Key Terms
to gauge a measuring instrument with a standard scale of reading
What is calibrate?
an ingredient in a compounded product
What is component?
the process of preparing a medication for an individual patient from bulk ingredients according to a prescription from a licensed prescriber
What is compounding?
a flask used for accurately measuring liquids
What is graduated cylinder?
Abbreviation for before meals
what is ac?
equipment used for mixing and grinding pharmaceutical ingredients
What is mortar and pestle?
a flat, hard, nonabsorbent surface used for mixing compounds; also known as a compounding slab
What is ointment slab?
the acceptable range of variation above and below the target
What is percent error?
a stainless steel pincher instrument like a large tweezer used to pick up small objects, such as pharmacy weights
Abbreviation for right eye
What is od?
the moon-shaped or concave appearance of a liquid in a graduated cylinder; used during the volume measurement process, with th center being the accepted level
What is meniscus?
a long, thin, calibrated hollow tube used for measuring small volumes of liquids
What is pipette?
a method for filling capsules in which the body of a capsule is repeatedly punched into a cake of medication until the capsule is full
What is punch method?
inactive ingredients
What are excipients?
Abbreviation for three times a day
what is tid?
the act of combining two substances by using nongrinding techniques such as spatulation, sifting, and tumbling
What is blending?
the act of combining two substances by using nongrinding techniques such as spatulation, sifting, and tumbling
What is active pharmaceutical ingredients?
a device that generates heat and pressure to sterilize objects, instruments, and measuring vessels and devices
What is an autoclave?
the date after which a drug should not be used once it has been removed from the intact container
What is beyond use date?
Abbreviation for solution
What is soln?
an ointment base commercially available from a wholesaler or pharmacy compounding vendor
What is emollient?
a process that uses a mortar and pestle to gradually combine several active ingredients with inactive ingredients to produce a more homogenous product
What is geometric dilution method?
a process usually used to reduce the particle size of a solid during the preparation of an ointment
What is levigation?
a process used to blend ingredients with a spatula; often used in the preparation of creams and ointments
What is spatulation?
Abbreviation for subcutaneous
What is sc?