prescription

prescription /pre·scrip·tion/ (pre-skrip´shun) a written directive for the preparation and administration of a remedy; see also inscription, signature, subscription, and superscription.

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pre·scrip·tion (pr-skrpshn)

n.

1. An order, especially by a physician, for the preparation and administration of a medicine, therapeutic regimen, assistive or corrective device, or other treatment.

2. A prescribed medicine.

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prescription (pri·skripˑ·shn),

n a written directive by an authorized person (e.g., a medical doctor) to an authorized agent (a pharmacist) to dispense a medication, device, or therapy to a specific patient for a specified period of time.

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prescription (prēskrip´shn),

n a written direction for the preparation and use of medicine or an appliance; a medical recipe; a prescribed remedy. Also used in dentistry to describe the treatment plan.

prescription, extemporaneous,

n 1. (magistral prescription) a prescription for a nonofficial drug.
n 2. a prescription that directs the pharmacist to compound the specified medication, as contrasted with a prescription that specifies medication available in precompounded form.

prescription, magistral,

n See prescription, extemporaneous.

prescription, official,

n a prescription for an official drug.

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prescription

a written directive, as for the compounding or dispensing and administration of drugs, or for other service to a particular patient. Any prescription relating to restricted drugs must be directed to a qualified pharmacist and can be authorized only by a registered veterinarian, dentist or medical practitioner.

There are four parts to a drug prescription. The first is the symbol - from the Latin recipe, meaning 'take'. This is the superscription. The second part is the inscription, specifying the ingredients and their quantities. The third part is the subscription, which tells the pharmacist how to compound the medicine. The signature is the last part, and it is usually preceded by an S or sig. to represent the Latin signa, meaning 'mark'. The signature is where the veterinarian indicates what instructions are to be put on the outside of the package to tell the patient when and how to take the medicine and in what quantities.

The pharmacist keeps a file of all the prescriptions he/she fills.

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prescription drugs

drugs limited in their availability so that a prescription is needed to obtain them. Called also restricted substances.