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Drug dose times are indicated in Latin abbreviations, i.e., 10 mg BID (meaning twice a day), QD (meaning once a day), qhs (at 'hour (of) sleep) and so on.

PRN, on the other hand, means "as needed," usually followed by something along the lines of "Not to exceed 30 mg in 24 hours."

A more detailed explanation: The previous user is correct in that PRN means that a drug is to be taken as needed. I'll expand on that a bit.

"PRN" stands for Pro Re Nata, which is Latin literally meaning "For the thing born." In medicine, it means "As needed" or "As the situation arises". It means that using the drug is up to the caregiver or the patient as the need warrants.

For pain drugs, acute pain meds like Vicodin or Percocet are PRN-type drugs. However, it does not mean that a patient should exceed the listed daily prescribed amount or the amount listed as "Not to exceed."

Over-the-counter (OTC) meds like Tylenol and Bayer aspirin are PRN/"not to exceed"-type drugs as well. It should be noted, though, that with certain breakthrough drugs used for acute pain on a PRN basis -- such as Percocet or Percodan -- the not-to-exceed dosage extends to both the drug combination of the primary drug and any OTC drug taken as additional relief.

For example, Percocet is a combination of Tylenol and Oxycodone. My particular dosage is the strongest available, 10/325. The "10" means it contains 10mg of Oxycodone; the "325" indicates the amount of Tylenol in the drug dose. While it does come with a higher dose of Tylenol (650), since I use so much (120-150 per month for the last 8 years), I use the dose with the lower Tylenol component so as not to exceed the maximum daily dosage of Tylenol.

That extends to whether I were to take a single pill of Percocet, and an OTC dose of Tylenol as well. The not-to-exceed limit applies when adding the amount of the OTC dose and the Tylenol component in the Percocet.

Percodan is a combination of Oxycodone and Aspirin. It is prescribed less often and normally for short-term use, and not for long-term augmentation of primary chronic pain meds like Percocet is due to the amount of Aspirin a person can safely take on a daily basis.

Be aware at all times of what is contained in any PRN dosage that you are prescribed. Since, by definition, you are taking them at your discretion, you are responsible for knowing whether or not you are exceeding the maximum recommended dosage limits.

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15y ago
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16y ago

"Refill p.r.n." tells the pharmacist the prescription can be refilled as much as needed without a new prescription being written.

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13y ago

means as needed

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12y ago

Refill prn means refill as needed.

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Q: What is the meaning of 'PRN' when referring to a drug dose?
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Related questions

What does prd in drug dose mean?

Is it "prd" or "PRN"? PRN means "as needed".


What does Q6HP in drug dose mean?

"Every 6 hours, PRN"


Are stat doses and prn the same thing?

No, stat means "ASAP!" PRN means "as needed"


What is the medical term meaning as needed?

prn is the medical abbreviation meaning when required or requested.Pro re nata which is commonly seen or heard as prn. Pro re nata is Latin and literally means, for the thing born.PRN is the medical abbreviation for as necessary.


What is a side effect of giving someone prn medication?

PRN, when used in pharmacy or medicine, stands for pro re nata, meaning "as the circumstance arises". When you see PRN on a prescription, pharmacists usually translate this to as needed. For example, if you see a pharmacy "sig" which reads:1 tab qs prna pharmacist would translate this to mean 1 tablet every night at bedtime as needed.So there are no "side effects" of prn, other than maybe a decreased or increased tendency to take the medication, depending on the effects the medicine provides. For instance, if a medication causes nausea and vomiting, and PRN is included on the label, a patient might take the medication less often. On the other hand, if a medication causes euphoria, and includes PRN on the label, a patient might be inclined to take the medication more often.


If a medication is ordered BID and q8hr prn and it is given 9AM and 9PM when can the prn dose be given?

Theoretically none. You're just not supposed to take it more than twice a day.


What is the meaning of 'prn amt' when referring to the sec form 13f?

Prn amt stands for principal amount. According to the rules of the 13f section, you have to designate if you report shares or the principal amount for some note in column 5. Maybe it helps to look here: http://www.sec.gov/about/forms/form13f.pdf Hopefully that helped...


What does Tylenol 325 mg PR q4h prn mean?

Tylenol 325mg - the dose of Tylenol PR- per rectum or via rectal administration q4h- every 4 hours prn - as needed.


What does PRN do to the patient?

PRN does not do anything to a patient. It is a medical abbreviation that means "as needed". A medication or treatment ordered as PRN means to give it as needed.


What is Coedine phosphate 45 mg po prn to teaspoons per dose?

Well prn means "as required" and po usually means "orally". i cant really comment on the dosage as i don't know what strength your medicine is. Just bare in mind that there is normally a max dose of 240mg of codeine per 24 hour period, for a normal healthy adult.


What is PRN position?

PRN means "as needed". PRN position is referring to a job type When used as a job classification it is a type of part-time employment. (Full-time is usually 36-40 hours a week) (Part time is usually 20 hours a week) (PRN can be 3 or 4 times a month "as needed") As an aside when used as part of a prescription it means only if necessary. For example, if you have a prescription for ibuprofen every 4-6 hours prn. It means you CAN take the ibuprofen every 4-6 hours, but it is not mandatory to take it that frequently.


The patient will followup on a prn basis?

follow up prn