COLLEGE OF

PHARMACY

Dr. Mohammad Javed Ansari, PhD.

Contact info: mj.ansari@psau.edu.sa

PHARMACEUTICS-I

(PHT 224)

Introduction to

prescription

OBJECTIVES OF THE LECTURE

• At the end of this lecture, you will be able to explain:

• What is prescription?

• Who can write a prescription?

• What are different parts of prescription?

• What is superscription?

• What is inscription?

• What is subscription?

• What is transcription?

• What are different abbreviations used in prescription?

PRESCRIPTION • A written direction to the pharmacist for the

preparation, dispensing of medication aimed to treat

a particular disease(s) of a particular patient(s).

• It includes; diagnosis, drugs to be used, dosage

forms, dosing regimen, instructions of medicine uses,

contraindications etc.

• Authority to write prescriptions varies internationally.

• Some of the prescribers include-

• Physicians, Physician’s Assistants, Dentists,

Optometrists, Osteopaths, Veterinarians, Podiatrists

(foot specialist), specialized Pharmacists, Nurse

practitioners

Superscription: Prescriber’s information

Patient’s information

REFILL TIMES

OR UNTIL

NO CHILD PROOF CONTAINER

Inscription

DRUG’S INFORMATION:

DRUG, STRENGTH, QUANTITY, FREQUENCY,

Subscription DURATION, INSTRUCTIONS ETC

Transcription: SIG

WARNING: PRESCIBER’S SIGNATURE

Presciber’s other identification data

DIAGNOSIS

PARTS OF PRESCRIPTION

SUPERSCRIPTION: PRESCRIBER’S INFORMATION

• Superscription is head of the prescription.

• It includes prescriber’s & patient’s information-

• Prescriber’s name & Professional degree- Validate

prescription authority.

• Address & Contact numbers-clarify questions??.

• Date of prescription- validate refills if any and monitor

patient follow – up.

• Patient’s information such as-Name, Medical record

number, sex & age. (in some cases weight & body

surface area may be required).

INSCRIPTION: DRUG INFORMATION

• Inscription is the main part (body) of the

prescription.

• It is started with Rx symbol which is an

abbreviation for “recipe” means: take thou (you

take).

• It includes drug information such as-

• Name / brand of drug (generic name-

nonproprietary name may be written).

• Dosing regimen: Dose size or concentration

(liquids) of the drug.

• Amount to be dispensed

• Inscriptions generally include abbreviations (Latin /

common) for the dosage forms to be dispensed.

INSCRIPTION: DRUG INFORMATION

amp. ampulla ampule (ampul, ampoule)

cap., caps. capsula capsule

cr., crm creamus cream

decoct. decoctum decoction

elix. elixir elixir

emuls. emulsum emulsion

garg. gargarisma gargle

I unus tabuletta one tablet

Ii duo tabuletta two tablets

Iii tres tabuletta three tablets

INSCRIPTION: DRUG INFORMATION

lin linimentum liniment

liq. liquor solution

lot. lotio lotion

nebul, neb. nebula a spray nebulizer

pig./pigm. pigmentum paint

pulv. pulvis powder

sol. solutio solution

supp. suppositorium suppository

susp. suspensio suspension

syr. syrupus syrup

tab. tabella tablet

tr, tinc., tinct. tinctura tincture

troch. trochiscus lozenge

ung. unguentum ointment

SUBSCRIPTION: DISPENSING INFORMATION

• Subscription is dispensing directions (what & how

much) to the pharmacist such as-

• Amount to be dispensed

• dispense 30 tablets

• make a solution

• mix & place into 30 capsules.

• Directions to the patient

TRANSCRIPTION: DIRECTION OF USAGE

• Transcription is usage directions to the patient (how

& when to take medicine).

• May include abbreviations (Latin / common),

unfamiliar to the patients.

• Instruction for the patient as to how & when to take

medicine must be explained by the pharmacist to the

patient.

• Most of the time these directions are transcribed on

the label or package of the medication in the native

language of the patient.

TRANSCRIPTION: DIRECTION OF USAGE ABBR. LATIN TERM MEANING

a.c. ante cibum before meals

a.c.h.s.,

ac&hs ante cibum et hora somni before meals and at bedtime

alt. d., alt.

dieb. alternis diebus every other day; on alternate days

alt. h., alt.

hor. alternis horis every other hour; at alternate hours

a.m. ante meridiem morning, before noon

b.d.s. bis die sumendum twice daily

bis bis twice

b.i.d., b.d. bis in die twice daily

bis ind. bis indies twice a day

bis in 7 d. bis in septem diebus twice a week

c.m. cras mane tomorrow morning

c.m.s. cras mane sumendus to be taken tomorrow morning

c.n. cras nocte tomorrow night

c.v. cras vespere tomorrow evening

dieb. alt. diebus alternis every other day; on alternate days

TRANSCRIPTION: DIRECTION OF USAGE h, hr, hor. hora hour

hor. alt. hora alternis every other hour (every second hour; at

alternate hours)

hor. tert. horis tertiis every third hour

h.s. hora somni at bedtime [or] half-strength

mane Mane in the morning

noct. Nocte at night

o.d. omni die every day (once daily)

o.m. omni mane every morning

omn. bih. omni bihora every 2 hours

omn. hor. omni hora every hour

o.n. omni nocte every night

p.c. post cibum after meals

p.c.h.s.,

pc&hs

post cibum et hora

somni after meals and at bedtime

p.m. post meridiem evening or afternoon

p.r.n., pro re nata as needed

TRANSCRIPTION: DIRECTION OF USAGE q quaque every, per

q.1 h, q.1° quaque 1 hora every 1 hour

q.a.d. quaque alternis die every other day

q.a.m. quaque die ante meridiem every morning (every day before noon)

q.d./q.1.d. quaque die every day

q.d.a.m. quaque die ante meridiem once daily in the morning

q.d.p.m. quaque die post meridiem once daily in the evening

q.d.s. quater die sumendus 4 times a day

q.p.m. quaque die post meridiem every evening (every day after noon)

q.h.s. quaque hora somni every night at bedtime

q.i.d. quater in die 4 times a day

q.n. quaque nocte every night

q.o.d. quaque altera die every other day

q.q.h. quater quaque hora every 4 hours

s.o.s., si op. sit si opus sit if there is a need

stat statim immediately

t.i.d., t.d. ter in die 3 times a day

TRANSCRIPTION: DIRECTION OF USAGE

NPO, n.p.o. nil per os nothing by mouth

o.d. oculus dexter right eye

o.s. oculus sinister left eye

o.u. oculus uterque both eyes

q.l. quantum libet as much as is requisite

q.h. quaque hora every hour

q.q. quaque every; each

q.s. quantum sufficiat as much as suffices; a sufficient quantity

s.s., SS semisse one-half [or] sliding scale

sum. Sumat/ sumendum let him take [or] let it be taken

tal., t. Talus such

u.d., ut. dict. ut dictum as directed

TRANSCRIPTION: DIRECTION OF USAGE

bucc. bucca buccal (inside cheek)

SL, s.l. sub lingua sublingually, under the tongue

IJ, inj. injectio injection

inf. infusum infusion (extraction) / intravenous infusion

p.o. per os by mouth or orally

p.r., PR per rectum rectally

p.v., PV per vaginam vaginally

vag. vagine Vaginally

IP Intraperitoneal

IV intravenous

IVP intravenous push

IVPG intravenous piggyback

IM Intramuscular

ID Intradermal

H Hypodermic

top Topical

SOME COMMON ABBREVIATIONS IN PRESCRIPTION

amt Amount

ATC around the clock

BM bowel movement

BS blood sugar

BSA body surface area

CST continue same treatment

DAW dispense as written (i.e., no generic substitution)

DC, dc, D/C, disc discontinue [or] discharge

dil. dilute

disp. dispersible [or] dispense

IBW ideal body weight (for dosing based on clearance estimation)

IU international unit

NMT not more than

NS normal saline (0.9%)

NTE not to exceed

o 2, o2 both eyes

THANK YOU

FOR

YOUR ATTENTION..