Abbreviations and Symbols
Internationally recognised units and symbols are used in the
BNF publications where possible.
ACBS Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances,see
Borderline Substances
ACE Angiotensin-converting enzyme
ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
AIDS Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
approx. approximately
AV atrioventricular
AWMSG All Wales Medicines Strategy Group
BAN British Approved Name
BMI body mass index
BP British Pharmacopoeia 2013, unless otherwise stated
BPC British Pharmaceutical Codex 1973 and Supplement 1976,
unless otherwise stated
BRCA breast cancer gene
CAPD Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
a preparation in Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs
Regulations 2001 (and subsequent amendments). For
regulationsseeControlled drugs and drug dependence
p. 9.
b preparation in Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs
Regulations 2001 (and subsequent amendments). For
regulationsseeControlled drugs and drug dependence
p. 9.
c preparation in Schedule 3 of the Misuse of Drugs
Regulations 2001 (and subsequent amendments). For
regulationsseeControlled drugs and drug dependence
p. 9.
d preparation in Schedule 4 (Part I) of the Misuse of Drugs
Regulations 2001 (and subsequent amendments). For
regulationsseeControlled drugs and drug dependence
p. 9.
e preparation in Schedule 4 (Part II) of the Misuse of Drugs
Regulations 2001 (and subsequent amendments). For
regulationsseeControlled drugs and drug dependence
p. 9.
m preparation in Schedule 5 of the Misuse of Drugs
Regulations 2001 (and subsequent amendments). For
regulationsseeControlled drugs and drug dependence
p. 9.
CHM Commission on Human Medicines
CHMP Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use
CNS central nervous system
CSM Committee on Safety of Medicines (now subsumed under
Commission on Human Medicines)
d. c. direct current
DMARD Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug
DPF Dental Practitioners’Formulary
DT Drug Tariff price
e/c enteric-coated (termed gastro-resistant in BP)
ECG electrocardiogram
EEG electro-encephalogram
eGFR estimated glomerular filtration rate,seePrescribing in
renal impairment p. 17
f/c film-coated
G6PD glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase
G general sales list
HDL-
cholesterol
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
HIV Human immunodeficiency virus
HRT Hormone replacement therapy
i/m intramuscular
i/v intravenous
INR international normalised ratio
LDL-
cholesterol
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
MAOI Monoamine-oxidase inhibitor
max. maximum
MHRA Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
m/r modified-release
NCL no cautionary labels (prescription endorsement made by
prescriber when recommended cautionary labels are not
required)
NHS National Health Service
NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
NPF Nurse Prescribers’Formulary
NSAID Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
NSTEMI non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
p pharmacy only medicine
PARP poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase
PGD patient group direction
PHE Public Health England (formerly Health Protection
Agency (HPA))
P prescription-only medicine,seeFig. 1How to use BNF
® publications
trade mark
rINN Recommended International Non-proprietary Name
RSV respiratory syncytial virus
s/c sugar-coated
SLS Selected List Scheme
SMC Scottish Medicines Consortium
SPC Summary of Product Characteristics
spp. species
SSRI Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
STEMI ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
UK United Kingdom
Units for SI unitsseePrescription writing p. 5
WHO World Health Organization
A limited experience of the use of this product and the
MHRA requests that all suspected adverse reactions
should be reported,seeAdverse reactions to drugs p. 13
f drug-class monograph,seeHow to use BNF Publications,
pxii
eiiiF 1234 drug monograph has a corresponding drug-class
monograph; the page number of the class monograph is
indicated within the tab,seeHow to use BNF
Publications, p xii
g precedes evidence graded content,seeHow BNF
Publications are constructed p. ix
htol symbols will be displayed–grades reflect the strengths
of recommendations in evidence graded content, see
How BNF Publications are constructed p. ix
s no price available
Latin abbreviations
Directions should be in English without abbreviation.
However, Latin abbreviations have been used when
prescribing.
The following is a list of appropriate abbreviations. It should
be noted that the English version is not always an exact
translation.
a. c. = ante cibum (before food)
b. d. = bis die (twice daily)
o. d. = omni die (every day)
o. m. = omni mane (every morning)
o. n. = omni nocte (every night)
p. c. = post cibum (after food)
p. r. n.= pro re nata (when required)
q. d. s.= quater die sumendum (to be taken four times daily)
q. q. h.= quarta quaque hora (every four hours)
stat = immediately
t. d. s.= ter die sumendum (to be taken three times daily)
t.i.d. = ter in die (three times daily)
E numbers
The following is a list of common E numbers and the inactive
ingredients to which they correspond.
E102 Tartrazine
E211 Sodium Benzoate
E104 Quinoline Yellow
E223 Sodium Metabisulfite
E110 Sunset Yellow FCF
E320 Butylated Hydroxyanisole
E123 Amaranth
E321 Butylated Hydroxytoluene
E124 Ponceau 4R
E322 Lecithins
E127 Erythrosine BS
E420 Sorbitol
E132 Indigo Carmine
E421 Mannitol
E142 Green S
E422 Glycerol
E171 Titanium Dioxide
E901 Beeswax (white and yellow)
E172 Iron oxides, iron hydroxides
E1520 Propylene Glycol
E200 Sorbic Acid