QD
Medical abbreviation · Prescription
| Stands for | Quaque die (every day, once daily) |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
QD stands for Quaque die (every day, once daily), a prescription abbreviation.
Once-daily dosing instruction that appears on The Joint Commission "Do Not Use" list. The period after the Q has been misread as an "I", turning QD into QID, and a lowercase "qd" can look like "qid", causing fourfold overdoses.
Example: Old order reads "furosemide 40 mg PO QD", which the pharmacist clarified and re-entered as 40 mg by mouth daily.
Usage notes
From Latin "quaque die". The Joint Commission's official Do Not Use list, effective for accredited organizations since 2004, bans Q.D., QD, q.d. and qd in all handwritten and free-text medication orders; the required replacement is "daily". The British equivalent "od" (omni die) has its own hazard because it also means "right eye".
Related abbreviations
More prescription abbreviations
- q4h – Every 4 hours
- q5min – Every 5 minutes
- q6h – Every 6 hours
- q72h – Every 72 hours
- q8h – Every 8 hours
- qAM – Every morning
- qds – Quater die sumendum (to be taken four times a day)
- qh – Quaque hora (every hour)
- QHS – Quaque hora somni (every night at bedtime)
- QID – Quater in die (four times a day)
- qn – Quaque nocte (every night)
- QOD – Quaque altera die (every other day)
See all 77 prescription abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.