Polypharmacy Guidance: appropriate prescribing, making medicines safe, effective and sustainable 2026 - 2029

10. Abbreviations

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 – a 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 the time measured on a electrocardiogram from the start of the Q wave to the end of the T wave correlating with the time taken from the beginning to end of ventricular contraction and relaxation

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 (Covers General Acute Inpatient and Day)

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 older adults with high fall risk

STU Scottish Therapeutics Utility

SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

T Score Bone Density Score

T2DM Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

TCA Tricyclic Antidepressants

TFT Thyroid Function Test

TURAS NES’ digital platform for Health and Social Care professionals

U&E Urea & Electrolyte Profile

UK United Kingdom

USA United States of America

UTI Urinary Tract Infection

VRE Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus