INTRODUCTION
Definition
ABX Medication Abbreviations also known as Antibiotic Medication Abbreviations are acronyms accepted as a means used to identify drug molecules by healthcare professionals. At first, the use was restricted to prescription writing; but overtime, it has become commonly used in both medical and surgical departments of the healthcare institution. Understanding these abbreviations help healthcare professionals communicate effectively and enhance patient care. Also, it helps save time in reporting patient medical records, dispensing, and administering antibiotics.
Standardization of abbreviations remains a crucial procedure of molecule documentation, because it involves identifying and approving an appropriate and unique abbreviation for a particular molecule. Most institutions have now set up monitoring committees, to validate the use of medication abbreviations; and oversee healthcare workers’ compliance
Classes of Antibiotic Medication Abbreviations
Antibiotics are agents that destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria. There are numerous antibiotic abbreviations globally used, however, a few classes of these antibiotics would be discussed in this article.
| CLASS | MOLECULE(S) | ABBREVIATION |
| Penicillins | Penicillin G | PEN/PV/PG |
| Piperacillin | PIP,PRL | |
| Piperacillin+Tazobactam | TZP, TAZ | |
| Oxacillin | OX, OXS | |
| Amoxicillin | AMOX | |
| Ampicillin | AMP | |
| Cephalosporins | Ceftazidime | CAZ, TZ |
| Ceflaclor | CEC, CF,CCL | |
| Cefepime | CEF, CPM | |
| Cefixime | FIX,CFM | |
| Cefatrizine | CFS | |
| Cefalexin | CN, LEX | |
| Cefpodoxime | CPD, POD | |
| Cefpiroma | CPO, CPR | |
| Cefotiam | CTF | |
| Cefotaxime | CTX, FOT, CT | |
| Cefuroxime | CXM,CFX, ROX | |
| Macrolides | Azithromycin | AZM, AZI, AZ |
| Erythromycin | ERY,EM | |
| Clarithromycin | CAM | |
| Spiramycin | SP | |
| Fluoroquinolones | Ciprofloxacin | CIP/Cp |
| Levofloxacin | LVX, LEV, LEVO | |
| Norfloxacin | NOR | |
| Ofloxacin | OFX, OFL,OF | |
| Perfloxacin | PEF, PF, PE | |
| Sparfloxacin | SPX, SPA,SO | |
| Aminoglycosides | Amikacin | AN, AK, AMI |
| Gentamicin | GEN, GM | |
| Kanamycin | K, KAN, HLK, KM | |
| Isepamicin | ISP | |
| Neomycin | N, NEO | |
| Streptomycin | S, STR, STS | |
| Spectinomycin | SPT, SPE, SC, SP | |
| Tilmicosin | TIL | |
| Tobramycin | TM, TOB, | |
| Tetracyclines | Tetracycline | TE, TET, TC, TCY |
| Oxytetracycline | OT | |
| Minocycline | MNO, MC, MH, MIN | |
| Doxycycline | DO, DOX, DC, DX | |
| Monobactam | Aztreonam | ATM, AZT, AT |
| Polypeptides | Bacitracin | B, BAC |
| Phenicols | Chloramphenicol | C, CHL, |
| Polymixin | Colistin | CL, CS, COL |
| Lincosamides | Clindamycin | CM, CC, CLN, CLI |
| Lincomycin | L | |
| Carbapenem | Ertapenem | ETP, ERT |
| Imipenem | IPM, IMI, IP | |
| Glycopeptides | Teicoplanin | TEC, TPN, TEI |
| Vancomycin | VA, VAN | |
| Streptogramins | Pristinamycin | PR, PT, PRI |
For more antibiotic abbreviations, visit the link
Interventions in Antibiotic Abbreviations
Some of the biggest concerns regarding the use of antibiotic abbreviations is the communication lapses between healthcare givers, and the use of medical abbreviations which can have multiple meanings. Therefore, US Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has over the past few decades, received multiple reports, of which some are documented cases of misinterpretation of abbreviated medications. When these abbreviations aren’t used appropriately, misinterpretations could occur, leading to medication errors that could be life-threatening to the patients.
As a way to put these errors to check, the institute has mandated that healthcare institutions should have a uniform, concise, and standardized list of ABX abbreviations to use and avoid, with the aim to further enhance communication and understanding among healthcare workers, thus leading to improved patient safety and quality of life.
The proper use of antibiotic abbreviations has a two-dimensional effect, because It facilitates effective communication between healthcare givers, as well as optimizing the therapy of the patients. The health information of a patient (Medical charts) is a very vital document in clinical practice, which should be clear, concise, and accessible at any given time. Abbreviations help to make information search faster and reduce the incidence of errors with prescriptions.
conclusion
The use of the Antibiotic medication abbreviations remain a long-aged activity in the healthcare space. However, understanding the sensitivity of antibiotic molecules and the negative impact of resistance reminds us of why ensuring the right use of abbreviations is highly important to patients’ safety. Although, several governing bodies have kicked against its use due to its impending threat to public health, however, if it must be used, certain validation procedures must be consciously upheld.