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Medical Terminology > Medical Terminology: Abbreviations > Flashcards

Medical Terminology: Abbreviations Flashcards

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USMLE® Step 1 flashcards
1
Q

ā

A

before (ante)

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2
Q

AAA

A

abdominal aortic aneurysm - (will hear “Triple A”)

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3
Q

abd

A

Abdomen

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4
Q

ABG

A

Arterial blood gas

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5
Q

a.c.

A

before meals (ante cibum)

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6
Q

ADL

A

activities of daily living

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7
Q

ad lib.

A

as desired

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8
Q

AEB

A

as evidenced by

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9
Q

AKA

A

above the knee amputation

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10
Q

AMA

A

against medical advice

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11
Q

AMI

A

acute myocardial infarction

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12
Q

amb., amb

A

ambulate or ambulatory

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13
Q

AP

A

anteroposterior - (AP chest X-ray)

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14
Q

ASAP

A

as soon as possible

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15
Q

b.i.d., bid, BID

A

twice a day (bis in die)

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16
Q

BKA

A

below the knee amputation

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17
Q

BLE

A

bilateral lower extremities

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18
Q

BM

A

bowel movement

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19
Q

BMP

A

basic metabolic panel

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20
Q

BP, B/P

A

blood pressure

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21
Q

bpm

A

beats per minute

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22
Q

BRP

A

bathroom privileges

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23
Q

BS, bs

A

bowel sounds; blood sugar, breath sounds

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24
Q

BUN

A

blood urea nitrogen

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25
Q

Bx, bx

A

biopsy

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26
Q

c (line above)

A

with

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27
Q

Ca

A

calcium

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28
Q

CA

A

cancer

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29
Q

cap

A

capsule

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30
Q

cath

A

catheter, catheterize

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31
Q

C & S

A

culture and sensitivity

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32
Q

c/o, C/O

A

complains of

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33
Q

CABG

A

coronary artery bypass graft(s)

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34
Q

CAD

A

coronary artery disease

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35
Q

CT scan, CAT scan

A

computed tomography scan, computed axial tomography scan

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36
Q

CBC

A

complete blood count

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37
Q

CC or C.C.

A

chief complaint

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38
Q

cc (lowercase)

A

cubic centimeter, same as mL (DO NOT USE cc- use mL instead)

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39
Q

CHF

A

congestive heart failure

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40
Q

CMP

A

comprehensive metabolic panel

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41
Q

CNS

A

central nervous system

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42
Q

COPD

A

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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43
Q

CPAP

A

continuous positive airway pressure

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44
Q

CRF

A

chronic renal failure

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45
Q

CSF

A

cerebrospinal fluid

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46
Q

CTA

A

clear to auscultation

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47
Q

CV

A

cardiovascular

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48
Q

CVA

A

cerebrovascular accident

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49
Q

CXR

A

chest x-ray

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50
Q

d

A

day

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51
Q

D/C, or d/c

A

discontinue, discharge

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52
Q

DM

A

diabetes mellitus

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53
Q

DNR

A

do not resuscitate

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54
Q

DOE

A

dyspnea on exertion

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55
Q

dsg, drsg

A

dressing

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56
Q

DTV

A

due to void

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57
Q

DVT

A

deep vein thrombosis

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58
Q

Dx, dx

A

diagnosis

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59
Q

EBL

A

estimated blood loss

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60
Q

ECG, EKG

A

electrocardiogram

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61
Q

EENT

A

ears, eyes, nose, and throat

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62
Q

ESRD

A

end stage renal disease

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63
Q

et al.

A

and others

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64
Q

ETOH, EtOH

A

ethanol, alcohol

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65
Q

F/U, f/u

A

follow-up

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66
Q

Fe

A

iron

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67
Q

FFP

A

fresh frozen plasma

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68
Q

Fx., fx

A

fracture

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69
Q

GERD

A

gastroesophageal reflux disease

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70
Q

GI, G.I.

A

gastrointestinal

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71
Q

gtt(s)

A

drop/drops

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72
Q

H/H. Hgb/Hct

A

hemoglobin and hematocrit (Hemoglobin is always first)

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73
Q

HA

A

headache

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74
Q

HHN

A

hand held nebulizer

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75
Q

HOB

A

head of bed

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76
Q

H & P

A

history and physical

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77
Q

HPI

A

history of present illness

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78
Q

HS, hs

A

hour of sleep (at bedtime) or half strength – Do Not Use–Write it Out

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79
Q

HTN

A

hypertension

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80
Q

Hx, hx

A

history

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81
Q

I & D

A

incision and drainage

82
Q

ICU

A

intensive care unit

83
Q

IM, I.M.

A

intramuscular

84
Q

I & O

A

intake and output

85
Q

IS

A

incentive spirometer

86
Q

IV

A

intravenous

87
Q

JP, J-P

A

Jackson-Pratt drain

88
Q

J-tube

A

feeding tube in the jejunum

89
Q

K+

A

potassium

90
Q

KCl

A

potassium chloride

91
Q

kg

A

kilograms

92
Q

KUB, K.U.B.

A

(x-ray of) kidneys, ureter, bladder

93
Q

KVO

A

keep vein open (IV rate approx. 20-30 mL/hr)

94
Q

L

A

liter

95
Q

L (circle around L) , Lt, lt

A

left

96
Q

L&D

A

labor and delivery

97
Q

LMP

A

last menstrual period

98
Q

LOC

A

loss of consciousness, level of consciousness

99
Q

LTAC

A

long term acute care

100
Q

LUE, L.U.E.

A

left upper extremity

101
Q

LLE, L.L.E.

A

left lower extremity

102
Q

LUQ, L.U.Q.

A

left upper quadrant

103
Q

LLQ, L.L.Q.

A

left lower quadrant

104
Q

lytes

A

electrolytes

105
Q

mcg

A

microgram (do not use ㎍)

106
Q

mEq

A

millliequivalent

107
Q

mg

A

milligram

108
Q

MI, M.I.

A

myocardial infarction

109
Q

MICU

A

Medical Intensive Care Unit

110
Q

mL

A

milliliter

111
Q

MN

A

midnight

112
Q

MODS

A

multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

113
Q

MRI

A

magnetic resonance imaging

114
Q

MS, MSO4, MgSO4

A

morphine sulfate
– Do Not Use; Write it out

115
Q

NaCl

A

sodium chloride

116
Q

NC

A

nasal cannula

117
Q

NG, NGT

A

nasogastric tube

118
Q

NICU

A

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

119
Q

NKA

A

no known allergies

120
Q

NKDA

A

no known drug allergies

121
Q

NPO

A

nothing by mouth

122
Q

NRBM

A

non-rebreather mask (for oxygen delivery)

123
Q

NS

A

normal saline (0.9% NaCl)

124
Q

NSAID

A

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug

125
Q

N/V

A

nausea and vomiting

126
Q

N/V/D

A

nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea

127
Q

NWB

A

non-weight bearing

128
Q

O2

A

oxygen

129
Q

OD

A

right eye

130
Q

OS

A

left eye

131
Q

O.U.

A

both eyes

132
Q

OOB

A

out of bed

133
Q

OTA

A

open to air

134
Q

OTC

A

over the counter

135
Q

p (line on top)

A

after

136
Q

PACU

A

Post Anesthesia Care Unit

137
Q

pc, p.c.

A

after meals

138
Q

PCA

A

patient controlled analgesia

139
Q

PCP

A

primary care physician

140
Q

PEG

A

percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube

141
Q

p.o.

A

by mouth

142
Q

pr

A

suppository route (per rectum)

143
Q

PRBC

A

packed red blood cells

144
Q

pre-op, preop

A

preoperatively, before surgery

145
Q

PRN, P.R.N., prn, p.r.n.

A

as needed, as necessary (pro re nata)

146
Q

Pt. , pt.

A

patient

147
Q

P.T.

A

physical therapy

148
Q

q

A

every (q 1 hr = every hour; q 4 hrs = every 4 hours)

149
Q

q.d.

A

Write every day or qday (on Do Not Use list)

150
Q

QID, Q.I.D., qid, q.i.d.

A

four times a day

151
Q

qs

A

every shift

152
Q

R (circle around R) , RT, Rt

A

right

153
Q

RA

A

rheumatoid arthritis, right atrium

154
Q

R/A

A

room air

155
Q

r/t

A

related to

156
Q

R/O

A

rule out

157
Q

RLE

A

right lower extremity

158
Q

RUE

A

right upper extremity

159
Q

RUQ

A

right upper quadrant

160
Q

RLQ

A

right lower quadrant

161
Q

Rx

A

prescription

162
Q

s (line on top)

A

without

163
Q

SAH

A

subarachnoid hemorrhage

164
Q

SARS

A

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

165
Q

SCD

A

sequential compression devices

166
Q

SICU

A

surgical intensive care unit

167
Q

SIRS

A

Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

168
Q

SL

A

sublingual

169
Q

SN, S.N.

A

student nurse

170
Q

SNF

A

skilled nursing facility

171
Q

SOB

A

shortness of breath

172
Q

S/P

A

status post

173
Q

S/S

A

signs and symptoms

174
Q

S.S., SSI

A

sliding scale insulin

175
Q

STAT, Stat

A

IMMEDIATELY, Now

176
Q

sub-Q

A

subcutaneous

177
Q

tachy

A

tachycardia

178
Q

T & C

A

type and crossmatch

179
Q

TB. Tb

A

tuberculosis

180
Q

TCDB

A

turn, cough, and deep breathe

181
Q

TEDs

A

thromboembolic disease support hose

182
Q

TIA

A

transient ischemic attack

183
Q

TID, T.I.D., tid, t.i.d.

A

three times a day

184
Q

TKO

A

to keep open (IV rate approx. 20-30 mL/hr)

185
Q

tol, tol.

A

tolerated

186
Q

TPCN

A

Total Patient Care Nurse

187
Q

TPR

A

temperature, pulse, and respiration

188
Q

tsp

A

teaspoon (5ml)

189
Q

Tbsp, tbsp

A

tablespoon (15 ml)

190
Q

tx

A

treatment

191
Q

U, IU

A

Unit, International Unit (on Do not Use list) - write out unit

192
Q

UA

A

urinalysis

193
Q

URI

A

upper respiratory infection

194
Q

UTI

A

urinary tract infection

195
Q

VS

A

vital signs

196
Q

WBAT

A

weight bearing as tolerated

197
Q

WBC

A

white blood cell count

198
Q

y/o, YO

A

year old

199
Q

Rule for LEADING ZERO

A

0.5 mg - ALWAYS use a zero BEFORE a decimal point (Not .5 mg)

200
Q

Rule for TRAILING ZERO

A

1 mg - NEVER use a zero AFTER a decimal point (Not 1.0 mg)

Medical Terminology (7 decks)

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