Question

a pharmacy technician receives a prescription with the sig i cap po tid pc. which of the following correctly interprets these directions?

• one capsule by mouth three times daily after meals
• one capsule by mouth three times daily before meals
• one capsule by mouth four times daily with meals
• one capsule by mouth twice daily with meals

Explanation:

Analyze the prescription sig

The prescription contains the sig: "i cap po tid pc". We need to translate each abbreviation step-by-step using Medical Abbreviations and Prescription Translation standards.

Translate each abbreviation

• i: This Roman numeral represents the quantity "one".
• cap: This is the standard abbreviation for "capsule".
• po: Derived from the Latin per os, meaning "by mouth" (orally).
• tid: Derived from the Latin ter in die, meaning "three times daily".
• pc: Derived from the Latin post cibum, meaning "after meals".

Combine the translated terms

Combining these translations yields: "One capsule by mouth three times daily after meals." This matches the first option.

Answer:

• (A) One capsule by mouth three times daily after meals (Correct answer)
• (B) One capsule by mouth three times daily before meals
• (C) One capsule by mouth four times daily with meals
• (D) One capsule by mouth twice daily with meals