What does q.o.d. stand for?

What does q.o.d. stand for?

• A. Every other day
• B. Every other dose
• C. Every other hour
• D. Once daily

Answer: (A)

q.o.d. means dosing every other day. In medical shorthand this is "quaque altera die," indicating the medication is intended to be taken on alternate days rather than daily. So it’s not once daily, nor is it spacing doses on the same day or every few hours. Understanding this helps prevent over- or under-dosing, since confusing it with daily dosing or with “every other hour” could lead to incorrect administration. Some clinicians prefer writing out “every other day” to avoid misreadings of the abbreviation.

q.o.d. means dosing every other day. In medical shorthand this is "quaque altera die," indicating the medication is intended to be taken on alternate days rather than daily. So it’s not once daily, nor is it spacing doses on the same day or every few hours. Understanding this helps prevent over- or under-dosing, since confusing it with daily dosing or with “every other hour” could lead to incorrect administration. Some clinicians prefer writing out “every other day” to avoid misreadings of the abbreviation.