Quater in die (on prescription)

Seen on a prescription, qid (or q.i.d.) means 4 times a day (from the Latin quater in die).

The abbreviation qid or q.i.d.

Is also sometimes written without a period in capital letters as 'QID'.

However it is written, it is one of a number of hallowed abbreviations of Latin terms that have been traditionally used in prescriptions to specify the frequency with which medicines should be taken.</P> Other examples include: > >q.d.

(qd or QD) is once a day; q.d.

Stands for 'quaque die' (which means, in Latin, once a day).

>b.i.d.

(or bid or BID) is two times a day; b.i.d.

Stands for 'bis in die' (in Latin, 2 times a day).

>t.i.d.

(or tid or TID) is three times a day ; t.i.d.

Stands for 'ter in die' (in Latin, 3 times a day).

>q_h: If a medicine is to be taken every so-many hours, it is written 'q_h'; the 'q' standing for 'quaque' and the 'h' indicating the number of hours.

So, for example, '2 caps q4h' means 'Take 2 capsules every 4 hours.'</LI></UL>