Medical Abbreviations

S YMBOL MEANING C concentration, content

" seconds C & S culture & sensitivity

' minutes c with

Ø decreased CA cancer

↑ increased CBC complete blood count

cc † c m3
= equal
> greater than CCU Coronary Care Unit

< less than Cdyn dynamic compliance

D change cl clear

° hours cm centimeter

x dash above any symbol cmH 2O cm water pressure

indicates a mean value CNS central nervous system

x˙ dot above any symbol CO 2 carbon dioxide

indicates a timed event COPD chronic obstructive

a before pulmonary disease

†
abd abdomen CPPD chest percussion &

ABG arterial blood gas postural drainage

ac before meals CPT chest physiotherapy

ad lib as needed CSF cerebral spinal fluid

AFB acid-fast bacillus C St static compliance

AM aerosol mask CTA clear to auscultation

amt amount CV cardiovascular

anat anatomical CVP central venous pressure

an t anterior CXR chest x-ray

approx approximately DC discontinue

AV atrioventricular DOB date of birth

bid twice daily Dx, dx diagnosis

BP blood pressure ECG (EKG) electrocardiogram

B/S breath sounds ER emergency room

BUN blood urea nitrogen et and

Bx, bx biopsy ETT endotracheal tube

C Centigrade, Celsius F Fahrenheit, gas conc. as a

C compliance decimal
f frequency
F IO 2 fraction of inspired O2 ml milliliter
FOB foot of bed MLT minimal leak technique
Fx, fx fracture mm millimeter
g gram mmHg millimeters of mercury
GI gastrointestinal MOV minimal occlusion vol.
gtt drop NC nasal cannula
H & H hemoglobin & hematocrit no number
h hour noc night
H 2O water NPO nothing by mouth
HCM high concentration mask NRB nonrebreathing bag
Hct hematocrit NT nasotracheal
Hg mercury O2 oxygen
Hgb hemoglobin OR operating room
HHN hand-held nebulizer p pulse
HOB head of bed P partial pressure
hs at bedtime p after
hx history PaCO 2 arterial CO2 partial
I & O intake and output pressure
ICU Intensive Care Unit PaO 2 arterial O2 partial pressure
IM intramuscular P A CO 2 alveolar CO2 partial
inf inferior pressure
IPPB intermittent positive PAO 2 alveolar O2 partial
pressure breathing pressure
IS incentive spirometer PAP pulmonary artery pressure
IV intravenous pc after meals
kg kilogram PD postural drainage
L, l liter, left PEARL pupils equal & reactive to
L/min, lpm liters per minute light
lat lateral PO pulse oximeter
lb pound p.o. by mouth
LLL left lower lobe post posterior
LMSB left mainstem bronchus postop postoperative
LUL left upper lobe preop preoperative
m meter prn as needed
med medial psi pounds per square inch
mEq milliequivalent pt patient
mg milligram PT physical therapy
min minute
 PWP pulmonary wedge USN ultrasonic nebulizer
pressure V gas volume
q every V˙ flow of gas (vol./time)
q2h every 2 hours V˙ A alv. ventilation per min.
qd every day V˙ CO2 CO 2 production per min.
†
qh every hour V˙ E exp. volume per minute
†
qid 4 times daily via by way of
†
qod every other day VM venti-mask
†
qs quantity sufficient V˙ O2 O 2 consumption per min.
Q volume of blood VQ Scan ventilation-perfusion scan
Q˙ flow of blood (vol./time) VS vital signs
†
˙s
Q shunt (blood) VT tidal volume
˙T
Q cardiac output WBC white blood count
†
R, RR, resp respiratory rate x times
†
Raw airway resistance y/o year old
†
RBC red blood count
RLL right lower lobe
RML right middle lobe
RMSB right mainstem bronchus
rt. right
RUL right upper lobe
Rx treatment
s without Q UALIFYING
S saturation in blood a artery or arterial
SaO 2 arterial O2 saturation A alveolar
SM simple mask ATPD ambient temp and
SOB short of breath pressure, dry
SpO 2 sat. by pulse oximeter ATPS ambient temp and
stat immediately pressure, saturated
sup superior B barometric
SVN small volume nebulizer BTPS body temp, sea level
Sv O2 mixed venous saturation pressure, saturated
Sx suction c capillary
T temperature D dead space
t/o throughout E expired gas
tid three times daily I inspired gas
tol tolerated L lung
TPR temp, pulse, resp rate
STPD standard temperature and PEFR peak expiratory flow rate
pressure, dry RV residual volume
T tidal TLC total lung capacity
v vein, venous VC vital capacity
v mixed venous VD physiologic dead space
example: VD anat anatomical dead space
VT tidal volume VD A alveolar dead space
CL lung compliance VT tidal volume

P ULMONARY FUNCTION
ERV expiratory reserve volume
FEF forced expiratory flow
FEV forced expiratory volume
FEV .5 forced exp. volume (in .5 sec.)
FEV 1 forced exp. volume (in 1 sec.)
FEV 3 forced exp. volume (in 3 sec.)
FRC functional residual capacity
FVC forced vital capacity
IC inspiratory capacity
IRV inspiratory reserve volume
IVC inspiratory vital capacity
MVV max. voluntary ventilation
NIF negative inspiratory force
NIP negative inspiratory pressure