Common Abbreviations Flashcards
1
Q
A&P
A
Anatomy and physiology
2
Q
ā
A
Before
3
Q
AAA
A
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
4
Q
abd
A
Abdomen
5
Q
ABC, ABCs
A
Airway, breathing, circulation
6
Q
ac
A
Before meals
7
Q
ACLS
A
Advanced cardiac life support
8
Q
ADL, ADLs
A
Activity/activities of daily living
9
Q
ad lib
A
As desired
10
Q
AED
A
Automated external defibrillator
11
Q
AF, A-fib
A
Atrial fibrillation
12
Q
AICD
A
Automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator
13
Q
AIDS
A
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
14
Q
AK
A
Above the knee
15
Q
AKA
A
Above-the-knee amputation
16
Q
ALTE
A
Apparent life-threatening event
17
Q
AMA
A
Against medical advice
18
Q
amb
A
Ambulatory
19
Q
AMI
A
Acute myocardial infarction
20
Q
ant
A
Anterior
21
Q
AO X 4, A/O X 4
A
Alert and oriented to person, place, time, and self
22
Q
AP
A
Anteroposterior, front-to-back, action potential, angina pectoris, anterior pituitary, arterial pressure
23
Q
ARDS
A
Adult respiratory distress syndrome
24
Q
ASA
A
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
25
ASHD
Arteriosclerotic or atherosclerotic heart disease
26
BGL
Blood glucose level
27
bid/b.i.d./BID
Twice daily
28
BKA
Below-the-knee amputation
29
BLS
Basic life support
30
BM
Bowel movement
31
BP, B/P
Blood pressure
32
BPM
Beats per minute
33
BRUE
Brief resolved unexplained event
34
BS
Blood sugar, breath sounds, bowel sounds, bachelor of science (degree)
35
BSA
Body surface area
36
BVM
Bag-valve mask
37
bx
Biopsy
38
c̅
With
39
ºC
Degrees Celsius
40
CA
Cancer, cardiac arrest, chronologic age, coronary artery, cold agglutinin
41
CABG
Coronary artery bypass graft
42
CAD
Coronary artery disease
43
CBC
Complete blood cell count
44
CC or C/C
Chief complaint
45
CCU
Coronary care unit
46
C diff
Clostridium difficile
47
CHF
Congestive heart failure
48
cm
Centimeter
49
CN
Cyanide
50
CNS
Central nervous
51
c/o
Complaining of
52
CO
Cardiac output, carbon monoxide
53
CO₂
Carbon dioxide
54
COLD
Chronic obstructive lung disease
55
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
56
CP
Chest pain, chemically pure, cerebral palsy
57
CPAP
Continuous positive airway pressure
58
CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
59
CRNA
Certified registered nurse anesthetist
60
CRT
Capillary refill time, cathode ray tube
61
CSF
Cerebrospinal fluid
62
CT
Computed tomography
63
CVA
Cerebrovascular accident
64
DM
Diabetes mellitus
65
DNR
Do not resuscitate
66
DOA
Dead on arrival
67
Doe
Dyspnea on exertion
68
DON
Director of nursing
69
DPT
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine, doctor of physical therapy
70
DSD
Dry sterile dressing
71
DtaP
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine
72
DTP
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine
73
DTs
Delirium tremens
74
DVT
Deep vein thrombosis
75
Dx
Diagnosis
76
ECG
Electrocardiogram
77
ED
Emergency department, erectile dysfunction
78
EDC
Estimated date of confinement
79
EEG
Electroencephalogram
80
EKG
Electrogardiogram
81
ENT
Ears, nose, and throat
82
EOC
Emergency Operations Center
83
ER
Emergency room
84
ET, ETT
Endotracheal, endotracheal tube
85
ETA
Estimated time of arrival
86
ETCO₂
End-tidal carbon dioxide
87
ETOH
Ethyl alcohol
88
ºF
Degrees Fahrenheit
89
FIO₂
Fraction of inspired oxygen
90
FBS
Fasting blood sugar
91
Fe
Iron
92
FHR
Fetal heart rate
93
FHx
Family history
94
fl. fld
Fluid
95
fx
Fracture
96
GB
Gallbladder
97
GCS
Glasgow Coma Scale
98
GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
99
GI
Gastrointestinal
100
GSW
Gunshot wound
101
gtt
Drops(s)
102
GTT
Glucose tolerance test
103
GU
Genitourinary
104
gyn
Gynecology
105
h
Hour
106
H&P
History and physical
107
HA, H/A
Headache
108
Hb, Hgb
Hemoglobin
109
HBV
Hepatitis B virus
110
Hct
Hematocrit
111
HCV
Hepatitis C virus
112
HH
Hiatal hernia
113
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus
114
H₂O
Water
115
HPI
History of present illness
116
HR
Heart rate
117
hr
Hour
118
HTN
Hypertension
119
Hx
History
120
I&O
Intake and output
121
ICP
Intracranial pressure
122
ICS
Incident command system, intercostal space
123
ICU
Intensive care unit
124
IDDM
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
125
IM
Intramuscular
126
IMS
Incident management system
127
IN
Intranasal
128
IO
Intraosseous
129
IUD
Intrauterine device (contraceptive)
130
IV
Intravenous
131
JVD
Jugular venous distention
132
kg
Kilogram
133
LE
Lower extremity, left eye, lupus erythematosus
134
LLL
Left lower lobe of the lung
135
LLQ
Left lower quadrant of the abdomen
136
L/m, LPM
Liters per minute
137
LMP
Last menstrual period
138
LOC
Level of consciousness, loss of consciousness
139
LUL
Left upper lobe of the lung
140
LUQ
Left upper quadrant of the abdomen
141
LVAD
Left ventricular assist device
142
MAE
Moves all extremities
143
MAEW
Moves all extremities well
144
mg
Milligram
145
MI
Myocardial infarction
146
MICU
Mobile intensive care unit, medical intensive care unit
147
min
Minute
148
mL
Milliliter
149
mm
Millimeter
150
mm Hg
Millimeters of mercury
151
MOI
Mechanism of injury
152
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
153
MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
154
MVA
Motor vehicle accident
155
MVC
Motor vehicle crash
156
MVP
Mitral valve prolapse
157
NA, N/A
Not applicable
158
NAD
No apparent distress, no appreciable disease
159
NC
Nasal cannula
160
NG
Nasogastric
161
NICU
Neonatal intensive care unit
162
NIDDM
Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
163
NKA
No known allergies
164
NKDA
No known drug allergies
165
NP
Nurse practitioner
166
NPA
Nasopharyngeal airway
167
NPO
Nil per os (nothing by mouth)
168
NRB, NRBM
Nonrebreathing mask
169
NS
Normal saline
170
NSR
Normal sinus rhythm
171
NTG
Nitroglycerin
172
N/V
Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
173
O₂
Oxygen
174
OB
Obstetrics
175
OBS
Organic brain syndrome
176
OD
Overdose, right eye, optical density, outside diameter, doctor of optometry
177
OP
Outpatient
178
OPA
Oropharyngeal airway
179
OR
Operating room
180
OS
Left eye
181
OU
Both eyes
182
oz
Ounce
183
p̄
After
184
PA
Physician assistant
185
pc
After meals
186
Pco₂
Partial pressure of carbon dioxide
187
PE
Pulmonary embolism, physical examination
188
PEARL or PERL
Pupils equal and reactive to light
189
PEARLA
Pupils equal and reactive to light and accommodation
190
PEARRL
Pupils equal and round, regular in size, react to light
191
ped or peds
Pediatric
192
PEEP
Positive end-expiratory pressure
193
PERRL
Pupils equal, round, and reactive to light
194
PID
Pelvic inflammatory disease
195
PMH
Past medical history
196
PND
Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
197
po
Per os (by mouth)
198
PO
Postoperative, post-op
199
PRN
Pro re nata (as needed)
200
psi
Pounds per square inch
201
PSVT
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
202
pt
Patient
203
PT
Physical therapy, prothrombin time
204
PTA
Prior to admission, plasma thromboplastin antecedent
205
PTT
Partial thromboplastin time
206
PVC
Premature ventricular contraction, polyvinyl chloride
207
PVD
Peripheral vascular disease
208
q
Every
209
RA
Rheumatoid arthritis, right atrium
210
RAD
Reactive airway disease, right axis deviation
211
RBC
Red blood cell
212
Rh
Rhesus blood factor, rhodium
213
RLL
Right lower lobe of the lung
214
RLQ
Right lower quadrant of the abdomen
215
RN
Registered nurse
216
R/O
Rule out
217
ROM
Range of motion, rupture of membranes
218
RUL
Right upper lobe of the lung
219
RUQ
Right upper quadrant of the abdomen
220
Rx
Prescription
221
s̅
Without
222
SaO₂
Oxygen saturation
223
SC
Subcutaneous
224
SG
Supraglottic
225
SICU
Surgical intensive care unit
226
SIDS
Sudden infant death syndrome
227
SL
Sublingual
228
SOB
Shortness of breath
229
SpO₂
Saturation of peripheral oxygen
230
S/S, S&S
Signs and symptoms
231
stat
Immediately
232
STEMI
ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
233
STI
Sexually transmitted infection
234
subcut
Subcutaneous
235
SVT
Supraventricular tachycardia
236
sym or Sx
Symptoms
237
T
Temperature
238
tab
Tablet
239
TB
Tuberculosis
240
TBA
To be admitted, to be announced
241
tech
Technician, technologist
242
TIA
Transient ischemic attack
243
tid/t.i.d./TID
Three times a day
244
Tx
Treatment
245
UA
Urinalysis
246
UE
Upper extremity
247
URI
Upper respiratory infection
248
UTI
Urinary tract infection
249
VD
Venereal disease
250
VF/V-fib
Ventricular fibrillation
251
VRE
Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
252
VS
Vital signs
253
VT/V tach
Ventricular tachycardia
254
W/
With
255
WBC
White blood cell
256
WMD
Weapon of mass destruction
257
WNL
Within normal limits
258
W/O
Without
259
wt
Weight
260
x
Except
261
yo; y/o
Year old
