If a patient has been given a prescription that says medication should be taken "bid," how many times a day should this medication be taken?

When a prescription indicates that medication should be taken "bid," it means that the patient should take the medication twice a day. The term "bid" is a common medical abbreviation derived from the Latin phrase "bis in die," which translates to "twice a day." This is a standard instruction for dosages in healthcare, helping to ensure that medications can maintain their effectiveness while minimizing side effects.

Patients are typically advised on the timing of these doses to maintain consistency and effectiveness, often recommending that the doses be spaced roughly twelve hours apart. Understanding such abbreviations is crucial for ensuring proper medication adherence and optimizing therapeutic outcomes.