Standard prescription abbreviations
When prescribing medications, doctors use a strictly regulated list of Latin abbreviations. The names of dosage forms and dispensing instructions are subject to abbreviation.
Basic list of dosage form and container abbreviations:
| Abbreviation | Full Latin form | Russian meaning |
|---|---|---|
| supp. vagin. | suppositorium vaginale | vaginal suppository |
| susp. | suspensio | suspension |
| tab. | tabuletta | tablet |
| t-ra, tinct. | tinctura | tincture |
| ung. | unguentum | ointment |
| vitr. | vitrum | glass bottle |
It is important to remember that the form of tincture (tinctura) has two acceptable abbreviated variants: t-ra and tinct., which are equivalent when writing a prescription.
Methods of writing prescriptions
In practical pharmacy, there are two main approaches to writing a prescription in Latin:
- Abbreviated method — the most common variant, in which the dosage form and standard instructions to the pharmacist are indicated using generally accepted abbreviations.
- Expanded method — a writing method in which components and instructions are written out in full grammatical form.
The choice of method depends on the composition of the medicinal product (simple or combined) and the requirements for the specific dosage form.
Examples of prescription writing
Translating prescription formulations from Russian into Latin requires strict adherence to case endings and the rules for abbreviating functional verbs (D.S. — Da. Signa. or M.D.S. — Misce. Da. Signa.).
- Prescription for a complex liniment:
- In Russian: Rp.: Linimenti Synthomycini 1% cum Novocaino 0,5% 50,0. Da. Signa.
- In Latin: Rp.: Linimenti Synthomycini 1% cum Novocaino 0,5% 50,0
D.S.
- Prescription for a combined liquid mixture (tinctures and extracts):
- In Russian: Rp.: Tincturae Convallariae, Tincturae Valerianae ana 10 ml, Extracti Crataegi fluidi 5 ml, Mentholi 0,05. Misce. Da. Signa.
- In Latin: Rp.: Tincturae Convallariae
Tincturae Valerianae ana 10 ml Extracti Crataegi fluidi 5 ml Mentholi 0,05 M.D.S.
- Prescription for an aerosol:
- In Russian: Rp.: Aerosoli "Cametonum" 30,0. Da. Signa.
- In Latin: Rp.: Aerosoli "Cametonum" 30,0
D.S.
Double notation for tincture: remember that the word tinctura is shortened either "at the edges with a hyphen" (t-ra) or by "truncating the stem" (tinct.).
Class and exam questions
What methods of prescription writing exist?
There are two methods of prescription writing: abbreviated and expanded.
How to correctly abbreviate the term "vaginal suppository"?
For a vaginal suppository, the standard regulatory abbreviation supp. vagin. is used from the full Latin name suppositorium vaginale.
What is the difference between the abbreviations t-ra and tinct.?
There is no difference in meaning: both variants are officially accepted abbreviations of the Latin term tinctura (tincture).
What else to study on this topic
- Prescribing liquid extracts (Extractum fluidum)
- Rules for using the preposition cum in combined prescriptions
- Designation of equal doses of ingredients using the term ana
- Rules for prescribing patented aerosol products
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Other topics in the section "Prescription abbreviations. Frequency stems"
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