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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ABBREVIATIONS

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ABBREVIATIONS

The following list contains some of the most common abbreviations found in medical records. Please note that in medical terminology, the capitalization of letters bears significance as to the meaning of certain terms, and is often used to distinguish terms with similar acronyms. @at A & Panatomy and physiology ababortion abdabdominal ABGarterial blood gas a.c.before meals ac & clacetest and clinitest ACLSadvanced cardiac life support ADright ear ADLactivities of daily living ad libas desired admadmission afebafebrile, no fever AFBacid-fast bacillus AKAabove the knee albalbumin alt diebalternate days (every other day) ammorning AMAagainst medical advice amalamalgam ambambulate, walk AMIacute myocardial infarction amtamount ANSautomatic nervous system antanterior AOx3alert and oriented to person, time, and place Apapical APapical pulse approxapproximately aqaqueous ARDSacute respiratory distress syndrome ASleft ear ASAaspirin asap (ASAP)as soon as possible as tolas tolerated ATDadmission, transfer, discharge AUboth ears Axaxillary BEbarium enema bidtwice a day bil, bilateralboth sides BKbelow knee BKAbelow the knee amputation blblood bl wkblood work BLSbasic life support BMbowel movement BOWbag of waters B/Pblood pressure bpmbeats per minute BRbed rest

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ABBREVIATIONS BRPbathroom privileges BSbreath sounds BSIbody substance isolation BSObilateral salpingo-oophorectomy BUNblood, urea, nitrogen levels BVMbag-valve-mask bxbiopsy cwith C & Sculture and sensitivity c-spinecervical spine CAcancer CADcoronary artery disease calcalorie CATcomputerized axial tomography cathcatheter CBCcomplete blood count cccubic centimeters CCchief complaint CCUcoronary care unit, critical care unit CHDcoronary heart disease CHFcongestive heart failure CHOcarbohydrate cholcholesterol circcircumcision cl liqclear liquid CNScentral nervous sysyem c/ocomplains of COPDchronic obstructive pulmonary disease CPKcreatine phosphokinase CPRcardiopulmonary resuscitation CPTchest physical therapy CScentral supply CSFcerebrospinal fluid CTcomputer tomography CVAcerebrovascular accident (stroke) CVUcardiovascular unit cxcervix or complaint of CXRchest X ray cystocystography d/cdiscontinue D & Cdilation and curettage DATdiet as tolerated DCdiscontinue or discharge deldelivery Del. Rm.delivery room diffdifferential DNAdeoxyribonucleic acid DNRdo not resuscitate DOAdead on arrival DOBdate of birth DPTdiphtheria, pertussis, tetanus DRGdiagnosis-related grouping D/Sdextrose in saline DTsdelirium tremens DWdistilled water D5W 5%dextrose in water Dxdiagnosis

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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ABBREVIATIONS

EBLestimated blood loss ECGelectrocardiogram EDemergency department EEGelectroencephalogram EENTeyes, ears, nose, throat EKGelectrocardiogram EMGelectromyogram EOAesophageal obturator airway ESRerythrocyte sedimentation rate estestimated ERemergency room ETendotracheal ETAestimated time of arrival etioletiology ETOHethyl alcohol, intoxicated examexamination expexploratory extexternal, extract, extraction FBOAforeign body obstructed airway FBSfasting blood sugar FBWfasting blood work FF (F. Fl)force fluids FHfamily history FHSfetal heart sounds FHTfetal heart tone FIFOfirst in, first out FSHfollicle-stimulating hormone ftfoot FUOfever of undetermined origin Fxfracture GBgallbladder GIgastrointestinal GUgenitourinary GTTglucose tolerance test (pancreas test) gtt(s)drop(s) gyngynecology H & Hhemoglobin and hematocrit HCGhuman chorionic gonadotrophin hcthematocrit HDLhigh-density lipoprotein hgbhemoglobin HOBhead of bed hr (h)hour HIVhuman immunodeficiency virus H&Phistory and physical HRheart rate hshour of sleep, bedtime htheight Hxhistory hypohypodermic injection hysthysterectomy IBSirritable bowel syndrome I & Dincision and drainage I & Ointake and output

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ABBREVIATIONS ICPintracranial pressure ICUintensive care unit IMintramuscular inginguinal injinjection IPPBintermittent positive pressure breathing irrigirrigation ISintercostal space isolisolation ITinhalation therapy IUDintrauterine device IVintravenous IVFin vitro fertilization IVPintravenous pyelogram K+potassium KClpotassuim chloride KUBkidney, ureter, bladder Llumbar L & Dlabor and delivery laclaceration lablaboratory laplaparotomy latlateral LDlethal dose LDHlactic dehydrogenase LDLlow-density lipoprotein liqliquid LLQ, LLLleft lower quadrant (abdomen), lobe (lung) LMPlast menstrual period LOClevel of consciousness LPlumbar puncture ltleft LUQ, LULleft upper quadrant (abdomen), lobe (lung) MAmental age MASTmedical antishock trousers MCImass casualty incident medsmedications MImyocardial infarction MICUmobile intensive care unit minminute MNmidnight MOMmilk of magnesia MRImagnetic resonance imagery MSmorphine sulfate, multiple sclerosis MVAmotor vehicle accident NVDnausea, vomiting, diarrhea Na+sodium NaClsodium chloride N/Cnasal cannula nocomplaints negnegative neuroneurology NGnasogastric NGTnasogastric tube nitronitroglycerine NKAno known allergies noc (t)night NPOnothing by mouth

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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ABBREVIATIONS

NSnormal saline nsgnursing NSRnormal sinus rhythm NVSneurological vital signs Ooxygen OBobstetrics ODright eye, overdose ointointment OOBout of bed OPDoutpatient department ORoperating room ordorderly ORTHorthopedics orthocorrect, right (bones) osmouth OSleft eye OToccupational therapy OUboth eyes ozounce pafter Ppulse P & Apercussion and auscultation PACpremature atrial contraction palppalpation PARpost-anesthesia room PATparoxysmal atrial tachycardia pcafter meals pCO2partial pressure of carbon dioxide PDRphysicians desk reference PEphysical exam, pulmonary embolism PEDSpediatrics perby or through PERL(A)pupils equal and reactive to light (and accommodation) PETpositron emission tomography PHpast history pHhydrogen ion concentration PIDpelvic inflammatory disease PKUphenylketonuria pmbetween noon and midnight PNSperipheral nervous system poby mouth post (pos)posterior postop, PostOppostoperative pp (p.p.)postprandial (after eating) pO2partial pressure of oxygen PPDpurified protein derivative (TB test) preop, PreOpbefore surgery prnas needed, whenever necessary pro timeprothrombin time ptpatient, pint PTphysical therapy PTTpartial prothrombaplastin time PVCpremature ventricular contraction Pxphysical exam, prognosis qevery qdevery day qhevery hour q2h, q3h, ...every two hours, every three hours, ...

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ABBREVIATIONS qhsevery night at bedtime qidfour times a day qnsquantity not sufficient qodevery other day qsquantity sufficient r (R)rectal R (resp)respirations, rectal RAIUradioactive iodine uptake study RBCred blood cell/count regregular Rhrhesus RKradial keratomy RLringers lactate RLQ, RLLright lower quadrant (abdomen), lobe (lung) RMLright middle lobe (lung) ROreality orientation R/Orule out ROMrange of motion R.R.recovery room RUQ, RLLright upper quadrant, lobe rtright RVresidual volume Rxtake (prescription) swithout S & Ssigns and symptoms ss1/2 Satsoxygen/blood saturation level SAsinoatrial SBsmall bowel scsubcutaneous SGOTserum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase SGPTserum glutamic pyruvic transaminase SIDSsudden infant death syndrome Sig:label/write SLsublingual SMACsequential multiple analysis computer SOBshortness of breath specspecimen sp. gr.specific gravity SQ, sub qsubcutaneous SSEsoap suds enema statimmediately STDsexually transmitted disease STHsomatotropic hormone SVDspontaneous vaginal delivery SVNsmall volume nebulizer SVTsupraventricular tachycardia Sxsymptoms Ttemperature, thoracic T & Atonsillectomy and adenoidectomy tabtablet tachytachycardic TAHtotal abdominal hysterectomy TBtuberculosis TCDBturn, cough, deep breath temp (T)temperature THthyroid hormone TIAtransient ischemic attack

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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY ABBREVIATIONS

tidthree times a day TMJtemporomandibular joint toltolerated TPNtotal parenteral nutrition TPRtemperature, pulse, respirations trtincture trachtracheotomy, tracheostomy TSHthyroid-stimulating hormone TTtetanus toxiod TURtransurethral resection TVtidal volume TVHtotal vaginal hysterectomy TXtraction UAurinalysis umbumbilicus unc.unconscious ungointment unkunknown ururine URCusual, reasonable, customary URIupper respiratory infection USultrasonic UTIurinary tract infection V fibventricular fibrillation V tachventricular tachycardia vagvaginal VCvital capacity VDvenereal disease vitvitamin voverbal order volvolume V/Svital signs WAwhile awake WBCwhite blood cell/count w/cwheelchair WNLwithin normal limits wtweight y/oyear(s) old