused by NSAIDs) |
| RCT | randomized controlled trial |
| RIMA | reversible inhibitor of mono-amine oxidase type A |
| RTI | respiratory tract infection |
| SNRI | serotonin and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) re-uptake inhibitor |
| SSRI | selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor |
| TCA | tricyclic antidepressant |
| TIBC | total iron-binding capacity; alternative, plasma transferrin concentration |
| TlCO | transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide |
| UTI | urinary tract infection |
| VIP | vaso-active intestinal polypeptide |
| Units | |
| cm | centimetre(s) |
| cps | cycles per sec |
| dL | decilitre(s) |
| g | gram(s) |
| Gy | Gray(s), a measure of radiation |
| h | hour(s) |
| Hg | mercury |
| kcal | kilocalories |
| kg | kilogram(s) |
| L | litre(s) |
| mg | milligram(s) |
| micromol | micromole(s) |
| ml | millilitre(s) |
| mm | millimetre(s) |
| mmol | millimole(s) |
| min | minute(s) |
| mosmol | milli-osmole(s) |
| msec | millisecond |
| nm | nanometre(s) |
| nmol | nanomole(s); alternative, nM |
| sec | second(s) |