Talk:Nothing by mouth

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Comments[edit]

"nil per orem" is grammatically correct, but I see "nil per os" all the time as the explanation of the medical abbreviation "NPO." For example, search "npo" on [1]. Further evidence of the decline of civilization. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.69.161.130 (talk) 18:08, 15 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The abbreviation "os" also refers to the left eye; Latin is oculus sinister. This could lead to confusion.

should tag with pharmocology category?[edit]

should we tag this with the pharmacology category as well. Since it is relevant in the medical field relating to pharmacological drugs. Tkjazzer 14:27, 31 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Water?[edit]

Does Nil per os (NPO) includes abstaining from drinking water? McAusten (talk) 01:37, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, NPO means NOTHING by mouth, including water. If the patient is on medications that are important, e.g. heart medications, etc., they can usually be administered by the nurse along with a very small amount of water. Whether or not medications can be administered to an NPO patient depends on the reason for the NPO order, the importance of the medication, and the provider's preference.

Insulin[edit]

This article suggested that diabetic patients who are NPO for a procedure should be given a drip containing a *gram* of insulin for every 5 grams of dextrose. This is almost certainly wrong, and if anyone actually followed it, it could easily kill someone. Insulin doses are not measured in grams, they are measured in units, so this sounds like a typo, though I'm not an expert so I would not be able to say precisely what an appropriate dose would be. Even so, a whole gram of insulin would likely be fatal unless given at a glacial pace. Considering the potential severity of the issue and the lack of any reference, I have removed this statement from the article. -NorsemanII (talk) 12:07, 4 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]