Medical Abbreviations

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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).