Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Medical Abbreviations
Medical Abbreviations
King_richard42@yahoo.com
[edit] 0–9
Abbrv. Meaning
Diagnosis; Also can mean
Δ "change"
Differential diagnosis, i.e. the list
ΔΔ of possible diagnoses
# Fracture
#NOF Fracture to the neck of the femur
Ψ Psychiatry
Σ Sigmoidoscopy
x/12 x number of months
x/40 x number of weeks of pregnancy
x/52 x number of weeks
x/7 x number of days
5-HT Serotonin, 5-Hydroxytryptamine
[edit] A
[edit] B
Ba Barium
BAL Bronchoalveolar lavage
BAL British anti-Lewisite
BAL Blood Alcohol Level
BAO Basic acid output
BAT Brown adipose tissue
Bacille Calmette-Guerin (a
BCG tuberculosis vaccination)
BCX Blood culture
"Bone break, me fix" Orthopedic
BBMF consent form
b.d. Twice daily, from Latin, bis die
b.i.d. Twice daily, from Latin, bis in die
BE Base excess
BIBA brought in by ambulance
BIB Brought in by
BK Bacterium Koch
BKA Below Knee Amputation
bl.cult Blood culture
bld Blood
BLS Basic Life Support
BMC Bone mass content
Bone mineral density (also termed
BMD bone mass measurement)
BMI Body mass index
BMP Blood Metabolic Profile
BMR Basal metabolic rate
BMT Bone marrow transplantation
BNF British National Formulary
BNP Brain natriuretic peptide
BOA Born out of Asepsis
BOI Born on island, ie. a local patient.
Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing
BOOP pneumonia
BP Blood pressure
BP Bipolar disorder
BPAD Bipolar Affective Disorder
BPD Bi-Parietal Diameter
BPD Borderline personality disorder
BPH Benign prostatic hyperplasia
BPM Beats per minute
Benign paroxysmal positional
BPPV vertigo
Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, (dry)
BRAT Toast: acronym for bland diet
Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, (dry)
Toast, Yogurt: acronym for bland
BRATY diet for children
BRP Bathroom Privileges
BRBPR Bright red blood per rectum
Breath or Bowel sounds on
BS auscultation with stethoscope
BS Blood Sugar
Bovine spongiform
BSE encephalopathy
BSE Breast self-examination
BSP Bromsulphthalein
BUN Blood urea nitrogen
BV Bacterial vaginosis
Bx Biopsy
[edit] C
DA Dopamine
DBP Diastolic blood pressure
D&C Dilatation and curettage
DCBE Double Contrast Barium Enema
DCM Dilated cardiomyopathy
DDD Daily Defined Doses
DDx Differential diagnosis
DEXA Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry
DHE Dihydoergotamine
DHEA-S Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate
DIB Dead in Bed
Disseminated intravascular
DIC coagulation
DIP Distal interphalangeal joint
DiPerTe Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus
DiTe Diphtheria Tetanus
DJD Degenerative Joint Disease
DKA Diabetic Keto-Acidosis
DPT Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus
DM Diabetes Mellitus
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNI Do Not Intubate
DNR Do Not Resuscitate
DNAR Do Not Attempt Resusciatation
DOA Dead on arrival
DOB Date of birth
DOE Dyspnea on exertion
Docusate sodium; from the
chemical name dioctyl sodium
DOSS sulfosuccinate
DT Diphtheria Tetanus
DTP Diphtheria Tetanus Pertussis
DUB Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
DVT Deep vein thrombosis
Dx Diagnosis
[edit] E
E Erythrocytes
E Electrolytes
EACA Epsilon-aminocaproic acid
EBM Evidence-based medicine
EBM Expressed Breast Milk
EBV Epstein-Barr virus
EC Enterically Coated
ECG Electrocardiogram
Extracorporeal membrane
ECMO oxygenation
ED Emergency department
ED Erectile Dysfunction
ED Ectodermal dysplasia
Estimated Date of Confinement (at
EDC 40/40 weeks of pregnancy)
Estimated Date of Delivery (at 40/40
EDD weeks of pregnancy)
EDD Estimated date of discharge
Endothelium-derived relaxing factor
EDRF aka Nitric oxide
EEG Electroencephalogram
EF Ejection Fraction
EGF Epidermal Growth Factor
EKG Electrocardiogram
Elective Lower Segment Caesarian
ELLSCS Section
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent
ELISA Assay
EMC Encephalomyocarditis
EMD Early Morning Discovery
EMD ElectroMechanical Dissociation
EMF Endomyocardial fibrosis
EMG Electromyography
Emergency Lower Segment Caesarian
EMLSCS Section
Early Morning Urine sample (being
the most concentrated generally used
EMU for pregnancy testing)
Ear Nose and Throat.
ENT (Otolaryngology)
EENT eyes, ears, nose, throat
EOM Extra ocular muscles
EOMI Extra ocular movements intact
EPH Edema Proteinuria Hypertension
EPO Erythropoietin
Endoscopic Retrograde
ERCP Cholangiopancreatography
ESL Extracorporeal Shockwave
Lithotripsy (also ESWL) - see
lithotriptor
Extended Spectrum Beta-
ESBL Lactamase gram negative bacteria
ESR Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ESRD End-stage renal disease
Extracorporeal Shock Wave
Lithotripsy (also ESL) - see
ESWL lithotriptor
ET Endothelin
ETT Endotracheal tube
ETOH ethanol or ethyl alcohol
EUS Endoscopic Ultrasonography
[edit] F
[edit] G
[edit] H
HA Hypertonia arterialis
HAD HIV-associated dementia
H/A headache
Hematoxlyn and Eosin standard
tissue stain. Sometimes used as
noun referring to stained
H&E slides--"H&E's showed..."
HAV Hepatitis A virus
Hb Hemoglobin
HBV Hepatitis B virus
HCC Hepato Cell Carcinoma
HCG Human chorionic gonadotropin
HCM Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
HCT Hematocrit
HCTZ Hydrochlorothiazide
HCV Hepatitis C virus
HDL High density lipoprotein
High Density Lipoprotein
HDL-C Cholesterol
HDU High Dependency Unit
HDV Hepatitis D virus
HEENT Head Eyes Ears Nose Throat
HES Hydroxyethyl Starch
HEV Hepatitis E virus
HGB Hemoglobin
HH Hiatus hernia
H&H Hemoglobin and Hematocrit
Hib Haemophilus influenzae B
HIV Human immunodeficiency virus
HL Hepatic lipase
HLA Human leukocyte antigens
H&M Hematemesis and Melena
Hypertrophic obstructive
HOCM cardiomyopathy
HONK Hyperosmolar Non Ketotic Coma
H&P History & Physical
HPI History of Present Illness
HR Heart rate
HRT Hormone replacement therapy
H.S. At bedtime, from Latin, hora somni
HSG Hysterosalpingogram
HSV Herpes simplex virus
HT Hypertension
HTLV Human T-lymphotropic virus
HTN Hypertension
HUS Hemolytic uremic syndrome
High-velocity Lead Therapy, also
HVLT see GSW (gunshot wound)
Hx history (of)
[edit] I
[edit] J
[edit] K
[edit] L
L Leukocytes
Left Anterior Descending coronary
LAD artery
LAP Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase
LAR Low Anterior Resection
LAS Lymphadenopathy syndrome
LBBB Left bundle branch block
LCM Lymphocytic meningitis
LDH Lactate dehydrogenase
LDL Low density lipoprotein
Low Density Lipoprotein
LDL-C Cholesterol
L-DOPA DihydrOxyPhenylAlanine
LES Lower esophageal sphincter
LES Lupus erythematosus systemicus
Lupus erythematosus (in German
LE Lupus erythematodes)
leu Leukocytes
LFT Liver function test
LGL Lown-Ganong-Levine syndrome
LGM Lymphogranulomatosis maligna
LGV Lymphogranuloma venereum
LH Luteinizing hormone
LIH left inguinal hernia
LLL left lower lobe
LLQ left lower quadrant
LM Left Main
Last Menstrual period (prior to
pregnancy and in woman with regular
28 day cycle taken as 0/40 weeks of
LMP pregnancy)
LOL Little old lady ... often LOL in NAD
Loss Of Resistance To Air (in
anesthesiology; when placing
epidural, LORTA indicates entrance of
LORTA needle to epidural space)
LOS Length of stay
Lp Lipoprotein
LP Lumbar puncture
LPL Lipoprotein lipase
LUL Left upper lobe
LUQ Left upper quadrant
Left ventricular end diastolic
LVEDP pressure
LVEF Left ventricular ejection fraction
LVF Left ventricular failure
LVH Left ventricular hypertrophy
LV Left ventricle
LVOT Left Ventricular Outflow Track
Ly Lymphocytes
lytes electrolytes
[edit] M
[edit] N
[edit] O
O2 Oxygen
OA osteoarthritis
OB-GYN Obstetrics and gynecology
OCD Obsessive-compulsive disorder
OD right eye from Latin, oculus dexter
OD overdose
every day, usually regarded as
once daily, from the Latin, omni
die. Generally written in lower
od case.
O/E on examination
OGTT Oral glucose tolerance test
every morning, from the Latin,
omni mane. Generally written in
om lower case.
every night, from the Latin, omni
nocte. Generally written in lower
on case.
OP outpatient department
OPPT Oriented to Person Place and Time
OS left eye from Latin, oculus sinister
OS Orthopedic surgery
OSA Obstructive Sleep Apnea
OSH outside hospital
OTC Over-the-counter drug
OTD Out the Door (discharged)
OTPP Oriented to Time Place and Person
Both eyes, from Latin, oculi
OU uterque
[edit] P
[edit] Q
[edit] R
RA Refractory anaemia
RA Rheumatoid arthritis
RAI Radioactive Iodine
RAPD Relative afferent pupillary defect
RBBB Right bundle branch block
RBC Red blood cells
RCA Right coronary artery
RCT Randomized controlled trial
REM Rapid eye movement
RF Rheumatoid factor
Restriction fragment length
RFLP polymorphism
RFT Renal function test
Rh Rhesus factor
RhF Rheumatoid factor
RIA Radioimmune assay
RIBA Radioimmunoblotting assay
Reversible inhibitor of monoamine
RIMA oxidase A
Reversible ischemic neurologic
RIND deficit
RLQ Right lower quadrant
RNA Ribonucleic acid
RNV Radionuclear Ventriculography
ROM Range of motion
RR Respiratory rate
ROS Review of systems
RUQ Right upper quadrant
RPR Rapid Plasma Reagin test
RSV Respiratory Syncytial Virus
RV Residual volume
RV Right ventricle
RVF Right ventricular failure
RVSP Right ventricular systolic pressure
medical prescription or Prescription
Rx drug
[edit] S
[edit] T
[edit] U
UBT Urea Breath Test
urea and electrolytes (sodium and
U&E potassium) blood test, often including creatinine
UC Ulcerative colitis
UD As Directed, from Latin, Ut Dictum
URI Upper Respiratory Infection
URTI Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
US Ultrasound
USG Ultrasonography
USR Unheated Serum Reagin
USS Ultrasound scan
UTI Urinary Tract Infection
UVAL Ultraviolet Argon Laser
[edit] V
VA visual acuity
vincristine adriblastine
VAD dexamethasone
vincristine adriblastine
VAMP methylprednisone
V-BAC Vaginal Birth After Caesarian
VC Vital capacity
vCJD Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
VD Vaginal Delivery
Venereal Diseases Research
VDRL Laboratory (old test for syphilis}
vaginal examination (manual
VE examination)
VEB Ventricular ectopic beat
VRE Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci
VF Ventricular fibrillation
VIP Vasoactive intestinal peptide
VLDL Very low density lipoprotein
VMA Vanillylmandelic acid
VOD Volume of distribution
VPA Valproic acid
VSD Ventricular septal defect
VT Ventricular tachycardia
[edit] W
[edit] X
x times/for
[edit] Y
[edit] Z
Some of the following list are considered non-standardized abbreviations because their
meanings could be easily misunderstood.