Prescription

A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or device for a patient. A prescription has several parts. They include the superscription or heading with the symbol “R” or “Rx”, which stands for the word recipe (meaning, in Latin, to take); the inscription, which contains the names and quantities of the ingredients; the subscription or directions for compounding the drug; and the signature which is often preceded by the sign “s” standing for signa (Latin for mark), giving the directions to be marked on the container.

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1. A written formula for the preparation and administration of any remedy. 2. A medicinal preparation compounded according to formulated directions, said to consist of four parts: 1) superscription, consisting of the word recipe, take, or its sign, ℞; 2) inscription, the main part of the p., containing the names and amounts of the drugs ordered; 3) subscription, directions for mixing the ingredients and designation of the form (pill, powder, solution, etc.) in which the drug is to be made, usually beginning with the word, misce, mix, or its abbreviation, M.; 4) signature, directions to the patient regarding the dose and times of taking the remedy, preceded by the word signa, designate, or its abbreviation, S. or Sig. [L. praescriptio; see prescribe]

- shotgun p. a p. containing many ingredients, some of which may be useless, in an attempt to cover all possible types of therapy that may be needed; a pejorative term.

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pre·scrip·tion pri-'skrip-shən n

1) a written direction for the preparation, compounding, and administration of a medicine

2) a prescribed remedy

3) a written formula for the grinding of corrective lenses for eyeglasses

4) a written direction for the application of physical therapy measures (as directed exercise or electrotherapy) in cases of injury or disability

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n.

a written direction from a registered medical practitioner to a pharmacist for preparing and dispensing a drug.

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pre·scrip·tion (prĕ-skripґshən) [L. praescriptio] a written direction for the preparation and administration of a remedy. A prescription consists of the heading or superscription—that is, the symbol ℞ or the word Recipe, meaning “take”; the inscription, which contains the names and quantities of the ingredients; the subscription, or directions for compounding; and the signature, usually introduced by the abbreviation S. for sigґna, “mark,” which gives the directions for the patient which are to be marked on the receptacle.