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Medical Abbreviations
Putting the pieces together
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Medical Abbreviations
Abbreviations are shortened forms of words, usually just letters. Ex: BR c BRP, FFl qh, VS qid Translates into: bed rest with bathroom privileges, force fluids every hour, vital signs four times a day
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Medical Abbreviations
Don’t use these: IU: international unit but can be mistaken for IV or 10 qd, qod, qid: every day, every other day, four times a day but can be mistaken for each other if written poorly Lack of a leading 0: (.5) can be mistaken as 5 (big deal when dealing with medicine) @ symbol: can be mistaken as 2 if written poorly < or >: can be mistaken as an L or 7
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Medical Abbreviations
A&D : admission and discharge A&P: Anterior and Posterior or Anatomy and Physiology abd: abdomen ac: before meals ACLS: Advanced Cardiac Life Support AD: right ear ADH: antidiuretic hormore ad lib: as desired ADL: activities of daily living adm: admission AED: automated external defibrillation AHA: American Heart Association AIDS: acquired immune deficiency disorder am: in the morning ----- Meeting Notes (8/12/13 09:35) ----- go into discussion more on the terms
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Medical Abbreviations
AMA: American Medical Association, against medical advice amb: ambulate, walk amt: amount ANA: American Nurses’ Association ANS: autonomic nervous system ant: anterior AP: apical pulse approx: approximately aq, aqua: aqueous (water base) AS: left ear as tol: as tolerated ASA: aspirin
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Medical Abbreviations
ASAP: as soon as possible AU: both ears av: average AV: arteriovenous, arterioventricular A&W: alive and well Ax: axilla, axillary, armpit
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Medical Abbreviations
bid: twice a day bil: bilateral BM: bowel movement BMI: body mass index BMR: basal metabolic rate BP: blood pressure BR: bed rest BS: blood sugar
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Medical Abbreviations
Ca: calcium cal: calorie Cap: capsule Cath: catheter, catheterize CBC: complete blood count CBR: complete bed rest cc: cubic centimeter CC: chief complaint CEO: chief executive officer CHD: coronary heart disease CHF: congestive heart failure CHO: carbohydrate chol: cholesterol CICU: Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
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Medical Abbreviations
Cl: chloride, chlorine cl liq: clear liquid cm: centimeter CMA: certified medical assistant CNP: certified nurse practitioner CNS: central nervous system co, c/o: complains of CO: carbon monoxide CO2: carbon dioxide Comp: complete, compound cont: continue COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COTA: certified occupational therapy assistant CP: cerebral palsy
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Medical Abbreviations
CPR: cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPT: current procedural terminology CRTT: certified respiratory therapy technician CSF: cerebrospinal fluid CST: certified surgical technologist CT: computed tomography CVA: cerebral vascular accident (stroke) CVD: cardiovascular disease
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Medical Abbreviations
d: day DA: dental assistant DAT: diet as tolerated DOC: doctor or chiropractic D/C: discontinued DDS: doctor of dental surgery DEA: Drug Enforcement Agency Dept: department DH: dental hygienist DHHS: Department of Health and Human Services DM: diabetes mellitus DMD: doctor of dental medicine DMS: diagnostic medical sonography DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid
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Medical Abbreviations
DO: doctor of osteopathic medicine DOA: dead on arrival DOB: date of birth DOD: date of death DON: director of nursing DPT: diptheria, pertussis, tetanus Dr: doctor DVM: doctor of veterinary medicine Dx/dx: diagnosis
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Medical Abbreviations
ea: each ECG/EKG: electrocardiogram ED: emergency department EEG: electroencephalogram EENT: eyes, ears, nose throat EMG: electromyogram EMS: emergency medical system EMT: emergency medical technician ENT: ears, nose, throat EPA: Environmental Protection Agency ER: emergency room et/etiol: etiology (cause of disease) Ex/exam: examination
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Medical Abbreviations
FAS: fetal alcohol syndrome FDA: Food and Drug Administration Fe: Iron FF/FFl: force fluids FH: family history Fl/fl: fluid ft: foot Fx/fr: fracture
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Medical Terminology gal: gallon GH: growth hormone
GI: Gastrointestinal Gm/g: gram Gyn: gynecology
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Medical Abbreviations
H: hydrogen H2O: water H2O2: hydrogen peroxide HBP: high blood pressure HBV: hepatitis B virus HCl: hydrochloric acid HCV: hepatitis C virus HDL: high-density lipoproteins Hg: mercury HHA: home health assistant/aide HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIV: human immunodeficiency virus
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Medical Abbreviations
HMO: health maintenance organization H&P: history and physical Hr/hr/H/h: hour Ht: height Hx/hx: history Hyst: hysterectomy
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Medical Abbreviations
ICD: international classification of disease ICU: intensive care unit IDDM: insulin-dependant diabetes mellitus IM: intramuscular in: inch inf: inferior ing: inguinal inj: injection int: interior, internal IUD: intrauterine device IV: intravenous
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Medical Abbreviations
jt: joint
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Medical Terminology K: potassium KCl: potassium chloride
Kg/kg: kilogram
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Medical Terminology L: lumbar L&W: living and well (L)/lt/lft: left
L: liter Lab: laboratory lat: lateral lb: pound LDL: low-density lipoprotein lg: large liq: liquid LLQ: lower left quadrant LPN: licensed nurse practitioner LS: lumbar sacral LUQ: left upper quadrant
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Medical Abbreviations
MA: medical assistant MD: medical doctor, muscular dystrophy, myocardial disease mg: milligram Mg: magnesium MI: myocardial infarction (heart attack) MICU: medical intensive care unit min: minute mL/ml: milliliter mm: millimeter mod: moderate MOM: milk of magnesia MRI: magnetic resonance imaging MS: multiple sclerosis, mitral stenosis, muscular-skeletal
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Medical Abbreviations
N: nitrogen N/A: not applicable Na: sodium NaCl: sodium chloride NB: newborn N/C: no complaints neg: negative NICU: neurological intensive care unit NIDDM: non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus NIH: National Institutes of Health no: number NO: nursing office NP: Nurse practitioner N/V, N&V: nausea and vomiting
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Medical Abbreviations
NVD: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea NVS: neurological vital signs
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Medical Abbreviations
O2: oxygen OBRA: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act od: overdose OD: right eye, or Doctor or Optometry oint: ointment OJ: orange juice OP: outpatient OPD/OPC: outpatient department/clinic opp: opposite OR: operating room Orth: Orthopedics OS: left eye OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration OT: occupational therapist/ therapy
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Medical Abbreviations
OTC: over the counter OU: each eye OV: office visit oz: ounce
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Medical Abbreviations
P: pulse, phosphorus PA: physician’s assistant Path: pathology Pb: lead PCC: poison control center PCP: patient care plan PCT: patient/ personal care technician PDR: Physician’s Desk Reference PE: physical examination, pulmonary edema PET: positron emission tomography pH: measure of acidity/ alkalinity Pharm: pharmacy PID: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease PM/pm: after noon
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Medical Abbreviations
PMS: premenstrual syndrome PNS: peripheral nervous system post: posterior, after post-op: after an operation PPE: personal protective equipment PPO: preferred provider organization pre-op: before an operation prep: prepare PRN: as needed pt: patient PT: physical therapy/ therapist Px: prognosis
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Medical Abbreviations
qol: quality of life qt: quart
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Medical Terminology R: respiration Rt: right Ra: radium
RBC: red blood cell RDA: recommended daily allowance REM: rapid eye movement RHD: rheumatic heart disease RLQ: right lower quadrant RN: registered nurse RNA: ribonucleic acid R/O rule out ROM: range of motion RRT: registered respiratory therapist, registered radiologic technologist
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Medical Abbreviations
RT: respiratory therapy/ therapist RUQ: right upper quadrant Rx: prescription, take, treatment
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Medical Abbreviations
S: sacral S&A: sugar and acetone w/o: without SA: sinoatrial SICU: surgical intensive care unit SIDS: sudden infant death syndrome sm: small SOB: shortness of breath SPN: student practical nurse S/S, S&S: signs and symptoms Staph: staphylococcus infection Stat: immediately, at once STD: sexually transmitted disease Strep: streptococcus infection
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Medical Abbreviations
T/Temp: temperature TB: tuberculosis tbsp: tablespoon TLC: tender loving care tsp: teaspoon tx: traction, treatment
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Medical Abbreviations
UA, U/A: urinalysis URI: upper respiratory infection UTI: urinary tract infection UV: ultraviolet
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Medical Abbreviations
VDM: Veterinarian Degree of Medicine vol: volume VS: vital signs
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Medical Abbreviations
WBC: white blood cell WHO: World Health Organization WNL: within normal limits w/o, wo: without W/P: whirlpool wt: weight
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Medical Abbreviations
x: times (2x means 2 times) XR: x-ray
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Medical Abbreviations
y/o: years old YOB: year of birth yr: year
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Medical Abbreviations
Zn: zinc
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