Sig code: dosage form

ER medical abbreviation

ER has 2 common meanings: "extended release", "estrogen receptor". The context of the note or order decides which one is meant.

Each meaning matched at least two public references (3 in all for ER), checked October 23, 2026. The table lists them.

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2 meanings of ER

Example

Sample label text: "ER tablet."

A made-up line that shows the abbreviation in place. It is not about any patient and is not an instruction.

Related abbreviations

  • XRextended release
  • SRsustained release
  • DRdelayed release
  • EDemergency department
  • EMSemergency medical services
  • ICUintensive care unit
  • ORoperating room

Elsewhere on Rivvi

Questions

What does ER mean in medical terms?

ER has 2 common meanings: "extended release", "estrogen receptor". The context of the note or order decides which one is meant.

Where is ER used?

ER shows up in prescriptions and medication labels. Its category here is sig code: dosage form.

Is ER on the Joint Commission Do Not Use list?

No. ER is not on the Joint Commission Do Not Use list or the ISMP error-prone list as checked on October 23, 2026.

Source: NCI Thesaurus, including CDISC SDTM terminology (NCI EVS); NLM SPECIALIST Lexicon abbreviations file (LRABR); FDA Acronyms and Abbreviations. Data as of October 23, 2026. Last updated October 23, 2026. How we source data. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

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