Common Medical Abreviations.docx

COMMON MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS COMMON MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS To discuss a therapeutic regimen with a physician you must speak his language. The terminology that will confront you in the patient care areas is different from that to which you have previously been exposed. A typical conversation you might hear at the patient's bedside would go something like, " I hear an S-2 and S-4 with no split sounds or opening snap. Since there has been no history of dyspnea and the ASO was negative, I suspect an ASD or VSD, but we will not know for sure until after the results of the cath." An admission order written by the physician might read "up ad lib, ADA diet (2000 cal), S&A, MOM 30 ml, hs, pm. Lab tests as follows: CBC, Crit., Amylase, CPK, PBI, Blood Gases, BUN, Creatinine, LDH, SGOT, SGPT and Lytes." The language of the physician is oriented toward disease, diagnostic tests and treatment. The most commonly encountered abbreviations and terminology will be helpful to you as a reference source. If you are not familiar with a term that is used, you should consult a medical dictionary or ask the physician. Abbreviations Abbreviation Explanation ABE Acute bacterial endocarditis ABS Admitting blood sugar ADA American Dietetic Association AF Acid Fast ad lib As desired A/G Albumin-globulin ratio AHCA Agency for Healthcare Administration AMA Against Medical Advice AK Above knee amputation A.L.T. Alanine Aminotransferase (formerly called SGPT) Amb Ambulant Ant Anterior ANA Antinuclear antibody ASCVD arteriosclerotic vascular disease (arteriosclerosis) ASD Atrial septum defect ASHD Arteriosclerotic heart disease ASO Antistreptolysin 0 A.S.T. Aspartate Aminotransferase (formerly SCOT) AV Atrioventricular BBB Bundle branch block or blood brain barrier BBT Basal body temperature BE Barium enema BJ Bone and joint BKA Below knee amputation BM Bowel movement BMR Basal Metabolic rate BP Blood pressure BRP Bathroom privileges BS Breath sounds or bowel sounds BSA Body surface area BSP Bromsulphalein BUN Blood urea nitrogen BW Body weight Bx Biopsy Ca Carcinoma Cal Calorie C and S Culture and sensitivity CBC Complete blood count CC Chief complaint Ceph Floc Cephalin Flocculation CFT Complement fixation test CHF Congestive heart failure CHO Carbohydrate chr Chronic c/o Complains of CNS Central nervous system COLD Chronic obstructive lung disease CONG Congenital COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease CPK Creatinine phosphokinase CSF Cerebrospinal fluid CST Convulsive shock therapy CT Circulation time CV Cardiovascular CVA Cerebrovascular accident CVD Cardiovascular disease CVP Central venous pressure D/C Discontinue D and C Dilation and curettage Derm Dermatology diff Differential blood count DM Diabetes mellitus DOA Dead on arrival DOE Dyspnea on exertion DTR Deep tendon reflex DQA Division of Quality Assurance DX Diagnosis ECG Electrocardiogram ECT Electroconvulsive therapy EEG Electroencephalogram EENT Eye, ear, nose and throat EKG Electrocardiogram eg For example EMG Electromyography EPS Extra pyramidal syndrome ER Emergency room ESR Erythrocyte sedimentation rate EST Electroshock therapy Ext Extremities FBS Fasting blood sugar F and R Force and rhythm of pulse FH Family history Fld Fluid FRC Functional residual capacity FTA Fluorescent treponemal antibody FUO Fever of undetermined origin Fx Fracture GB Gallbladder Gc Gonorrhea GFR Glomerular filtration rate GI Gastrointestinal G-6-PD Glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase GSW Gun shot wound GTT Glucose tolerance test GU Genitourinary GYN Gynecology H Hypodermic h Hour Hb Hemoglobin HCT Hematocrit HCVD Hypertensive cardiovascular disease Hgb Hemoglobin H and P History and physical HPI History of present illness HT Height HTVD Hypertensive vascular disease Hx History ICS Intercostal space ICU Intensive care unit I and D Incision and drainage I and 0 Input and output IM Intramuscular Imp Impression inf Inferior int Interval Int Med Internal medicine IOP Intraocular pressure IP Intraperitoneal IPPB Intermittent positive pressure breathing IV Intravenous IVP Intravenous pyelogram IVT Intravenous transfusion JVD Jugular Venous distention K Potassium Kg Kilogram KO Keep open KUB Kidney, ureter, bladder KVO Keep vein open lat Lateral L and A Light and accommodation (of pupils) LBBB Left bundle branch block LCM Left costal margin LBCD Left border cardiac dullness LDH Lactic acid dehydrogenase LE Lupus erythematosus LLQ Left lower quadrant LMD Local medical doctor LMP Last menstrual period LOA Leave of absence LUQ Left upper quadrant LP Lumbar puncture LVH Left ventricular hypertrophy L and W Living and well MCH Mean corpuscular hemoglobin MCV Mean corpuscular volume Med Medicine MH Menstrual history MI Myocardial infarction rnm Millimeter MOM Milk of magnesia MRXI May repeat times one MS Mitral stenosis or multiple schlerosis or morphine sulfate MSE Mental status examination MMSE Mini Mental Status Exam N Normal NB Newborn Neg Negative NM Neuromusclar NG Nasogastric tube NOS Not Otherwise Specified (used as part of a diagnosis) NPN Nonprotein nitrogen NPO Nothing by mouth N/S Normal saline NSR Normal sinus rhythm NTP Normal temperature and pressure NTG Nitroglyercin NYD Not yet diagnosed OB Obstetrics OB-GYN Obstetrics and gynecology OOB Out of bed OR Operating room OT Occupational therapy P Pulse p After PAC Premature atrial contraction P and A Percussion and auscultation Para 1 Having bom one child PAT Paroxysmal atrial tachycardia PBI Protein - bound iodine PCV Packed Cell Volume PCO2 Carbon dioxide partial pressure PE Physical examination PM Post mortem PHC Post hospital care PMH Past medical hospital PI Present illness PID Pelvic inflammatory disease PO By mouth Post Op Post operative PP Post partum PPD Purified protein derivative of tuberculin PPT Partial prothrombin time PRA Plasma renin activity Pre Op before surgery P and R Pulse and respiration PRN When necessary Prog Prognosis Ps Posterior PSP Phenosulfonphthalein Pt Patient PT Physical therapy PVC Premature ventricular contraction qd Every day qh Every hour qod Every other day R Right RA Agglutinins or right atrium RBBB Right bundle branch block RBC Red blood cell RHD Rheumatic heart disease RLQ Right lower quadrant R/O Rule out ROM Range of motion exercise RPF Renal plasma flow RR Recovery room ROS Review of systems RV Right ventricle RVH Right ventricular hypertrophy RUQ Right upper quadrant Rx Treatment s Without S-A Sino-atrial SBE Subacute bacterial endocarditis SC Subcutaneous SGOT Serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase SGPT Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase SH Social history Sig Let it be labeled SOB Shortness of breath s/p Status Post Sp gr Specific gravity SR Sedimentation rate STAT At once STS Serologic test for syphilis sup Superior Sx Symptoms T Temperature T and A tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy TB Tuberculosis TBW Total body water TCA's Tricyclic antidepressants TIBC Total iron binding capacity TP Total protein TPN Total parenteral nutrition TPR Temperature, pulse and respiration TUR Transurethral resection TV Trial visit Tx Treatment URI Upper respiratory infection UTI Urinary tract infection VC Vital capacity or vena cava VD Venereal disease VDH Valvular disease of heart VDRL Venereal disease research laboratory VF Visual field vis Namely VMA Vanilmandelic acid VP Venous pressure VS Vital signs VSD Ventricular septal defect WBC White blood cells WNL Within normal limits Wt Weight