Common Abbreviations Flashcards
A&P
Anatomy and physiology
ā
Before
AAA
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
abd
Abdomen
ABC, ABCs
Airway, breathing, circulation
ac
Before meals
ACLS
Advanced cardiac life support
ADL, ADLs
Activity/activities of daily living
ad lib
As desired
AED
Automated external defibrillator
AF, A-fib
Atrial fibrillation
AICD
Automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator
AIDS
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
AK
Above the knee
AKA
Above-the-knee amputation
ALTE
Apparent life-threatening event
AMA
Against medical advice
amb
Ambulatory
AMI
Acute myocardial infarction
ant
Anterior
AO X 4, A/O X 4
Alert and oriented to person, place, time, and self
AP
Anteroposterior, front-to-back, action potential, angina pectoris, anterior pituitary, arterial pressure
ARDS
Adult respiratory distress syndrome
ASA
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
ASHD
Arteriosclerotic or atherosclerotic heart disease
BGL
Blood glucose level
bid/b.i.d./BID
Twice daily
BKA
Below-the-knee amputation
BLS
Basic life support
BM
Bowel movement
BP, B/P
Blood pressure
BPM
Beats per minute
BRUE
Brief resolved unexplained event
BS
Blood sugar, breath sounds, bowel sounds, bachelor of science (degree)
BSA
Body surface area
BVM
Bag-valve mask
bx
Biopsy
c̅
With
ºC
Degrees Celsius
CA
Cancer, cardiac arrest, chronologic age, coronary artery, cold agglutinin
CABG
Coronary artery bypass graft
CAD
Coronary artery disease
CBC
Complete blood cell count
CC or C/C
Chief complaint
CCU
Coronary care unit
C diff
Clostridium difficile
CHF
Congestive heart failure
cm
Centimeter
CN
Cyanide
CNS
Central nervous
c/o
Complaining of
CO
Cardiac output, carbon monoxide
CO₂
Carbon dioxide
COLD
Chronic obstructive lung disease
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CP
Chest pain, chemically pure, cerebral palsy
CPAP
Continuous positive airway pressure
CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CRNA
Certified registered nurse anesthetist
CRT
Capillary refill time, cathode ray tube
CSF
Cerebrospinal fluid
CT
Computed tomography
CVA
Cerebrovascular accident
DM
Diabetes mellitus
DNR
Do not resuscitate
DOA
Dead on arrival
Doe
Dyspnea on exertion
DON
Director of nursing
DPT
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine, doctor of physical therapy
DSD
Dry sterile dressing
DtaP
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine
DTP
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine
DTs
Delirium tremens
DVT
Deep vein thrombosis
Dx
Diagnosis
ECG
Electrocardiogram
ED
Emergency department, erectile dysfunction
EDC
Estimated date of confinement
EEG
Electroencephalogram
EKG
Electrogardiogram
ENT
Ears, nose, and throat
EOC
Emergency Operations Center
ER
Emergency room
ET, ETT
Endotracheal, endotracheal tube
ETA
Estimated time of arrival
ETCO₂
End-tidal carbon dioxide
ETOH
Ethyl alcohol
ºF
Degrees Fahrenheit
FIO₂
Fraction of inspired oxygen
FBS
Fasting blood sugar
Fe
Iron
FHR
Fetal heart rate
FHx
Family history
fl. fld
Fluid
fx
Fracture
GB
Gallbladder
GCS
Glasgow Coma Scale
GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
GI
Gastrointestinal
GSW
Gunshot wound
gtt
Drops(s)
GTT
Glucose tolerance test
GU
Genitourinary
gyn
Gynecology
h
Hour
H&P
History and physical
HA, H/A
Headache
Hb, Hgb
Hemoglobin
HBV
Hepatitis B virus
Hct
Hematocrit
HCV
Hepatitis C virus
HH
Hiatal hernia
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus
H₂O
Water
HPI
History of present illness
HR
Heart rate
hr
Hour
HTN
Hypertension
Hx
History
I&O
Intake and output
ICP
Intracranial pressure
ICS
Incident command system, intercostal space
ICU
Intensive care unit
IDDM
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
IM
Intramuscular
IMS
Incident management system
IN
Intranasal
IO
Intraosseous
IUD
Intrauterine device (contraceptive)
IV
Intravenous
JVD
Jugular venous distention
kg
Kilogram
LE
Lower extremity, left eye, lupus erythematosus
LLL
Left lower lobe of the lung
LLQ
Left lower quadrant of the abdomen
L/m, LPM
Liters per minute
LMP
Last menstrual period
LOC
Level of consciousness, loss of consciousness
LUL
Left upper lobe of the lung
LUQ
Left upper quadrant of the abdomen
LVAD
Left ventricular assist device
MAE
Moves all extremities
MAEW
Moves all extremities well
mg
Milligram
MI
Myocardial infarction
MICU
Mobile intensive care unit, medical intensive care unit
min
Minute
mL
Milliliter
mm
Millimeter
mm Hg
Millimeters of mercury
MOI
Mechanism of injury
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MVA
Motor vehicle accident
MVC
Motor vehicle crash
MVP
Mitral valve prolapse
NA, N/A
Not applicable
NAD
No apparent distress, no appreciable disease
NC
Nasal cannula
NG
Nasogastric
NICU
Neonatal intensive care unit
NIDDM
Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
NKA
No known allergies
NKDA
No known drug allergies
NP
Nurse practitioner
NPA
Nasopharyngeal airway
NPO
Nil per os (nothing by mouth)
NRB, NRBM
Nonrebreathing mask
NS
Normal saline
NSR
Normal sinus rhythm
NTG
Nitroglycerin
N/V
Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
O₂
Oxygen
OB
Obstetrics
OBS
Organic brain syndrome
OD
Overdose, right eye, optical density, outside diameter, doctor of optometry
OP
Outpatient
OPA
Oropharyngeal airway
OR
Operating room
OS
Left eye
OU
Both eyes
oz
Ounce
p̄
After
PA
Physician assistant
pc
After meals
Pco₂
Partial pressure of carbon dioxide
PE
Pulmonary embolism, physical examination
PEARL or PERL
Pupils equal and reactive to light
PEARLA
Pupils equal and reactive to light and accommodation
PEARRL
Pupils equal and round, regular in size, react to light
ped or peds
Pediatric
PEEP
Positive end-expiratory pressure
PERRL
Pupils equal, round, and reactive to light
PID
Pelvic inflammatory disease
PMH
Past medical history
PND
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
po
Per os (by mouth)
PO
Postoperative, post-op
PRN
Pro re nata (as needed)
psi
Pounds per square inch
PSVT
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
pt
Patient
PT
Physical therapy, prothrombin time
PTA
Prior to admission, plasma thromboplastin antecedent
PTT
Partial thromboplastin time
PVC
Premature ventricular contraction, polyvinyl chloride
PVD
Peripheral vascular disease
q
Every
RA
Rheumatoid arthritis, right atrium
RAD
Reactive airway disease, right axis deviation
RBC
Red blood cell
Rh
Rhesus blood factor, rhodium
RLL
Right lower lobe of the lung
RLQ
Right lower quadrant of the abdomen
RN
Registered nurse
R/O
Rule out
ROM
Range of motion, rupture of membranes
RUL
Right upper lobe of the lung
RUQ
Right upper quadrant of the abdomen
Rx
Prescription
s̅
Without
SaO₂
Oxygen saturation
SC
Subcutaneous
SG
Supraglottic
SICU
Surgical intensive care unit
SIDS
Sudden infant death syndrome
SL
Sublingual
SOB
Shortness of breath
SpO₂
Saturation of peripheral oxygen
S/S, S&S
Signs and symptoms
stat
Immediately
STEMI
ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
STI
Sexually transmitted infection
subcut
Subcutaneous
SVT
Supraventricular tachycardia
sym or Sx
Symptoms
T
Temperature
tab
Tablet
TB
Tuberculosis
TBA
To be admitted, to be announced
tech
Technician, technologist
TIA
Transient ischemic attack
tid/t.i.d./TID
Three times a day
Tx
Treatment
UA
Urinalysis
UE
Upper extremity
URI
Upper respiratory infection
UTI
Urinary tract infection
VD
Venereal disease
VF/V-fib
Ventricular fibrillation
VRE
Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
VS
Vital signs
VT/V tach
Ventricular tachycardia
W/
With
WBC
White blood cell
WMD
Weapon of mass destruction
WNL
Within normal limits
W/O
Without
wt
Weight
x
Except
yo; y/o
Year old