Comments on: What does "2 qd" actually mean?

By: Toni

Toni — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:34:27 +0000

When I first say "qd", I thought it stood for "quarter daily". Thank god I didn't adhere to that assumption. Thanks!

By: BD

BD — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:50:47 +0000

I;m an LPN. Accepted abbreviations in the medical field have changed due to so much confusion, medications errors,etc. (besides the sloppy writing of MD's. (Its a stereotype, but its true! HA HA)But I think that both professionals should have called to verify the script. PERIOD!!!!!Neither one was the prescriber, so neither one knew the MD's intent.

By: ukcommunitypharmacist

ukcommunitypharmacist — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:21:29 +0000

Latin abbreviations should be straightforward enough, but we use different abbreviations in the UK. Every day is od (omni die), and qds means four times a day (quater die summendum).

By: rxkerber

rxkerber — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 01:07:16 +0000

2 qd has always meant 2 tablets once daily. Take Biaxin/ Biaxin XL….. biaxin directions 1 tablet 2 times daily
( 1 BID) Biaxin XL direction 2 tablets once daily ( 2 qd). Explicit enough for your partner pharmacist as to why 2 qd means what it does????

By: RJS

RJS — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:06:59 +0000

You are confusing "dose" with "strength" and there are many reasons for it.

First off, "dose" is the amount of drug taken at whatever time interval, and has nothing to do with the strength of the tablet or capsule.

Secondly, the amount a person takes can vary from day to day, especially in the case of something like warfarin.

Thirdly, sometimes the highest strength of something isn't enough, so a person might need to take 1 or 2 of a lower-strength version to get the amount that they need. Or sometimes 2 of the highest strength of the drug, too.

There are many, many reasons; these are just a few.

By: Crystal

Crystal — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:32:49 +0000

Why would a doctor prescribe two tablets taken at the same time? Why not prescribe a higher dose?

By: The Ole' Apothecary

The Ole' Apothecary — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:25:23 +0000

Agree with you, my friend: two tablets once a day.

Suggest to you, my friend: it is time for prescribers to scrap Latin abbreviations and apothecary units, and write their directions in the WORDS of the prevailing language of the country, and dose in metric units only.

By: somedaynurse

somedaynurse — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 20:12:07 +0000

Definitely something I would call the doc and clarify. It's a perfect example of why such abbreviations are not permitted in most hospitals.

~Raven

By: greensunflower

greensunflower — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:31:45 +0000

I am an RN. Most hospitals have outlawed QID and QD abbreviations. We actually have to write out four times daily, or once daily. So I never run into this problem personally,

But when I first saw it written on your post, it did look a little ambiguous.