Common Abbreviations/Symbols ALL Flashcards
Abbreviations and Symbols from list
ADL
activities of daily living
per
by or through
L
left
ENT
ear, nose and throat
GERD
gastroesophageal reflux disease
R
right; respiration; rectal
g
gram
OT
occupational therapy
CA, ca
cancer, carcinoma
THA
total hip arthroplasty
LMP
last menstrual period
OR
operating room
dc’d, DC
discontinue
IPPB
intermittent positive pressure breathing
CABG
coronary artery bypass graft
EDC
expected date of confinement
EKG
electrocardiogram
hct
hematocrit
hs
hour of sleep
-
minus
LUQ
left upper quadrant
reg
regular
=
equal
Hgb, hgb
hemoglobin
CD
communicable disease
CVA
cerebrovascular accident
Na
sodium
Sx
symptoms
PT
protime
A Fib
atrial fibrillation
IM
intramuscular
oz, z
ounce
T & A
tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy; tonsils and adenoids
ARM
artificial rupture of membranes (obstetrical)
Fx
fracture
DT’s
delirium tremens
BM, bm
bowel movement
lt
left
AIDS
acquired immune deficiency syndrome
BE
barium enema
IV
intravenous
PE
physical exams
LOC
level of consciousness
SCI
spinal cord injury
A & P (assessment)
auscultation and percussion
EENT
eye, ear, nose, and throat
FBS
fasting blood sugar
ASHD
arteriosclerotic heart disease
+
plus
TPR
temperature, pulse and respiration
bid
twice daily
c (w/ a line on top)
with
LP
lumbar puncture
prep
preperation
KUB
kidney, ureter, & bladder x-ray
LLL
left lower lobe
TB
tuberculosis
PM
noon until midnight
mid
middle
PVC
premature ventricular contraction
WNL
within normal limits
eg.
for example
noc
at night
SOB
shortness of breath
C
Celsius, centigrade
lat
lateral
vag
vaginal
med
medication, medium
C sec, CS
cesarean section
MRx1
may repeat times one
l, L
liter
RT
radiation therapy; respiratory therapy; recreational therapy
Cl
Chloride
cl liq
clear liquid diet
via
by or through
CBS
chronic brain syndrome
Hx
history
MSL
midsternal line
BPH
benign prostatic hypertrophy
CVP
central venous pressure
NS
normal saline
tol
tolerated
CO
cardiac output
GC, Gc
gonococcus, gonorrhea
➡
leads to, results in, produces
tab
tablet
gtt
drops
<
less than
UTI
urinary tract infection
VS, vs
vital signs
ASAP
as soon as possible
amb
ambulatory, ambulated
prn
when necessary (pro re nata)
TAH
total abdominal hysterectomy
T, tbs
tablespoon
INR
international normalizing ratio
mEq/L
milliequivalent per liter
MI
myocardial infarction
⬆
increased
A-P
anterior-posterior diameter
AP
apical pulse
pO2
partial pressure of oxygen
ABO
the main blood group system
OB
obstetrics
neuro
neurology
LE
left lower extremity
PT
physical therapy, physical therapist
EDD
expected date of delivery
RLL
right lower lobe
psych
psychiatry; psychology
PKU
phenylketonuria
PWP
pulmonary wedge pressure
R/O
rule out
x°
degree
DM
diabetes mellitus
T1-T12
thoracic vertebrae
DIC
disseminated intravascular coagulation
Lab
laboratory
RML
right middle lobe
D & C
dilation and curettage
pc
after meals (post cibum)
GU
genitourinary
trach
tracheostomy
TURP
transurethral resection of prostate
URI
upper respiratory infection
#
number
Ped(s)
pediatrics
LH
luteinizing hormone
FH
family history
NAS
no added salt
FHT
fetal heart tones
mEq
milliequivalent
N
nitrogen, normal
RUL
right upper lobe
TPN
total parenteral nutrition
ECT
electroconvulsive therapy
adm
admitted, admission, administer
NG
nasogastric
P
pulse
BP
blood pressure
⬇ (down arrow)
decreased, below
&
and
MCL
midclavicular line
NSR
normal sinus rhythm
ad lib
as desired (ad libitum)
abd
abdomen
IVP
intravenous pyelogram
disc
discontinue
temp
temperature
H
hyperdermic
CBC
complete blood count
KCl
potassium chloride
pt, Pt
patient
stat
at once, immediately
ml
milliliter
c/o
complains of
ACTH
adrenocorticotropic hormone
ORIF
open reduction internal fixation
H & H
hemoglobin and hematocrit
%
percent
Pap
papinicolaou’s smear (test)
L1-L5
lumbar vertebrae
DAT
diet as tolerated
qt
quart
ECG, EKG
electrocardiogram
TSH
thyroid stimulating hormone
RLQ
right lower quadrant
D5RL
dextrose 5% in Ringer’s lactate
po
by mouth (per os)
PTT
partial thromboplastin time
ABG
arterial blood gasses
lbs
pounds
CHO
carbohydrate
q
every (quaque)
”
inches, seconds
C1-C7
cervical vertebrae
x
times
0
none
’
feet, minutes
m
meter or minimum
H2O
water
NWB
non weight bearing
LLQ
left lower quadrant
NPO
nothing by mouth
cont
continuous
I & D
incision and drainage
AM
between midnight and noon
PERRLA
pupils equal, round, & reactive to light and accommodation
tsp
teaspoon
h, hr
hour
cap
capsule
VD
venereal disease
mg
milligram
pH
hydrogen ion concentration
NP
nurse practitioner
ADH
antidiuretic hormone
q_h
every (number) hour
BR
bed rest
CAT scan, CT scan
computerized axial tomography
os
by mouth
µg, mcg
microgram
K
potassium
GI
gastrointestinal
CC
chief complaint
cath
catheter
W/A
while awake
PICC
peripherally inserted central catheter
ortho
orthopedics
DOA
dead on arrival
I & O
intake and output
N/A
not available, not applicable
FSH
follicle stimulating hormone
mm
millimeter
CSF
cerebral spinal fluid
HCl
hydrochloric acid
lap
laparotomy
STD
sexually transmitted disease
cc
cubic centimeter
p
after
Dx
diagnosis
Tx
treatment
THR
total hip replacement
WBC
white blood cells
BUN
blood urea nitrogen
wt
weight
O2
oxygen
CCU
coronary care unit
Cysto
cystoscopy examination
Rx
prescription
neg
negative
ER
emergency room
ADA
American Diabetes Ass’n (diet plans)
IVPB
intravenous piggy back
drsg
dressing
ET tube
endotrachial tube
tid
three times a day
AV
atrioventricular, arterial venous
RN
registered nurse
EEG
electroencephalogram
PAP
pulmonary artery pressure
U/A, UA
urinalysis
A & P
anterior & posterior colporrhaphy
LDH
lactic dehydrogenase
AMA
against medical orders
amt
amount
RBC, rbc
red blood cells
CNS
central nervous system
D5W
dextrose 5% in water
kg
kilogram
G
gravida
pCO2
partial pressure of carbon dioxide
a.c.
before meals (ante cibum)
PID
pelvic inflammatory disease
post op
post operative
Fe
iron
ht
height
ROM
range of motion
ARDS
adult respiratory distress syndrome
TCDB
turn, cough, & deep breathe
FUO
fever of unknown origin
LUL
left upper lobe
peri
perineal
Rh
a major blood type (rhesus)
Rt, rt
right
>
greater than
IDDM
insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
MS
multiple sclerosis
amp
ampule
OOB
out of bed
RUQ
right upper quadrant
ax, A
axillary
F
Fahrenheit
Hg
mercury
pre op
preoperative
N & V
nausea and vomiting
CHF
congestive heart failure
CO2
carbon dioxide
ab
abortion
etc
(et cetera) and so forth
ICU
intensive care unit
D5NS
dextrose 5% in normal saline
ung
ointment
BS
breath sounds; blood sugar; bowel sounds; bed side
PMI
point of maximal impulse of the heart
exam
examination
XRT
radiation therapy
LVN
licensed vocational nurse
GYN
gynecology