Common Abbreviations Flashcards

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1
Q

A&P

A

Anatomy and physiology

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2
Q

ā

A

Before

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3
Q

AAA

A

Abdominal aortic aneurysm

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4
Q

abd

A

Abdomen

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5
Q

ABC, ABCs

A

Airway, breathing, circulation

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6
Q

ac

A

Before meals

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7
Q

ACLS

A

Advanced cardiac life support

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8
Q

ADL, ADLs

A

Activity/activities of daily living

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9
Q

ad lib

A

As desired

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10
Q

AED

A

Automated external defibrillator

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11
Q

AF, A-fib

A

Atrial fibrillation

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12
Q

AICD

A

Automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator

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13
Q

AIDS

A

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

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14
Q

AK

A

Above the knee

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15
Q

AKA

A

Above-the-knee amputation

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16
Q

ALTE

A

Apparent life-threatening event

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17
Q

AMA

A

Against medical advice

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18
Q

amb

A

Ambulatory

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19
Q

AMI

A

Acute myocardial infarction

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20
Q

ant

A

Anterior

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21
Q

AO X 4, A/O X 4

A

Alert and oriented to person, place, time, and self

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22
Q

AP

A

Anteroposterior, front-to-back, action potential, angina pectoris, anterior pituitary, arterial pressure

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23
Q

ARDS

A

Adult respiratory distress syndrome

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24
Q

ASA

A

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)

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25
Q

ASHD

A

Arteriosclerotic or atherosclerotic heart disease

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26
Q

BGL

A

Blood glucose level

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27
Q

bid/b.i.d./BID

A

Twice daily

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28
Q

BKA

A

Below-the-knee amputation

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29
Q

BLS

A

Basic life support

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30
Q

BM

A

Bowel movement

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31
Q

BP, B/P

A

Blood pressure

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32
Q

BPM

A

Beats per minute

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33
Q

BRUE

A

Brief resolved unexplained event

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34
Q

BS

A

Blood sugar, breath sounds, bowel sounds, bachelor of science (degree)

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35
Q

BSA

A

Body surface area

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36
Q

BVM

A

Bag-valve mask

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37
Q

bx

A

Biopsy

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38
Q

A

With

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39
Q

ºC

A

Degrees Celsius

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40
Q

CA

A

Cancer, cardiac arrest, chronologic age, coronary artery, cold agglutinin

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41
Q

CABG

A

Coronary artery bypass graft

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42
Q

CAD

A

Coronary artery disease

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43
Q

CBC

A

Complete blood cell count

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44
Q

CC or C/C

A

Chief complaint

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45
Q

CCU

A

Coronary care unit

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46
Q

C diff

A

Clostridium difficile

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47
Q

CHF

A

Congestive heart failure

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48
Q

cm

A

Centimeter

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49
Q

CN

A

Cyanide

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50
Q

CNS

A

Central nervous

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51
Q

c/o

A

Complaining of

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52
Q

CO

A

Cardiac output, carbon monoxide

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53
Q

CO₂

A

Carbon dioxide

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54
Q

COLD

A

Chronic obstructive lung disease

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55
Q

COPD

A

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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56
Q

CP

A

Chest pain, chemically pure, cerebral palsy

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57
Q

CPAP

A

Continuous positive airway pressure

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58
Q

CPR

A

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

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59
Q

CRNA

A

Certified registered nurse anesthetist

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60
Q

CRT

A

Capillary refill time, cathode ray tube

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61
Q

CSF

A

Cerebrospinal fluid

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62
Q

CT

A

Computed tomography

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63
Q

CVA

A

Cerebrovascular accident

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64
Q

DM

A

Diabetes mellitus

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65
Q

DNR

A

Do not resuscitate

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66
Q

DOA

A

Dead on arrival

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67
Q

Doe

A

Dyspnea on exertion

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68
Q

DON

A

Director of nursing

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69
Q

DPT

A

Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine, doctor of physical therapy

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70
Q

DSD

A

Dry sterile dressing

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71
Q

DtaP

A

Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine

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72
Q

DTP

A

Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine

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73
Q

DTs

A

Delirium tremens

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74
Q

DVT

A

Deep vein thrombosis

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75
Q

Dx

A

Diagnosis

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76
Q

ECG

A

Electrocardiogram

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77
Q

ED

A

Emergency department, erectile dysfunction

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78
Q

EDC

A

Estimated date of confinement

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79
Q

EEG

A

Electroencephalogram

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80
Q

EKG

A

Electrogardiogram

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81
Q

ENT

A

Ears, nose, and throat

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82
Q

EOC

A

Emergency Operations Center

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83
Q

ER

A

Emergency room

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84
Q

ET, ETT

A

Endotracheal, endotracheal tube

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85
Q

ETA

A

Estimated time of arrival

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86
Q

ETCO₂

A

End-tidal carbon dioxide

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87
Q

ETOH

A

Ethyl alcohol

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88
Q

ºF

A

Degrees Fahrenheit

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89
Q

FIO₂

A

Fraction of inspired oxygen

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90
Q

FBS

A

Fasting blood sugar

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91
Q

Fe

A

Iron

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92
Q

FHR

A

Fetal heart rate

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93
Q

FHx

A

Family history

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94
Q

fl. fld

A

Fluid

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95
Q

fx

A

Fracture

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96
Q

GB

A

Gallbladder

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97
Q

GCS

A

Glasgow Coma Scale

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98
Q

GERD

A

Gastroesophageal reflux disease

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99
Q

GI

A

Gastrointestinal

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100
Q

GSW

A

Gunshot wound

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101
Q

gtt

A

Drops(s)

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102
Q

GTT

A

Glucose tolerance test

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103
Q

GU

A

Genitourinary

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104
Q

gyn

A

Gynecology

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105
Q

h

A

Hour

106
Q

H&P

A

History and physical

107
Q

HA, H/A

A

Headache

108
Q

Hb, Hgb

A

Hemoglobin

109
Q

HBV

A

Hepatitis B virus

110
Q

Hct

A

Hematocrit

111
Q

HCV

A

Hepatitis C virus

112
Q

HH

A

Hiatal hernia

113
Q

HIV

A

Human immunodeficiency virus

114
Q

H₂O

A

Water

115
Q

HPI

A

History of present illness

116
Q

HR

A

Heart rate

117
Q

hr

A

Hour

118
Q

HTN

A

Hypertension

119
Q

Hx

A

History

120
Q

I&O

A

Intake and output

121
Q

ICP

A

Intracranial pressure

122
Q

ICS

A

Incident command system, intercostal space

123
Q

ICU

A

Intensive care unit

124
Q

IDDM

A

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

125
Q

IM

A

Intramuscular

126
Q

IMS

A

Incident management system

127
Q

IN

A

Intranasal

128
Q

IO

A

Intraosseous

129
Q

IUD

A

Intrauterine device (contraceptive)

130
Q

IV

A

Intravenous

131
Q

JVD

A

Jugular venous distention

132
Q

kg

A

Kilogram

133
Q

LE

A

Lower extremity, left eye, lupus erythematosus

134
Q

LLL

A

Left lower lobe of the lung

135
Q

LLQ

A

Left lower quadrant of the abdomen

136
Q

L/m, LPM

A

Liters per minute

137
Q

LMP

A

Last menstrual period

138
Q

LOC

A

Level of consciousness, loss of consciousness

139
Q

LUL

A

Left upper lobe of the lung

140
Q

LUQ

A

Left upper quadrant of the abdomen

141
Q

LVAD

A

Left ventricular assist device

142
Q

MAE

A

Moves all extremities

143
Q

MAEW

A

Moves all extremities well

144
Q

mg

A

Milligram

145
Q

MI

A

Myocardial infarction

146
Q

MICU

A

Mobile intensive care unit, medical intensive care unit

147
Q

min

A

Minute

148
Q

mL

A

Milliliter

149
Q

mm

A

Millimeter

150
Q

mm Hg

A

Millimeters of mercury

151
Q

MOI

A

Mechanism of injury

152
Q

MRI

A

Magnetic resonance imaging

153
Q

MRSA

A

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

154
Q

MVA

A

Motor vehicle accident

155
Q

MVC

A

Motor vehicle crash

156
Q

MVP

A

Mitral valve prolapse

157
Q

NA, N/A

A

Not applicable

158
Q

NAD

A

No apparent distress, no appreciable disease

159
Q

NC

A

Nasal cannula

160
Q

NG

A

Nasogastric

161
Q

NICU

A

Neonatal intensive care unit

162
Q

NIDDM

A

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

163
Q

NKA

A

No known allergies

164
Q

NKDA

A

No known drug allergies

165
Q

NP

A

Nurse practitioner

166
Q

NPA

A

Nasopharyngeal airway

167
Q

NPO

A

Nil per os (nothing by mouth)

168
Q

NRB, NRBM

A

Nonrebreathing mask

169
Q

NS

A

Normal saline

170
Q

NSR

A

Normal sinus rhythm

171
Q

NTG

A

Nitroglycerin

172
Q

N/V

A

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea

173
Q

O₂

A

Oxygen

174
Q

OB

A

Obstetrics

175
Q

OBS

A

Organic brain syndrome

176
Q

OD

A

Overdose, right eye, optical density, outside diameter, doctor of optometry

177
Q

OP

A

Outpatient

178
Q

OPA

A

Oropharyngeal airway

179
Q

OR

A

Operating room

180
Q

OS

A

Left eye

181
Q

OU

A

Both eyes

182
Q

oz

A

Ounce

183
Q

A

After

184
Q

PA

A

Physician assistant

185
Q

pc

A

After meals

186
Q

Pco₂

A

Partial pressure of carbon dioxide

187
Q

PE

A

Pulmonary embolism, physical examination

188
Q

PEARL or PERL

A

Pupils equal and reactive to light

189
Q

PEARLA

A

Pupils equal and reactive to light and accommodation

190
Q

PEARRL

A

Pupils equal and round, regular in size, react to light

191
Q

ped or peds

A

Pediatric

192
Q

PEEP

A

Positive end-expiratory pressure

193
Q

PERRL

A

Pupils equal, round, and reactive to light

194
Q

PID

A

Pelvic inflammatory disease

195
Q

PMH

A

Past medical history

196
Q

PND

A

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

197
Q

po

A

Per os (by mouth)

198
Q

PO

A

Postoperative, post-op

199
Q

PRN

A

Pro re nata (as needed)

200
Q

psi

A

Pounds per square inch

201
Q

PSVT

A

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia

202
Q

pt

A

Patient

203
Q

PT

A

Physical therapy, prothrombin time

204
Q

PTA

A

Prior to admission, plasma thromboplastin antecedent

205
Q

PTT

A

Partial thromboplastin time

206
Q

PVC

A

Premature ventricular contraction, polyvinyl chloride

207
Q

PVD

A

Peripheral vascular disease

208
Q

q

A

Every

209
Q

RA

A

Rheumatoid arthritis, right atrium

210
Q

RAD

A

Reactive airway disease, right axis deviation

211
Q

RBC

A

Red blood cell

212
Q

Rh

A

Rhesus blood factor, rhodium

213
Q

RLL

A

Right lower lobe of the lung

214
Q

RLQ

A

Right lower quadrant of the abdomen

215
Q

RN

A

Registered nurse

216
Q

R/O

A

Rule out

217
Q

ROM

A

Range of motion, rupture of membranes

218
Q

RUL

A

Right upper lobe of the lung

219
Q

RUQ

A

Right upper quadrant of the abdomen

220
Q

Rx

A

Prescription

221
Q

A

Without

222
Q

SaO₂

A

Oxygen saturation

223
Q

SC

A

Subcutaneous

224
Q

SG

A

Supraglottic

225
Q

SICU

A

Surgical intensive care unit

226
Q

SIDS

A

Sudden infant death syndrome

227
Q

SL

A

Sublingual

228
Q

SOB

A

Shortness of breath

229
Q

SpO₂

A

Saturation of peripheral oxygen

230
Q

S/S, S&S

A

Signs and symptoms

231
Q

stat

A

Immediately

232
Q

STEMI

A

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

233
Q

STI

A

Sexually transmitted infection

234
Q

subcut

A

Subcutaneous

235
Q

SVT

A

Supraventricular tachycardia

236
Q

sym or Sx

A

Symptoms

237
Q

T

A

Temperature

238
Q

tab

A

Tablet

239
Q

TB

A

Tuberculosis

240
Q

TBA

A

To be admitted, to be announced

241
Q

tech

A

Technician, technologist

242
Q

TIA

A

Transient ischemic attack

243
Q

tid/t.i.d./TID

A

Three times a day

244
Q

Tx

A

Treatment

245
Q

UA

A

Urinalysis

246
Q

UE

A

Upper extremity

247
Q

URI

A

Upper respiratory infection

248
Q

UTI

A

Urinary tract infection

249
Q

VD

A

Venereal disease

250
Q

VF/V-fib

A

Ventricular fibrillation

251
Q

VRE

A

Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus

252
Q

VS

A

Vital signs

253
Q

VT/V tach

A

Ventricular tachycardia

254
Q

W/

A

With

255
Q

WBC

A

White blood cell

256
Q

WMD

A

Weapon of mass destruction

257
Q

WNL

A

Within normal limits

258
Q

W/O

A

Without

259
Q

wt

A

Weight

260
Q

x

A

Except

261
Q

yo; y/o

A

Year old