Medical Acronyms

Question 1

Why Acronyms?

Answer 1

An acronym is an abbreviated form of a word or words, used to represent one or more words in short form

Question 2

Hx
Tx
Dx
Rx
Sx
Anx
Abx

Answer 2

Hx = History
Tx = Treatment
Dx = Diagnosis
Rx = Prescription
Sx = Surgery
Anx = Anesthesia
Abx = Antibiotics

Question 3

C
F
M
MN
MC
M or MI
F
FS
F or FI

Answer 3

C = Caine
F = Feline
M = Male
MN = Male neutered
MC = Male castrated
M or MI = Male intact
F = Female
FS = Female spayed
F or FI = Female intact

Question 4

GSD
GSP
BC
DSH
DMH
DLH

Answer 4

GSD = German Shepherd Dog
GSP = German Short-haired Pointer
BC = Border Collie
DSH = Domestic Short hair
DMH = Domestic Medium hair
DLH = Domestic Long hair

Question 5

TPR
HR
RR
MM
CRT

Answer 5

TPR = Temperature, Pulse, Respiration
HR = Heart Rate
RR = Respiration Rate
MM = Mucous membranes
CRT = Capillary Refill Time

Question 6

BAR
QAR

Answer 6

BAR = Bright, Alert, Responsive
QAR = Quiet, Alert, Responsive

Question 7

V
D
C
S
U
BM

Answer 7

V = vomiting
D = Diarrhea
C = coughing
S = sneezing
U = urinating
BM = bowel movements

Question 8

PO
SQ
IM
IV
IC
ID

Answer 8

PO = “per os” = by mouth
SQ = subcutaneously = under the skin
IM = intramuscularly = in the muscle
IV = intravenously = in the vein
IC = intracardiac = in the heart
ID = intradermal = within the skin

Question 9

O
A

Answer 9

O = eye (think “ocular”, “optometrist”,
“optic”)
A = ear (think “auditory” - stands for
“aural” - don’t confuse it with oral!)

Question 10

D
S
U
OU
AD

Answer 10

D = Right (got some French? Think “doit”)
S = Left (from Latin “sinister” because left-handed people are evil??
U = both (think unified, united)
OU = both eyes
AD = right ear

Question 11

Once daily
Twice daily
Thrice daily
Four times daily
ad lib
prn

Answer 11

Once daily = sid, uid or q24h
Twice daily = bid or ql 2h
Thrice daily = tid or q8h
Four times daily = qid or q6h
ad lib = as much as they want
prn = as needed

Question 12

WNL
NSF
NEO
N/A
N/E
FNA
PSBW

Answer 12

WNL = within normal limits
NSF = no significant findings
NEO = no (parasite) eggs observed
N/A = not applicable
N/E = not examined
FNA = fine needle aspirate
PSBW = Presurgical Bloodwork

Question 13

OHE or OVH
NPO
DNR
HBC
BD/LD
ADR

Answer 13

OHE or OVH =
ovariohysterectomy (“spay”)
NPO = nothing by mouth (per os) - ie fast the patient for surgery
DNR = do not resuscitate
HBC = hit by car
BD/LD = big dog/little dog (wounds from a dog fight)
ADR = “ain’t doing right”