Polypharmacy guidance: Appropriate prescribing making medicines safe, effective and sustainable 2026-2029
ACB – Anticholinergic burden
ACBS – Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden scale
ACE – Angiotensin Converting Enzyme
ACEI – Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor(s)
Ach – Acetylcholine
AChEI – Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors
ACS – Acute Coronary Syndrome
ADR – Adverse Drug Reaction
AF – Atrial Fibrillation
AI – Artificial Intelligence
AKI – Acute Kidney Injury
AMR – Antimicrobial Resistance
ARB – Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonist
ARS – Anticholinergic Risk Scale
ASB – Asymptomatic Bacteriuria
ASCVD – Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
ASM – Antiseizure Medications
ASSIGN – ASsessing cardiovascular risk using SIGN guidelines to assign preventive treatment
AWI – Adult With Incapacity
BMD – Bone Mineral Density
BMI – Body Mass Index
BNF – British National Formulary
BNP – Brain Natriuretic Peptide Test
BP – Blood Pressure
BPM – Beats per Minute
BZ – Benzodiazepine
CBT – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
CCBs – Calcium Channel Blockers
C. diff – Clostridioides difficile
CGA – Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
CHA2DS2-VASc – Score for Atrial Fibrillation Stroke Risk
CHD – Coronary Heart Disease
CHF – Congestive Heart Failure
CHI – Community Health Index
CI – Confidence Interval
CKD – Chronic Kidney Disease
CNS – Central Nervous System
COMT – Catechol-O-methyl Transferase
COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
COWS – Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale
CrCl – Creatinine Clearance
CSCI – Continuous subcutaneous infusion
CVD – Cardiovascular Disease
DAPT – Dual Antiplatelet Treatment
DBP – Diastolic Blood Pressure
DKA – Diabetic Ketoacidosis
DMARDs – Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs
DN4 – Douleur Neuropathique 4
DOAC – Direct Acting Oral Anticoagulant
DPP-4i – Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors
DQIP – Data-Driven Quality Improvement in Primary Care
DVT – Deep Venous Thrombosis
DXA – Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry
ECG – Electrocardiogram
ECHO – Echocardiogram
eDKA – Euglycaemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis
eGFR – Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate
ECOG – Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
EMIS – Egton Medical Information Systems (clinical IT system)
EU – European Union
EuGMS – European Geriatric Medicine Society
g – Gram (unit of measurement)
GAD – Generalised Anxiety Disorder
GI – Gastro-intestinal
GL – Guideline
GLP-1RA – Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists
GP – General Practitioner
GTN – Glyceryl Trinitrate
HbA1c – Glycated haemoglobin
HCP – Healthcare Professionals
HDAT – High-dose antipsychotic therapy
HDL – High-density Lipoprotein
hHF – Hospitalisation for Heart Failure
HF – Heart Failure
HR – Heart Rate
HRT – Hormone Replacement Therapy
HSCP – Health and Social Care Partnership
ICS – Inhaled Corticosteroid
IHD – Ischaemic Heart Disease
INR – International Normalised Ratio
ISD – Information Services Division
iSIMPATHY – Implementing Stimulating Innovation in the Management of Polypharmacy and Adherence Through the Years
IT – Information Technology
IV – Intravenous
KIS – Key Information Summary
L2 – 2nd Lumbar Vertebrae
LFTs – Liver Function Tests
LGS – Lennox–Gastaut Syndrome
LOS – Length of Stay
LVEF – Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction
LVSD – Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction
MACE – Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events
MAI – Medication Appropriateness Index
MAO-B – Monoamine Oxidase type B
MAOIs – Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
mARS – Modified Anticholinergic Risk Scale
MCA – Multi-compartment Compliance Aid
MDT – Multidisciplinary Team
MED – Morphine Equivalent Dose
mg – Milligram (unit of measurement)
MHRA – Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
MI – Myocardial Infarction
MMSE – Mini-Mental State Examination
MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MRSA – Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
NCSE – Non-convulsive Status Epilepticus
NES – NHS Education for Scotland
NHS – National Health Service
NICE – The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
NMDA – N-methyl-D-aspartate
NMS – Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
NNH – Number Needed to Harm
NNT – Number Needed to Treat
NOGG – National Osteoporosis Guideline Group
Non-STEMI – Non ST-elevation myocardial infarction
NSAID – Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
NTI – National Therapeutic Indicator
NYHA – New York Heart Association (functional classification)
OCD – Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OTC – Over the counter
PADL – Penicillin allergy de-labelling
PC-MAI – Person-centred Medication Appropriateness Index
PD – Parkinson’s Disease
PE – Pulmonary Embolism
PESTEL – Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal
PGx – Pharmacogenomics
PIMs – Potentially inappropriate medications
PIS – Prescribing Information System
pMDI – Pressurised metered dose inhalers
PNS – Peripheral nervous system
POA – Power of Attorney
PPIs – Proton Pump Inhibitors
PROMs – Patient Reported Outcome Measures
PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
QALY – Quality Adjusted Life Year
QT interval – Time measured on an electrocardiogram from the start of the Q wave to the end of the T wave
QTc – Corrected QT interval
SABA – Short-acting beta2 agonist
SALT – Speech and Language Therapy
SAPG – Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group
SBP – Systolic Blood Pressure
SC – Subcutaneous
SGLT-2i – Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor
SIGN – Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network
SIMD – Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
SIMPATHY – Stimulating Innovation Management of Polypharmacy and Adherence in the Elderly
S-LANSS – Self-reported Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs
SMC – Scottish Medicines Consortium
SMR01 – Scottish Morbidity Record (general acute inpatient and day case)
SNRI – Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors
SPARRA – Scottish Patients at Risk of Re-admission or admission
SPC – Summary of Product Characteristics
SPICT – Supportive and Palliative Care Indicator Tool
SR – Systematic Review
SSDD – Symptoms of stress and distress in dementia
SSRI – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
START – Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment
STEADI – Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries
STEMI – ST-elevation myocardial infarction
STOPP – Screening Tool of Older People’s Prescriptions
STOPPFall – Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions in those at high fall risk
STU – Scottish Therapeutics Utility
SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
T score – Bone density score
T2DM – Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
TCA – Tricyclic Antidepressants
TFT – Thyroid Function Test
TURAS – NES digital platform for Health and Social Care professionals
U&E – Urea and Electrolyte profile
UK – United Kingdom
USA – United States of America
UTI – Urinary Tract Infection
VRE – Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus