Medical Abbreviations

Physicians use medical "shorthand" to write patients' prescriptions.

Some of these abbreviations are:

p.o.

taken orally or "by mouth"

p.r.n.

as needed

q.h.s.

at bedtime

b.i.d.

twice daily

t.i.d.

three times daily

q.i.d.

four times daily

#xx

quantity per fill

Example: Trazodone 50 mg #30 one to two p.o. q. h.s. p.r.n. sleep - would translate as "Fill thirty (30) trazodone hydrochloride 50 mg tablets, take one to two pills at bedtime as needed for sleep".

NOTE: It should be noted that these abbreviations appear to be different in the UK (and likely other countries).