What does 7 7 mean on a prescription? Duration of treatment is usually indicated by denominators: 7 = days, 12 = months and 52 = weeks. For example, 1/7 = one day, 2/12 = two months and 1/52 = one week.
Full Answer
Why are there abbreviations on my prescriptions?
Elaine Hinzey is a registered dietitian, writer, and fact-checker with nearly two decades of experience in educating clients and other healthcare professionals. You may have seen letters like q.i.d. or b.i.d. on your prescriptions. These are abbreviations for Latin phrases. Centuries ago, all prescriptions were written in Latin.
What do the directions for taking a prescription mean?
Centuries ago, all prescriptions were written in Latin. Now, only the directions for taking the drug have kept that trait. For the average person with no medical background, they don't mean anything. Taking the wrong dose of arthritis medication or pain medication can have serious or even fatal consequences.
What are some examples of confusing numbers in a prescription?
Confusing Numbers 1 As an example, a prescription for “furosemide 40 mg Q.D.” (40 mg daily) was misinterpreted as “QID” (40 mg four times a... 2 Another example has to do with drug dosage units: doses in micrograms should always have the unit spelled out, because... More ...
What is the meaning of the RX symbol on prescriptions?
Rx is an abbreviation for "prescription." Most people think it comes from the Latin word "recipe," which means "take." 1 According to another theory, the Rx symbol is based on the Roman deity Jupiter. Jupiter's symbol looked similar to the Rx symbol. The symbol may have been placed on a prescription to invoke Jupiter's blessing. 2
What does 1/7 mean on a prescription?
1/7 could be interpreted as 'for one day', 'once daily', 'for one week' or 'once weekly'
What are the seven 7 required elements for a telephone prescription?
How to write a prescription in 7 steps:Prescriber's Information. This information is usually found at the top of the prescription. ... Patient's Information. ... Recipe (Rx) ... Signatura (Sig) ... Dispensing Instructions (Disp) ... Number of Refills (Rf) ... Prescriber's Signature.
What does Pobid mean?
Medical Abbreviations on Your Prescription “PO” means the medication is taken by mouth “bid” or twice a day. The 'x' indicates this prescription is taken for a period of 5 days.
How do I know how many refills I have left?
Here's what to look for on the label:Pharmacy phone number. This is the number you'll call to place the refill.Prescription number. This number is often shown as "Rx#" on the label. ... Refills remaining. The prescription label will tell you how many refills you have left.
How do you read a doctor's prescription?
What makes a Prescription Valid? Name, qualification, address and registration number of the doctor. Name, age and gender of the patient. Date of consultation. Name of the Medication prescribed. Directions for use including dosage, frequency and duration. Doctor's signature and stamp.
How are prescriptions written?
How to Write a Prescription in 4 Parts. Patient's name and another identifier, usually date of birth. Medication and strength, amount to be taken, route by which it is to be taken, and frequency. Amount to be given at the pharmacy and number of refills.
What does 14 7 mean on a prescription?
Patients are dispensed a sufficient amount of medication for both their inpatient stay and for at least 7 days/14 days after discharge. • The containers will have the patients name, tablet dose, directions and warnings printed on them. •
What does BDPC mean in prescription?
BDPC – Refers to twice a day after meals. ODPC- Refers to once in a day after meals.
What does q2h mean in medical terms?
every 2 hoursq.2.h., q2h. every 2 hours.
What do you do when you run out of prescription refills?
If you don't have any remaining refills for a prescription, contact your doctor. Your doctor might order some tests or ask to see you before renewing your prescription. Some states have rules that require you to visit your doctor or pharmacist before getting refills.
How do you read a prescription refill?
Rx # is a number that the pharmacy gives to each prescription they receive. Think of it as a transaction number. Filled: shows the date that the pharmacy put the pills in the bottle. Refills: is the number of refills that the doctor wrote for when the original prescription was written.
Can a doctor refuse to refill a prescription?
Can a physician refuse to treat a current patient? Yes, but the physician needs to follow appropriate guidelines. See California Medical Association (CMA) guidelines in regard to terminating the doctor/patient relationship.
How to record prescriptions?
What Can You Do As a Patient? 1 Ask your doctor how you are supposed to take your medication before you leave the office, and write it down for future reference. 2 Consider taking a trusted family member or friend to your medical appointments to help you to record important instructions. 3 If you receive a prescription with unusual, unexpected or confusing directions, be sure to double check with your doctor. 4 FDA encourages all healthcare providers, patients and consumers to report medication errors to the FDA Medwatch Program. The FDA is then aware of potential problems and can provide effective interventions that will minimize further errors. Timely prevention of medical errors can save a patient’s life.
Why should drug names, dosage units, and directions for use be written clearly?
All drug names, dosage units, and directions for use should be written clearly to avoid misinterpretation. Pharmacists should be included in teams that develop or evaluate EMRs and e-prescribing tools.
What is a trailing zero on a medication order?
Trailing zeros on medication orders. Numbers can also be misinterpreted with regards to decimal points. As noted in the Joint Commission's Do Not Use List, a trailing zero (for example, "5.0" mg, where the zero follows a decimal point) can be misinterpreted as “50” mg leading to a 10-fold overdose.
What is the abbreviation for methotrexate?
As reported by the FDA, a prescription with the abbreviation “MTX ” has been interpreted as both methotrexate (used for rheumatoid arthritis) or mitoxantrone (a cancer drug), and “ATX” was misunderstood to be the shorthand for zidovudine (AZT, an HIV drug) or azathioprine (an immunosuppressant drug). These types of errors can be linked with severe patient harm.
What is a full dosage regimen?
The full dosage regimen includes the dose, frequency, duration, and route of administration of the drug to be administered. When writing out a dose, DO NOT use a trailing zero and DO use a leading zero.
What is timed release?
Timed-release technology allows drugs to be dissolved over time, allows more steady blood concentrations of drugs, and can lower the number of times a drug must be taken per day compared to immediate-release (IR) formulations.
Can electronic prescriptions cause confusion?
However, discrepancies in electronic prescriptions are common and can lead to medical errors and possible patient harm. If you receive a prescription label with unclear and confusing directions, always call your doctor right away to check on the correct information.
What to do if you still have a prescription?
If you are still issued a written prescription and the directions are unclear or confusing, ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain. Do not take your medication without fully understanding the prescribing instructions. Take no chances.
How does e-prescribing improve patient safety?
E-prescribing improves patient safety by eliminating illegible prescriptions, reducing the need for oral communications (which can result in miscommunications), warning and alert systems at the point of prescribing, and allowing the prescriber to view a patient's medication history.
What does RX mean in Latin?
The origin of Rx as an abbreviation for "prescription" has been attributed to the Latin word "recipe," which means "take.". 2 Also, it has been associated with Jupiter, the chief deity of the Roman state religion until Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire. 3 .
Do doctors still use Latin terms?
While the Latin terms are still commonly seen on prescriptions, some doctors are gradually retiring the use of these old terms and better clarifying their drug orders in plain language.
Can you see the abbreviations on prescriptions?
The better you understand the directions, the more protected you are from a potentially dangerous error. If your doctor uses electronic prescriptions, you may never see the abbreviations. Therefore, it is less of an issue now than it used to be.
Don’T Computers Solve The Problem with Abbreviations?
- Some of the typed or computer-generated abbreviations, prescription symbols, and dose designations can still be confusing and lead to mistakes in drug dosing or timing. In addition, when these abbreviations are unclear, extra time must be spent by pharmacists or other healthcare providers trying to clarify their meanings, which can delay much-needed treatments. …
Drug Name Abbreviations
- Drug names may often be abbreviated, too. For example, complicated treatment regimens, like cancer treatment protocols or combination HIV regimens, may be written with drug name abbreviations. As reported by the FDA, a prescription with the abbreviation “MTX” has been interpreted as both methotrexate (used for rheumatoid arthritis) or mitoxantrone (a cancer drug)…
Confusing Numbers
- Numbers can lead to confusion and drug dosing errors, too. 1. As an example, a prescription for “furosemide 40 mg Q.D.” (40 mg daily) was misinterpreted as “QID” (40 mg four times a day), leading to a serious medical error. 2. Another example has to do with drug dosage units: doses in micrograms should always have the unit spelled out, because the ...
Modified-Release Technology
- Common abbreviations are often used for modified-release types of technology for prescription drugs, although no true standard exists for this terminology. 1. Many drugs exist in special formulation as tablets or capsules -- for example as ER, XR, and SR -- to slow absorption or alter where the dissolution and absorption occurs in the gastrointestinal tract. 2. Timed-release techn…
Ways For Health Care Providers to Avoid Medication Errors
- Completely write out (or select electronically) the prescription, including the drug name and dosage regimen. The full dosage regimen includes the dose, frequency, duration, and route of administra...
- When writing out a dose, DO NOT use a trailing zero and DO use a leading zero.
- For veterinarians, when calling in or writing out a human drug prescription for an animal, verb…
- Completely write out (or select electronically) the prescription, including the drug name and dosage regimen. The full dosage regimen includes the dose, frequency, duration, and route of administra...
- When writing out a dose, DO NOT use a trailing zero and DO use a leading zero.
- For veterinarians, when calling in or writing out a human drug prescription for an animal, verbally state or write out the entire prescription because some pharmacists may be unfamiliar with veteri...
- Use a computerized prescription system and electronic delivery of prescriptions to minimize misinterpretation of handwriting.
What Can You Do as A Patient?
- Ask your doctor how you are supposed to take your medication before you leave the office, and write it down for future reference.
- Consider taking a trusted family member or friend to your medical appointments to help you to record important instructions.
- If you receive a prescription with unusual, unexpected or confusing directions, be sure to dou…
- Ask your doctor how you are supposed to take your medication before you leave the office, and write it down for future reference.
- Consider taking a trusted family member or friend to your medical appointments to help you to record important instructions.
- If you receive a prescription with unusual, unexpected or confusing directions, be sure to double check with your doctor.
- FDA encourages all healthcare providers, patients and consumers to report medication errors to the FDA Medwatch Program. The FDA is then aware of potential problems and can provide effective interv...
Table 1: Common Medical Abbreviations
- Note: This is not a complete list of medical abbreviations or error-prone abbreviations. Always speak with your healthcare provider for any questions related to medical abbreviations or terms.
See Also
Further Information
- Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Medical Disclaimer