Common Medical Abbreviations
The definition of abbreviation is "making shorter." We commonly use abbreviations to make our lives easier so we don't have to spend a lot of time writing things out. For example, when you write your address you probably write "St." or "Ave." instead of street or avenue. Abbreviations are everywhere to help us save time and energy. There is, perhaps, no one who needs to save time and energy more then harried doctors and health care workers. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that there is a long list of medical abbreviations.
Common Medical Abbreviations
There is a medical abbreviation for almost any word a doctor would ever need to write. Here is a list, organized alphabetically.
A
AA - amino acid
ABD - abdomen
ABG - arterial blood gas
Abx - antibiotics
ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
AF - acid-fast
AIDS - acquired immune deficiency syndrome
al - left ear
ALS - advanced life support
AMA - against medical advice
A&O - alert and oriented
AOB - alcohol on breath
ARDS - adult respiratory distress syndrome
ARF - acute renal failure
ARF - acute rheumatic fever
au - both ears
A&W - alive and well
AXR - abdominal x-ray
B
BAD - bipolar affective disorder
BAL - blood alcohol level
BC - birth control
BE - barium enema
bid - bis in dies (twice a day)
BM - bowel movement
BMD - bone mass density
BMI - body mass index
BMR - basic metabolic rate
BMT - bone marrow transplant
BP - blood pressure
Bx - biopsy
C
CA - cancer
CAB - carotid artery bruit
CABG - coronary artery bypass graft
CAD - coronary artery disease
CBC - complete blood count
CBD - common bile duct
CBF - cerebral blood flow
CF - cystic fibrosis
C/F - chills, fever
CFT - complement fixation testing
CHD - congenital heart disease
CHF - congestive heart failure
COLD - chronic obstructive lung disease
COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CP - chest pain
CP - cerebral palsy
C/S - Cesarean section
CV - cardiovascular
CVA - cerebral vascular accident
CXR - chest x-ray
D
DNR - do not resuscitate DO - disorder DOA - dead on arrival DOA - date of admission DOB - date of birth DOT - directly observed therapy DSM - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual on Mental Disorders DTR - deep tendon reflex DVT - deep venous thrombosis Dx - diagnosis
E
EBL - estimated blood loss
EBV - Epstein-Barr virus
EC - eye contact
ECASA - enteric coated acetylsalicylic acid
ECC - emergency cardiac care
ECG - electrocardiogram
ECMO - extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
ECT - electroconvulsive therapy
ECV - external cephalic version
EDC - estimated date of confinement
EDD - estimated delivery date
EGA - estimated gestational age
EGC - early gastric cancer
F
FAS - fetal alcohol syndrome
FB - foreign body
F/C - fever, chills
FEF - forced expiratory flow
FHR - fetal heart rate
FL - femur length
FM - fetal movement
FNA - fine needle aspiration
FNF - finger to nose
FOBT - fecal occult blood testing
FRC - functional residual capacity
FROM - free range of motion
FSE - fetal scalp electrode
FSH - follicle stimulating hormone
FT - full term
G
GA - gestational age
GH - growth hormone
GHRH - growth hormone releasing hormone
GI - gastrointestinal
GLT - glucose loading test
GSW - gun shot wound
GTT - glucose tolerance test
GU - genitourinary
H
HA - headache
HA - hemolytic anemia
HAV - hepatitis A virus
HBV - hepatitis B virus
Hb - hemoglobin
HC - head circumference
HCV - hepatitis C virus
HDL - high density lipoprotein
HDV - hepatitis D virus
HIV - human immunodeficiency virus
HPA - hypothalamic suppression test
HPI - history of present illness
HR - heart rate
HTN - hypertension
I
IBD - inflammatory bowel disease
IBS - inflammatory bowel syndrome
IBW - ideal body weight
ICM - intensive case manager
ICP - intracranial pressure
ICU - intensive care unit
I&D - incision and drainage
ID - infectious diseases
IM - intramuscular
IP - inpatient
IPF - idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
IQ - intelligence quotient
IUI - intrauterine insemination
IUP - intrauterine pregnancy
IUPC - intrauterine pressure catheter
IV - intravenous
IVF - in vitro fertilization
IVIG - intravenous immune globulin
IVP - intravenous push
J
JCV - JC virus
JRA - juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
JVD - jugular venous distension
K
KS - Kaposi sarcoma
KUB - kidney, ureter, bladder (x-ray)
L
LAD - left anterior descending
LAD - leukocyte adhesion deficiency
LAFB - left anterior fascicular block
LAR - low anterior resection
LBBB - left bundle branch block
LBP - lower back pain
LBW - low birth weight
LIH - left inguinal hernia
LLL - left lower lobe
LLQ - left lower quadrant
LOF - loss of fluid
LP - lumbar puncture
LPFB - left posterior fascicular block
LUL - left upper lobe
LUQ - left upper quadrant
LV - left ventricle
LVH - left ventricular hypertrophy
M
MABP - mean arterial blood pressure
MAP - mean arterial pressure
MCO - managed care organization
MCTD - mixed connective tissue disease
MCV - mean corpuscular volume MD - muscular dystrophy
MDD - maximum daily dose
MR - mental retardation
MS - multiple sclerosis
MVA - motor vehicle accident
N
NAD - no acute distress
NIDDM - non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
NIH - National Institutes of Health
NKDA - no known drug allergies
NM - neuromuscular NOS - not otherwise specified
NPV - negative predictive value
NTD - neural tube defect NTD - nothing to do
NTG - nitroglycerine
N/V - nausea, vomiting
NVD - normal vaginal delivery
O
OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder
OCP - oral contraceptive pills
ODD - oppositional defiant disorder
OGTT - oral glucose tolerance test
ON - optic neuritis
OPD - outpatient department
OPV - oral polio vaccine
ORIF - open reduction & internal fixation
OS - overall survival
OSA - obstructive sleep apnea
OTC - over the counter
P
PA - patient
PAP - pulmonary artery pressure
PBP - penicillin binding protein
PCN - penicillin
PCP - primary care physician
PCR - polymerase chain reaction
PD - Parkinson's Disease
PE - pulmonary embolism
PEEP - positive end expiratory pressure
PID - pelvic inflammatory disease
PIH - pregnancy induced hypertension
PKD - polycystic kidney disease
PMS - premenstrual syndrome
PNS - peripheral nervous system
PNV - pre-natal vitamins
PO - per os (by mouth)
PT - physical therapy
PT - patient
PTSD - post-traumatic stress disorder
Q
qd - once a day
qh - once every hour
qhs - once every day at night
qid - four times a day
QNS - quantity not sufficient
qod - every other day
R
RA - right atrium
RA - rheumatoid arthritis
RAD - reactive airway disease
RBC - red blood cell
RCA - right coronary artery
RDI - recommended daily intake
RDS - respiratory distress syndrome
RDW - red blood cell distribution of width
REE - resting energy expenditure
REM - rapid eye movements
RF - risk factor
RHD - rheumatic heart disease
RUL - right upper lobe
RUQ - right upper quadrant
RV - right ventricle
RV - residual volume
RVH - right ventricular hypertrophy
Rx - treatment
RXN - reaction
S
SAB - spontaneous abortion
SBO - small bowel obstruction
SBP - spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
SBS - shaken baby syndrome
SOB - shortness of breath
SPA - sperm penetration assay
SROM - spontaneous rupture of membrane
SS - social security
SSE - sterile speculum examination
STD - sexually transmitted disease
T
TAH - total abdominal hysterectomy
TB - tuberculosis
TBI - traumatic brain injury
TBG - thyroid binding globulin
TBW - total body water
T&C - type and cross (blood)
TGA - transient global amnesia
tiw - three times a week
TLC - total lung capacity
U
UA - urinalysis
UC - ulcerative colitis
UE - upper extremity
UO - urine output
URI - upper respiratory infection
US - ultrasound
USOH - usual state of health
UTI - urinary tract infection
V
VB - vaginal bleeding
VBAC - vaginal birth after caesarean section
VF - ventricular fibrillation
VH - vaginal hysterectomy
VH - hallucination
VIP - voluntary interruption of pregnancy
VLDL - very low density lipoproteins
VPC - ventricular premature contraction
VRS - volume reduction surgery
VS - vital signs
VSS - vital signs stable
W
WB - whole blood
WBC - white blood cell
W/D - withdrawal
WNL - within normal limits
X
XRT -external radiation therapy