PO: what does Per Os mean (orally)?
The term “Per Os” means “by mouth”, in medicine it designates a medicine to be swallowed by the oral route. What drugs are affected?
A term often misunderstood
“Per os” remains a very mysterious term for anyone who comes across it for the first time. It is enough to read that one sees oneself assigned by his doctor a treatment “per os” to wonder. Should we see a link with the bones of the body? Not at all. Per os therefore means taking medication by mouth, that is to say by simply swallowing it. Sometimes the term is written abbreviated, for example “Po”.
Where does the term “Per os” come from?
Per os comes from latin. Word to refers to use, in the same way as the word “by”, such as “by mouth”. Os meanwhile designates the mouth, the mouth, anatomically. The word is used in humans as well as in animals.
Oral and Per Os: is there a difference?
We often come across another term to designate the mouth: the oral route. What is the difference then between taking medication by “oral route” and “orally”? There are different cases:
Oral route
Some medicines are placed in the mouth to dissolve there.
When you take a simple cough lozenge, it is taken by mouth, but not “orally”, since the drug is not swallowed. Its mode of action will simply be to melt and integrate through the tongue, by its mucous membranes.
Intestinal route “orally”
Which means digestion in the intestine.
Other drugs, usually in the form of encapsulated tablets, must be taken by mouth to pass through the digestive system. Indeed, simply keeping them in the mouth will not be enough to dissolve them, it will be necessary to use gastric juices. In addition, the principle is to release the active constituents of the drug directly in the body.
Medications to take by mouth
There are two types of medications to be taken orally, “orally”:
Solid drugs
They consist of an envelope, like a capsule.
Examples:
- capsules;
- granules;
- powders;
- tablets.
Liquid medications
They are to be swallowed directly.
Examples:
- syrups;
- elixirs;
- drops.
Other modes of administration
Not all drugs are to be swallowed directly, here is a sample of the other methods of taking drugs:
- Intramuscular: the drug is injected directly into a muscle;
- Intravenous: just like a blood test, the product is injected into a vein;
- Intradermal: under the skin;
- Intra-rectal: through the anus;
- Vaginal: through the vagina;
- Inhalation: to breathe;
- Ophthalmic: through the eyes.
List of other commonly used medical abbreviations
- PRN: As needed;
- HS: At bedtime;
- Ad. Lib: At will;
- AC: before meals (comes from ante food);
- PC: after meals (after food);
- CC: during the meal;
- ID or Die: Once a day;
- QH: once per hour;
- Post-op or pre-op: after / before operation;
- Supp: suppository;
- Ong: ointment;
- Amp : ampoule ;
- OD / OS: right eye / left eye;
- SL: sublingual;
- IM: intramuscular;
- IV: intravenous;
- SC: subcutaneous;
- ID: intradermal;
- I.R : intra-rectal.