3. There are mainly two types of prescription:
1) Pre compounding prescription:
Prescription for already prepared drug
(by pharmaceutical companies)
e.g. Cap. Ciprofloxacin (500 mg) etc.
II) Extemporaneous prescription:
The pharmacists prepare the medication
according to the drugs and dosages
directed by the physician.
Types of Prescription
4. ? Prescription
A prescription is a written order from a registered
medicinal practitioner to pharmacist to compounding
and dispenses a specific medication for the patient.
The prescriptions are generally written in the English
language but Latin words or abbreviations are
frequently used in order to save time.
5. PARTS OF A PRESCRIPTION
1. Date
2. Name, age, sex and address of the patient
3. Superscription
4. Inscription
5. Subscription
6. Signa. Or signature
7. Renewal instruction
8. Signature, address and registration number of the
prescriber.
6. Importance
1. Date : It helps a pharmacist to find out the date of
prescribing and date of prescription for filling the
prescription.
The prescription which prescribe narcotic or other
habit forming drug, must bear the date, so as to
avoid the misuse of prescription if it is presented by
the patient, a number of times for dispensing.
7. 2.Name, age, sex and address of the patient: - must be
written in the prescription because it serves to identify the
prescription.
In case, if any of this information is missing in the
prescription, the same may be included by the pharmacist
after proper enquiry from the patient.
Also used in dose calculation of children.
8. 3.Superscription: - it is represented by Rx symbol.
It is Latin word. It means “YOU TAKE.”
In older days, the symbol was considered to be
originated from the sign of Jupiter - God of Healing.
This symbol was employed by the ancient in requesting
god for the quick recovery of the patient.
9. 4.Inscription: - This is the main part of the prescription order,
contains the names and quantities of the prescribed
ingredients.
It also contain manner in which medicine should be taken
The name of each ingredient is written on a separate line
along with its quantity.
In complex prescription in divided into following parts… i.
i Base: - the active medicaments which are intended to
produced the therapeutic effect.
ii. Adjuvant: - it is included either to enhance the action of
medicament or to improve the palatability of the preparation. iii.
iii Vehicle: - it is included in the prescription either to dissolve
the solid ingredients or to increase the volume of the
preparation.
10. 5.Subscription:- This parts contains the prescriber
direction to the pharmacist.
It includes- Type dosage form to be prepared
No of dose to be dispensed.
6.Transcription:- Transcription is the prescriber direction to
the patient contains instruction about the amount of drug ,
time and frequency of doses to be taken.
7.Signature of physician:- Prescription must be signed
with prescribers own hand.
8. Address and Registration no. should be written in case
of
dangerous drugs
11. D1 Doctor’s Name
D2 Doctor’s Degree
D3 Doctor’s Reg. No.
D5 Doctor’s Contact No./ Mail
D6 Doctor’s Date of Prescription
D4 Doctor’s Full Address
D9 Doctor’s Prescription Serial
No.
D10 Doctor’s Symbol - Rx
D7 Doctor’s Sign & Date
D8 Doctor’s Stamp
D1- D10
12. P1- P5
P1 Patients' Name
P2 Patients' Address & Phone
No.
P3 Patients‘ Sex
P4 Patients' Age
P5 Patients' Weight
}
13. M1 Medicine - Name
M2 Medicine - Strength
M3 Medicine – Dosage form
M4 Medicine – Dosage
Instruction
M5 Medicine – Duration & total
quantity
M1- M5
}
14. Drug use is a complex process and there are many drug
related challenges at various levels, involving Prescriber,
Pharmacists and Patients.
While medication misadventure can occur any where in the
health care system from prescriber to dispenser to
administration and finally to patient use,.
The simple truth is that many errors are preventable, and
doctors assume active role in appropriate use of drugs.
Interpretation of Prescription
15.
16.
17. Incomplete patient information (not knowing about patients’
allergies, other medicines they are taking , previous diagnoses, and lab
results for example)
Unavailable drug information (such as lack of up-to date
warnings)
Miscommunication of drugs orders: which can involve
poor handwriting , confusion between drugs with similar
names, misuse of zeroes and decimal points, confusion of
metric and other dosing units, and inappropriate
abbreviations.
Lack of appropriate labeling as a drug is prepared and repackaged into
smaller units and
Environmental factors, such as lighting, heat, noise, and interruptions
that can distract health professionals from their medical tasks.
Medication errors
