| a.c. | before meals | ante cibum | ||
| a.d., ad, AD | right ear | auris dextra | ||
| a.m., am, AM | morning | ante meridiem | ||
| a.s., as, AS | left ear | auris sinistra | ||
| a.u., au, AU | both ears together or each ear | aures unitas or auris uterque | ||
| b.d.s, bds, BDS | 2 times a day | bis die sumendum | ||
| b.i.d., bid, bd | twice a day / twice daily / 2 times daily | bis in die | ||
| gtt., gtt | drop(s) | gutta(e) | ||
| h., h | hour | hora | ||
| h.s., hs | at bedtime or half strength | hora somni | ||
| ii | two tablets | duos doses | ||
| iii | three tablets | trēs doses | ||
| n.p.o., npo, NPO | nothing by mouth / not by oral administration | nil per os | ||
| o.d., od, OD | once a day | omne in die | ||
| right eye | oculus dexter | |||
| o.s., os, OS | left eye | oculus sinister | ||
| o.u., ou, OU | both eyes | oculus uterque | ||
| p.c. | after food | post cibum | ||
| p.m., pm, PM | afternoon or evening | post meridiem | ||
| p.r., pr, PR | rectally | per rectum | ||
| p.r.n., prn, PRN | as needed, (also Pertactin - a key antigen of ac.Pertussis vaccine) | pro re nata | ||
| q. | every | quaque | ||
| q.1.d., q1d | every day | quaque die | ||
| q.1.h., q1h | every hour | quaque hora | ||
| q.2.h., q2h | every 2 hours | quaque secunda hora | ||
| q.4.h., q4h | every 4 hours | quaque quarta hora | ||
| q.6.h., q6h | every 6 hours | quaque sexta hora | ||
| q.8.h., q8h | every 8 hours | quaque octava hora | ||
| q.a.m., qAM, qam | every morning | quaque ante meridiem | ||
| q.d., qd | every day / daily | quaque die | ||
| q.h.s., qhs | every night at bedtime | quaque hora somni | ||
| q.d.s, qds, QDS | 4 times a day | quater die sumendum | ||
| q.i.d, qid | 4 times a day | quater in die | ||
| q.h., qh | every hour, hourly | quaque hora | ||
| q.o.d., qod | every other day / alternate days | quaque altera die | ||
| q.p.m., qPM, qpm | every afternoon or evening | quaque post meridiem | ||
| q.s., qs | a sufficient quantity (enough) | quantum sufficiat | ||
| Rx, Rx, | prescription | recipe | ||
| t.d.s, tds, TDS | 3 times a day | ter die sumendum | ||
| t.i.d., tid | 3 times a day | ter in die | ||
| u.d., ud | as directed | ut dictum | ||
| VA |
Drug Advice