Abbreviation, Acronym & Symbol Guide
Meanings of commonly used symbols, abbreviations, acronyms, and medical terms as adapted and used throughout PPD.
> <.......................... greater than, less than
≥ ............................ greater than or equal
≤.............................. less than or equal
½............................ half
ACE........................ angiotensin-converting enzyme
ACTH...................... adrenocorticotropic hormone
ADHD..................... attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
AIDS....................... acquired immune-deficiency syndrome
ALT......................... alanine aminotransferase
amp........................ ampules
ARB/s..................... angiotensin II receptor blocker/s
ASA........................ acetyl salicylic acid
AST........................ aspartate aminotransferase
AV........................... atrioventricular
BCG........................ bacillus Calmette Guerin
BHA........................ butylated hydroxyanisole
BHT........................ butylated hydroxytoluene
BID......................... twice daily
BP.......................... blood pressure
BPH........................ benign prostatic hyperplasia
BUN........................ blood urea nitrogen
BSA........................ body surface area
BW.......................... body weight
CA.......................... cancer
CABG..................... coronary artery bypass graft
CAP........................ community-acquired pneumonia
cap......................... capsule
CAD........................ coronary artery disease
CBC........................ complete blood count
CCB/s..................... calcium channel blocker/s
CGF........................ chlorella growth factor
CHD........................ coronary heart disease
CHF........................ congestive heart failure
childn..................... children
CKD........................ chronic kidney disease
CNS........................ central nervous system
COMT..................... catechol-o-methyl transferase
COPD..................... chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
COX........................ cyclooxygenase
CPR........................ cardio pulmonary resuscitation
CrCl........................ creatinine clearance
CRVO..................... central retinal vein occlusion
CSF........................ cerebrospinal fluid
CSM........................ cerebrospinal meningitis
CV.......................... cardiovascular
CVA........................ cerebrovascular accident
CVP........................ central venous pressure
CVS........................ cardiovascular system
CYP........................ cytochrome P
D&C........................ dilatation & curettage
DD.......................... dangerous drug*
DHA........................ docosahexaenoic acid
DHT........................ dihydrotestosterone
diHCl...................... dihydrochloride
DM.......................... diabetes mellitus
DMARD/s............... disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug/s
DNA........................ deoxyribonucleic acid
DPT........................ diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus
Legend: * Supplied only on official prescription forms issued by the Dangerous Drugs Board
** Medicine not classified dangerous but containing any amount of prohibited or regulated drugs, supplied on ordinary
prescription forms
DVT........................ deep venous thrombosis
ECG........................ electrocardiogram
EDD........................ exempt dangerous drugs**
e.g.......................... example
EGFR...................... epidermal growth factor receptor
ENT........................ ear, nose & throat
EPA........................ eicosapentaenoic acid
EPS........................ extrapyramidal symptoms
equiv...................... equivalent
ERT........................ estrogen replacement therapy
ESR........................ erythrocyte sedimentation rate
exam...................... examination
FAP........................ familial adenomatous polyposis
FSH........................ follicle stimulating hormone
G6PD...................... glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
g............................. gram
GAD ...................... generalized anxiety disorder
GERD..................... gastroesophageal reflux disease
GFR........................ glomerular filtration rate
GI or GIT................ gastrointestinal/tract
GOT........................ glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase
GPT........................ glutamic pyruvic transaminase
G(+)........................ gram-positive
G(-)......................... gram-negative
GUT........................ genitourinary tract
Hb or Hgb.............. hemoglobin
HCl......................... hydrochloride
HCTZ ..................... hydrochlorothiazide
HDL........................ high-density lipoprotein
HIV......................... human immunodeficiency virus
HPN/HTN................ hypertension
hr/hrs..................... hour/hours
HR.......................... heart rate
HRT........................ hormone replacement therapy
IBD......................... inflammatory bowel disease
ICU......................... intensive care unit
IDA......................... iron-deficiency anemia
IDDM...................... insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
IGT.......................... impaired glucose tolerance
IHD ........................ ischemic heart disease
IM............................ intramuscular
INH......................... isoniazid (isonicotinic acid hydrazide)
inj........................... injection
intra-op.................. intraoperative
IOP ........................ intraocular pressure
I.U. ......................... International units
IUD......................... intrauterine contraceptive device
IV............................ intravenous
kcal........................ kilocalorie
kg........................... kilogram
L............................. liter/s
LDH........................ lactic dehydrogenase
LDL......................... low-density lipoprotein
LMWH.................... low-molecular weight heparins
LRTI/s..................... lower respiratory tract infection/s
LSD........................ lysergic acid diethylamide
MAOI/s................... monoamine oxidase inhibitor/s
max........................ maximum
mcg ....................... microgram temp....................... temperature
MDD....................... major depressive disorder TIA.......................... transient ischemic attack
mg.......................... milligram TID.......................... thrice daily
MI............................ myocardial infarction tsp.......................... teaspoon
MIU......................... million international unit U............................. unit
mins....................... minutes ULN........................ upper limit of normal
mL.......................... milliliter URTI/s.................... upper respiratory tract infection/s
mmol...................... millimole UTI.......................... urinary tract infection
mos........................ months VTE........................ venous thromboembolism
MRI......................... magnetic resonance imaging vol.......................... volume
NaCl....................... sodium chloride WBC....................... white blood cell
NIDDM.................... non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus wk/wks................... week/weeks
NMDA . .................. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor wt............................ weight
NMS........................ neuroleptic malignant syndrome yr/yrs...................... year/years
Non-Rx................... non-prescription medicine
NSAID/s................. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug/s
OA.......................... osteoarthritis
OCD ...................... obsessive compulsive disorder
oint......................... ointment
op........................... operation/operative
ORS . ..................... oral rehydration salt
PAD ....................... peripheral arterial disease
PCOS..................... polycystic ovarian syndrome
pedia...................... pediatric
PFS........................ pre-filled syringe
PFU........................ plaque forming units
PID ........................ pelvic inflammatory disease
PMDD..................... premenstrual dysphoric disorder
PMS........................ premenstrual syndrome
PO.......................... oral administration
post-op.................. post-operative
PPI/s . .................... proton pump inhibitor/s
PPAR . ................... peroxisome proliferator-activated
receptor
pre-op.................... pre-operative
PTSD...................... posttraumatic stress disorder
PTU........................ propylthiouracil
PUD ....................... peptic ulcer disease
PVD ....................... peripheral vascular disorder/disease
QID......................... four times a day
RA.......................... rheumatoid arthritis
RBC........................ red blood cells
RTI/s....................... respiratory tract infection/s
Rx........................... prescription medicine
SA.......................... sinoatrial
SAD ....................... social anxiety disorder
SC.......................... subcutaneous
sec ........................ seconds
SJS......................... Stevens-Johnson syndrome
soln........................ solution
susp....................... suspension
syr.......................... syrup
SGOT..................... serum glutamic oxaloacetic
transaminase
SGPT...................... serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase
SLE........................ systemic lupus erythematosus
SNRI/s.................... serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor/s
SSRI/s.................... selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor/s
STD........................ sexually transmitted disease
tab.......................... tablet
TB........................... tuberculosis
tbsp........................ tablespoon
TCA/s .................... tricyclic antidepressant/s
TDDS . ................... transdermal drug delivery system
Legend: * Supplied only on official prescription forms issued by the Dangerous Drugs Board
** Medicine not classified dangerous but containing any amount of prohibited or regulated drugs, supplied on ordinary
prescription forms