Words, abbreviations, and acronyms used by healthcare professionals related to pharmacology and medication administration.
ACE – (medical abbreviation) Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors – a class of medications generally used to treat high blood pressure by blocking an enzyme that caused blood vessels to constrict. ACE inhibitors lower blood pressure by causing blood vessels to relax.
ADR – (medical abbreviation) Adverse Drug Reaction
Adjuvant Therapy – Chemotherapy or radiation therapy that is administered to cancer patients after undergoing surgery to prevent the regrowth of a tumor.
Administration Error – A failure in one of the “rights” of medication administration (right patient, medication, time, dose, route, documentation, action/reason, form, and response) by a healthcare professional or caregiver.
Adverse Drug Reaction – A harmful, unintended result caused by taking medication.
Agonist – A medication that activates a biologic response by stimulation of specialized cell receptors. (opposite of antagonist)
AHRQ – Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality – A U.S. government agency working to improve the quality of U.S. healthcare (AHRQ)
Allergy/Allergies – Foods or medications known to result in an adverse reaction if ingested or exposed. Reactions can range in severity from mild to life threatening.
Anaphylaxis – A severe and potentially life threatening allergic reaction.
Antagonist – A medication that prevents a biologic action. (opposite of agonist)
ARB – Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers – A class of medications used to treat high blood pressure and other conditions. ARBs lower blood pressure by causing blood vessels to relax.
BID – (medical abbreviation) Twice per Day – used when prescribing to indicate that a medication should be taken two times a day
Black Box Warning – An extra label prominently applied to high-risk medications warning physicians, pharmacists, and patients of the medication’s potential effects and dangers.
CMS – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – The U.S. government agency that oversees healthcare payments and sets minimum requirements/conditions for participation. (CMS)
CPOE – Computerized Physician Order Entry – an electronic system that allows a provider to submit orders for medications and testing rather than paper prescriptions.
DAW – (medical abbreviation) Dispense As Written – used when prescribing to advise the pharmacist to fill the medication exactly as it’s written. (i.e. no generic or bio-similar substitutions are allowed)
Dispensing Error – A discrepancy between a prescription and the medicine that the pharmacy delivers to the patient or distributes to the hospital unit on the basis of a prescription/medication order.
FDA – Food and Drug Administration – A U.S. government agency that oversees medication safety and approves new medications for sale in the U.S. (FDA)
Formulary –
- A list of prescription drugs covered in-full or in-part by a health insurance plan. This list may be broken into tiers with different copays or coverage maximums.
- A list of drugs stocked and dispensed by a pharmacy.
HCP – Healthcare Provider or Healthcare Professional
HS – (medical abbreviation) Hour of Sleep – used when prescribing to indicate a medication should be taken at/near bedtime
ISMP – Institute for Safe Medication Practices – A nonprofit organization devoted to preventing medication errors. ISMP is known as the gold standard for medication safety information by pharmacy and patient safety professionals. Patients that have experienced a medication error can report them online. (ISMP – Institute for Safe Medication Practices)
Medication Interaction – When a medication, food, or supplement interferes with or alters the action/effects of a medication, usually unintended and with adverse effects.
Medication Reconciliation – The process that compares a patient’s current medications with any new medications being prescribed or ordered to avoid potential medication errors.
Neoadjuvant Therapy – Chemotherapy or radiation therapy that is administered to cancer patients to shrink a tumor before undergoing surgery for removal.
NKDA – (medical abbreviation) No Known Drug Allergies
NSAID – (medical abbreviation) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – a class of medications used to reduce pain, decrease inflammation, decrease fever, and help prevent blood clots.
OD –
- (medical abbreviation) Right Eye
- (medical abbreviation) Over Dose – the intentional or accidental administration of too much of a drug, potentially causing harm.
OS – (medical abbreviation) Left Eye
OTC – (medical abbreviation) Over The Counter
Over The Counter – Medications that can be purchased without a prescription.
PO – (medical abbreviation) By Mouth – used when prescribing to indicate that a medication should be swallowed by the patient.
Potentiation – Something that increases the effect of a medication. (E.g. drinking alcohol may increase the effects of a sedative, potentially leading to harm)
Prescribing Error – Selection of the incorrect medication, dose, or treatment regimen by a healthcare provider. (E.g. prescribing a medication to a patient with a known allergy to that medication)
Q – (medical abbreviation) Every – used when prescribing to indicate that a medication should be taken at specific intervals. (E.g. “Q 6 hrs” indicates a medication should be taken every 6 hours)
QD – (medical abbreviation) One per Day – used when prescribing to indicate that a medication should be taken once every day
QID – (medical abbreviation) Four per Day – used when prescribing to indicate that a medication should be taken four times a day
Reconciliation – the process of comparing a patient’s medication orders/prescriptions to all of the medications & supplements that the patient has been taking. This is done by healthcare professionals to avoid errors such as omissions, duplications, med-med interactions, & dosing.
Synergism/Synergistic – An increase in effectiveness when taking two or more drugs together than would be experienced if the drugs were taken alone.
TID – (medical abbreviation) Three per Day – used when prescribing to indicate that a medication should be taken three times a day
Transcription Error – The inaccurate entry of data when transferring from one source to another. (E.g. a mistake typing a physician’s written prescription into a pharmacy’s computer system)