Common Medical Abbreviations Lecture

Introduction

• Focus on common medical abbreviations, especially related to medication timing and administration.

Medication Timing Abbreviations

• QD: Every day
• BID: Twice a day
• TID: Three times a day
• QID: Four times a day
• Q4H: Every four hours
  • Can be extended to Q6H, QH, Q30 minutes, etc., depending on doctor's orders.
• AC: Before meals
• PC: After meals
• HS: At bedtime or nighttime
• PRN: As needed (e.g., pain medication)

Routes of Medication Administration

• PO (BO): By mouth (orally, e.g., pills)
• IM: Intramuscular (e.g., flu shots)
• IV: Intravenous (through a vein)
• SC/SQ: Subcutaneous (into fat tissues, simpler injection)
• SL: Sublingual (under the tongue, dissolving tablets)

Diagnosis and History Abbreviations

• BS: Diagnosis (e.g., stroke, heart failure)
• HX: History (e.g., history of stroke or car accident)

Treatment and Prescription Abbreviations

• TX: Treatment
• RX: Prescription (commonly seen on a prescription pad)

Conclusion

• Overview of basic medical abbreviations used in healthcare.
• Future videos will cover additional abbreviations.

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• These notes offer a quick reference guide to understanding some of the most commonly used medical abbreviations, especially useful for newcomers to the healthcare field.