for revision

1. List of Common Abbreviations in
Medicine

2. List of Common Abbreviations in Medicine
General terms
Abd - Abdomen
A&D - Admission and discharge
ADL - Activities of daily living
Amb Ambulatory, able to walk
Amt - Amount
AP - Appendectomy
Cath - Catheter
CBC - Complete blood count

3. CCU - Cardiac care unit/ coronary care unit
CBR - Complete bed rest
C/O - Complaint of
CVA - Cerebrovascular accident or stroke
CPR - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
DC or d/c - Discontinue

4. Cont…….
DX - Diagnosis
ECG - Electrocardiogram
EEG - Electroencephalogram
FBS - Fasting blood sugar
FF - Forced feeding or forced fluids
Fx - Fracture
GI - Gastrointestinal
Gtt Glucose tolerance test
Gyn - Gynecology
HOB - Head of bed

5. Cont……..
ICU - Intensive care unit
I&O - Intake and output
Isol - Isolation
IV - Intravenous
Noct - At night
NPO - Nothing by mouth
PAR - Postanesthesia room
PO - By mouth
Post op spec - After surgery urine specimen
PT - Patient, pint
ROM - Range of motion
SOB - Shortness of breath
Stat - At once, immediately

6.  TPR - Temperature, pulse, respiration

 U/A – Urinalysis

 VS - Vital signs
 W/C - Wheel chair

7. General Terms
These general medical terms are often sometimes
abbreviated for ease of communication

8.  AA - amino acid
 ABG - arterial blood gas
 ADM - admission, admitted
 ALS - advanced life support, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
 AMA - against medical advice, American Medical Association
 ASAP - as soon as possible
 A&W - alive and well
 C - centigrade, celsius

9.  CC - cubic centimeter, chief complaint, critical care, complications,
 carbon copy
 C/O - complains of, care of
 CO2 - carbon dioxide
 D/C - discontinue or discharge
 DNR - do not resuscitate
 DO - disorder
 DOA - dead on arrival or date of admission
 DOB - date of birth

10.  DOT - directly observed therapy
 DSM - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders
 EDC - estimated date of confinement
 EDD - estimated delivery date
 EGA - estimated gestational age
 ER - emergency room
 F - fahrenheit
 H&P - history and physical examination

11.  HPI - history of present illness
 H/O - history of
 HR - heart rate or hour
 HS - hour of sleep (bedtime)
 ICU - intensive care unit
 ID - infectious diseases
 IP - inpatient
 IQ - intelligence quotient
 IU - international units
 MCO - managed care organization

12.  MG - milligram
 MVA - motor vehicle accident
 ML - milliliter
 NKDA - no known drug allergies
 NTG - nitroglycerin
 O2 - oxygen
 OPD - outpatient department
 P - pulse

13.  Post-op - postoperative (after surgery)
 Pre-op - preoperative (before surgery)
 PA or PT - patient
 PCP - primary care physician
 RBC - red blood cell
 RF - risk factor
 S - without (sans)
 SX - symptoms
 S/S - signs and symptoms

14.  STAT - immediately
 T - temperature
 TPR - temperature, pulse, respiration
 USOH - usual state of health
 VS - vital signs
 VSS - vital signs stable
 WB - whole blood
 WBC - white blood cell
 WNL - within normal limits

15. Prescription
These abbreviations are used in the context of
prescription drugs.

16.  ABX - antibiotics
 AC - before meals
 Ad lib - at will, as desired
 BID - bis in dies (twice a day)
 CAP - capsule
 GTT - drop-liquid measurement

17.  i - 1
 ii - 2
 iii - 3
 iv - 4
 v - 5

18.  MDD - maximum daily dose
 NPO - nothing by mouth
 OCP - oral contraceptive pill
 OPV - oral polio vaccine
 OTC - over the counter
 PC - after meals
 PCN - penicillin

19.  PNV - prenatal vitamins
 PO - per os (by mouth)
 PRN - as needed
 q2h - every 2 hours
 q3h - every 3 hours

20.  qam - every morning
 qd - once a day
 qh - once every hour
 qhs - at bedtime 22


21.  qid - four times a day
 qod - every other day
 qpm - every evening
 RDI - recommended daily intake
 Rx - prescription, treatment
 SC/SQ - subcutaneous
 TAB - tablet
TIW - three times a week

22. Care

23. medical abbreviations commonly used.

24.  AXR - abdominal x-ray
 BAC - blood alcohol content
 BC - birth control
 BE - barium enema
 BMT - bone marrow transplant
 Bx - biopsy
 BRP - bathroom privileges
 CPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitation
 CXR - chest x-ray

25.  ECC - emergency cardiac care
 ECG or EKG - electrocardiogram
 ECMO - extracorporeal membrane
oxygenation
 ECT - electroconvulsive therapy
 ECV - external cephalic version
 FB - foreign body
 FNA - fine needle aspiration
 FOBT - fecal occult blood testing

26.  GLT - glucose loading test
 GTT - glucose tolerance test
 H20 - water
 I&D - incision and drainage
 IM - intramuscular
 I&O - intake and output
 IV - intravenous
 IUPC - intrauterine pressure catheter
 In vitro - in the laboratory
 In vivo - in the body

27.  KUB - kidney, ureter, bladder (x-ray)
 OGTT - oral glucose tolerance test
 PAP - pulmonary artery pressure; Papanicolaou test
 PEEP - positive end expiratory pressure
 PT - physical therapy
T&C - type and cross (blood

28.  TPA - tissue plasminogen activator
(dissolve clots), total parenteral
alimentation (intravenous nutritional
needs)
 UA - urinalysis
 US - ultrasound
 XRT - external radiation therapy

29. Diagnosis or Condition

30. When describing the condition of a patient or assigning a diagnosis, medical
staff may use some of these abbreviations
 ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
 AF - acid-fast
 AIDS - acquired immune deficiency syndrome
 A&O - alert and oriented
 AOB - alcohol on breath
 ARDS - adult respiratory distress syndrome
 ARF - acute renal failure, acute rheumatic fever
BAD - bipolar affective disorder

31.  BM - bowel movement
 BP - blood pressure
 CA - cancer
 CAB - carotid artery bruit
 CABG - coronary artery bypass graft
 CAD - coronary artery disease
 CBC - complete blood count
 CF - cystic fibrosis
 C/F - chills, fever

32.  CFT - complement fixation testing
 CHD - congenital heart disease
 CHF - congestive heart failure
 COLD - chronic obstructive lung disease
 COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
 CP - chest pain
 CP - cerebral palsy
 C/S - cesarean section
 CV - cardiovascular

33.  CVA - cerebral vascular accident (stroke)
 DTR - deep tendon reflex
 DVT - deep venous thrombosis
 Dx - diagnosis
 EBL - estimated blood loss
 EBV - Epstein-Barr virus
 EC - eye contact
 ECASA - enteric coated acetylsalicylic acid
 EGC - early gastric cancer
 FAS - fetal alcohol syndrome

34.  FB - foreign body
 F/C - fever, chills
 FEF - forced expiratory flow
 FHR - fetal heart rate
 FM - fetal movement
 FRC - functional residual capacity
 FSE - fetal scalp electrode
 FSH - follicle stimulating hormone
 FT - full term
 FX - fracture

35.  GA - gestational age
 GH - growth hormone
 GHRH - growth hormone releasing
hormone
 GI - gastrointestinal
 GLT - glucose loading test
 GSW - gunshot wound
 GTT - glucose tolerance test
 GU - genitourinary
 HA - headache

36.  HA - hemolytic anemia
 HAV - hepatitis A virus
 HBV - hepatitis B virus
 Hb - hemoglobin
 HCV - hepatitis C virus
 HDL - high density lipoprotein
 HDV - hepatitis D virus
 HIV - human immunodeficiency virus
 HPA - hypothalamic suppression test
 HR - heart rate

37.  HTN - hypertension
 IBD - inflammatory bowel disease
 IBS - inflammatory bowel syndrome
 ICP - intracranial pressure
 IDDM - insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
 IPF - idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
 IUI - intrauterine insemination
 IUP - intrauterine pregnancy
 IVF - in vitro fertilization
 IVIG - intravenous immune globulin
 IVP - intravenous push

38.  JCV - JC virus
 JRA - juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
 JVD - jugular venous distension
 KS - Kaposi sarcoma
 LAD - leukocyte adhesion deficiency
 LBP - lower back pain
 LBW - low birth weight
 LIH - left inguinal hernia

39.  LOF - loss of fluid
 MD - muscular dystrophy
 MR - mental retardation
 MS - multiple sclerosis
 NAD - no acute distress
 Nat/O - birth
 NIDDM - non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
 NM - neuromuscular

40.  N/V - nausea vomiting
 NVD - normal vaginal delivery
 OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder
 ON - optic neuritis
 OSA - obstructive sleep apnea
 PD - Parkinson's disease
 PE - pulmonary embolism
 PKD - polycystic kidney disease

41.  PID - pelvic inflammatory disease
 PIH - pregnancy induced hypertension
 PMS - premenstrual syndrome
 PTSD - post-traumatic stress disorder
 RA - rheumatoid arthritis
 RAD - reactive airway disease
 RDS - respiratory distress syndrome
 REM - rapid eye movements
RHD - rheumatic heart disease

42.  RXN - reaction
 SAB - spontaneous abortion
 SBO - small bowel obstruction
 SBS - shaken baby syndrome
 SOB - shortness of breath
 STD - sexually transmitted disease
 TAH - total abdominal hysterectomy
 TB - tuberculosis

43.  TBI - traumatic brain injury
 TGA - transient global amnesia
 UC - ulcerative colitis
 UO - urine output
 URI - upper respiratory infection
UTI - urinary tract infection

44.  VB - vaginal bleeding
 VBAC - vaginal birth after caesarean section
 VF - ventricular fibrillation
 VH - vaginal hysterectomy, hallucination
 VIP - voluntary interruption of pregnancy

45. Body Description

46. different parts of the body using abbreviations
 ABD - abdomen
 AD - right ear
 AL - left ear
 AU - both ears
 BMD - bone mass density
 BMI - body mass index
 BMR - basal metabolic rate
 CBD - common bile duct
 CBF - cerebral blood flow
 FL - femur length

47.  OD - right eye
 OS - left eye
 OU - both eyes
 PNS - peripheral nervous system
 RA - right atrium
 RUL - right upper lobe

48.  RUQ - right upper quadrant
 RV - right ventricle, residual volume
 TLC - total lung capacity
 UE - upper extremity
 WT - weight