What it means
Shorthand for methotrexatemeth-oh-TREK-sateA drug that blocks the use of folic acid by cells, used in high doses for cancer and in low weekly doses for autoimmune diseases.Full entry , a drug used for cancer and, at low weekly doses, for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and ectopic pregnancy. ISMP lists MTX as error-prone because it has been mistaken for mitoxantrone, another cancer drug. Oral methotrexate for non-cancer use is on ISMP's high-alert list, because taking a weekly dose every day has caused deaths.
For the nurse
Write "methotrexate" in full. For the weekly dose, check that the order, the label and the client's teaching all say once a week, and name the day.
Related terms
antineoplastic
A drug used to treat cancer by killing cancer cells or stopping them from growing and dividing.
rheumatoid arthritis
A long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints.
methotrexate
A drug that blocks the use of folic acid by cells, used in high doses for cancer and in low weekly doses for autoimmune diseases.