Abbreviations and Common Symbols Used in the Medical Office Flashcards
aa
of each
ab
abortion
ac
before meals
ad lib
as desired
A.M/a.m
before noon
amt
amount
AP
apical pulse
approx
approximately
appt
appointment
ASAP
as soon as possible
BA
back ache
BC
birth control
bid
twice a day
BM
bowel movement
BP
blood pressure
BPM
beats per minute
BSE
breast self examination
C
with
caps
capsule
cath
catheter/catheterize
cc
chief complaint
chemo
chemotherapy
CMA (AAMA)
certified medical assistant (american association of medical assistants)
c/o
complaints of
CS
cesarean section
Cx
cervix
d
day
/d
per day
disch
discharge
DNKA
did not keep appointment
DOB
date of birth
DRE
digital rectal examination
DTaP
diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine
DVA
distance visual acuity
ED
emergency department
EDD
expected date of delivery
Fe
iron
F/U
follow up
fx
fracture
GYN
gynecology
h/hr
hour
H/A
headache
HBP
high blood pressure
Hep B
hepatitis b vaccine
Hg
mercury
H2O
water
HR
heart rate
HRT
hormone replacement therapy
ht
height
ID
intradermal
IM
intramascular
IPV
inactivated polio vaccine
IV
intravenous
lab
laboratory
lac
laceration
lat
lateral
lax
laxative
liq
liquid
LMP
last menstrual period
med/meds
medication/medications
min
minute
MMR
measles, mumps, and rubella
mod
moderate
N/A
not applicable
neg
negative
NICU
newborn intensive care unit
NKA
no known allergies
NKDA
no known drug allergies
noct
nocturnal
NS
normal saline
N&V
nausea and vomiting
NVA
near visual acuity
OB
obstetrics
oint
ointment
OR
operating room
OT
occupational therapy
OTC
over the counter
OV
office visit
P
pulse
Pap
papanicolaou test
path
pathology
pe
after meals
peds
pediatrics
per
by or through
pharm
pharmacy
P.M/p.m
afternoon
PMS
premenstrual syndrome
po/PO
by mouth
pos
positive
postop
postoperative
preop
preoperative
prep
preparation
prn
as needed
PT
physical therapy // prothromblin time
Pt/pt
patient
qh
every hour
q(2,3,4)h
every 2, 3, 4 hours
qid
four times a day
R
respiration
reg
regular
rehab
rehabilitation
RMA
registered medical assistant
Rx
prescription
S
without
S/E
side effects
SOB
shortness of breath
sol
solution
spec
specimen
STAT
immediately
surg
surgery
T
temperature
tab/tabs
tablet/tablets
temp
temperature
tid
three times a day
TLC
total lung capacity//tender loving care
TPR
temperature, pulse, respiration
tr
trace
TSE
testicular self examination
vo
verbal order
VS
vital signs
WNL
within normal limits
WO
written order
w/o
without
wt
weight
abd
abdomen
EENT
eyes, ears, nose, throat
GI
gastrointestinal
GU
genitourinary
L/lt
left
LA
left arm
LL
left leg
LLQ
lower left quadrant
LRQ
lower right quadrant
LUQ
left upper quadrant
R
right
RA
right arm
RL
right leg
RLQ
right lower quadrant
RUQ
right upper quadrant
C
celsius
cm
centimeter
dL
deciliter
F
fahrenheit
g
gram
kg
kilogram
L
liter
lb
pound
m
meter
mcg
microgram
mg
milligram
mL/ml
milliliter
mm
millimeter
oz
ounce
pt
pint
qt
quart
ss
one half
T
tablespoon
tsp
teaspoon
dx
diagnosis
H/O
history of
H&P
history and physical
Hx
history
PE/Px
physical examination
Sx
symptoms
Tx
treatment
BPH
benign prostatic hyperplasia
CA
cancer
CAD
coronary artery disease
CHF
congestive heart failure
COPD
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CRC
colorectal cancer
CVA
cerebrovascular accident
DM
diabetes mellitus
DVT
deep vain thrombosis
GC
gonorrhea
GDM
gestational diabetes mellitus
HTN
hypertension
IBS
irritable bowel syndrome
MI
myocardial infarction
MS
multiple sclerosis
OA
osteoarthritis
OM
otitis media
PID
pelvic inflammatory disease
RI
rheumatic arthritis
RF
rheumatic fever
STD//STI
sexually transmitted disease // sexually transmitted infection
TB
tuberculosis
URI
upper respiratory infection
UTI
urinary tract infection
CT/CAT
computed axial tomography
CXR
chest x-ray
ECG
electrocardiogram
Echo
echocardiogram
EEG
electroencephalogram
FOBT
fecal occult blood test
IVP
intravenous pyelogram
LP
lumbar puncture
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging
NST
nonstress test
PET
positron emission tomography
PFT
pulmonary function test
US
ultrasound
AGB
arterial blood gas
BG
blood glucose
Bx
biopsy
CBC
complete blood count
C&S
culture and sensitivity
diff
differential
ESR
erythroeyte sedimentation rate
FBG
fasting blood glucose
FBS
fasting blood glucose
GCT
glucose challenge test
GTT
glucose tolerance test
Hct
hematocrit
Hgb
hemoglobin
PSA
prostate specific antigen
PT/INR
prothromblin time
RBC
red blood cell
RBS
random blood sugar
SG
specific gravity
UA
urinanalysis
O
none/no
check mark
check
arrow up
increase
arrow down
decrease
female symbol
female
male symbol
male
^o
degree
P
after
x
times
#
number
1^o
primary
2^o
secondary