Interpretation of Prescriptions and Medication Orders Lecture
Interpretation of Prescriptions and Medication Orders Lecture
Interpretation of Prescriptions and Medication Orders Lecture
College of Pharmacy
1st Stage
Pharmaceutical Orientation
Shahen S. Mohammed
BSC Pharmacy
MSc Pharmaceutics
Prescription
• Prescription is an order for medication issued by a physician, dentist,
or other properly licensed medical practitioner.
• A prescription designates a specific medication and dosage to be
prepared by a pharmacist and administered to a particular patient.
• Drug that requires a prescription is
considered potentially harmful if not used
under the supervision of a licensed
health care practitioner
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HISTORY
• Prescriptions have been in use since ancient times
Latin adopted as standard language
• “Rx” = prescription
• “Sig.” = directions
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Prescription Formatting
Prescription
Formatting
•1. Heading
•2. Body
•3. Closing
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Heading
• Date:- Date should be mention when at the time of writing
prescription
• It helps the pharmacist in redespensing a medicine and to guide
patient.
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Heading
• Personal data of patient:- It includes;
Name
Sex
Age
Address
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Prescription
Formatting
•1. Heading
•2. Body
•3. Closing
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Body
Superscription:- Rx
• Rx is an abbreviation for the Latin word "recipe," which means "Take,
thou.”
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Body
Inscription
• It is main part of prescription . It contain the name and quantity of
prescribed ingredients
• It also contain manner in which medicine should be taken
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Body
Subscription:-
• This part contains the prescriber’s directions to the pharmacist . It
includes
Type dosage form to be prepared
No of doses to be dispensed
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Closing
• Signature of physician:- Prescription must be signed with Prescriber’s
own hand. Address and Registration No should be written in case of
dangerous drugs
• Refill instructions
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Components of a typical prescription.
Parts labeled are as follows:
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• In hospitals and other institutions, the forms are somewhat different
and are referred to as medication orders
• A prescription or medication order for an infant, child, or an elderly
person may also include the age, weight, and/or body surface area
(BSA) of the patient.
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Typical hospital medication order sheet. 16
Example of a prescription for a pediatric patient
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• There are two broad categories of prescriptions:
(1) those written for a single component or prefabricated product and
not requiring compounding or admixture by the pharmacist.
(2) those written for more than a single component and requiring
compounding.
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Example of a prescription Example of a prescription
Written for a generic drug requiring compounding
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e-prescriptions
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• When received, a pharmacist immediately reduces the order to a
hard copy and/or stores it as a computer file.
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• The quantities of ingredients to be used almost always are expressed in
SI metric units of weight and measurement.
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Prescription and Medication Order Accuracy
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Each medication should be:
therapeutically appropriate for the patient;
prescribed at the correct dose;
dispensed in the correct strength and dosage form;
correctly labeled with complete instructions for the patient
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The pharmacist should check for the correct reading and
interpretation of a prescription or medication order like the
following:
• prescriber information, including address and telephone number, and
signature;
• date of the order and its currency to the request for filling;
• patient information, including dose-relevant information, such as the
age and/or weight of the patient if the dose of the drug is so based;
• drug prescribed, including dose, preparation strength, dosage form,
and quantity;
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• clarity of any abbreviations, symbols, and/or units of measure;
• clarity and completeness of directions for use by the patient or
caregiver;
• refill and/or generic substitution authorization;
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Use of Roman Numerals on Prescriptions
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The eight letters of fixed values used in the Roman
system:
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Rules apply in the use of Roman numerals:
1. A letter repeated once or more, repeats its value (e.g., xx = 20; xxx =
30).
2. One or more letters placed after a letter of greater value increases
the value of the greater letter (e.g., vi = 6; xij = 12; lx = 60).
3. A letter placed before a letter of greater value decreases the value of
the greater letter (e.g., iv = 4; xl = 40).
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Use of Abbreviations and Symbols
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Examples of prescription directions to the pharmacist:
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Examples of prescription directions to the patient:
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Medication Scheduling and Patient Compliance
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• Patient noncompliance is the failure to comply with a practitioner’s
or labeled direction in the self-administration of any medication.
Noncompliance may involve under dosage or over dosage,
inconsistent or sporadic dosing, incorrect duration of treatment.
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Problems relating to patient compliance with medication
A.
R Hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg
No. XC
Sig. i q AM for HBP
If the prescription was filled initially on April 15, on about what date
should the patient return to have the prescription refilled?
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