List of medical abbreviations
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Medical abbreviations are a shorthand way of writing and talking by medical professionals (people who work to help sick people) to hurry explanation of diseases (sickness), patients, or medicines (drugs).
This shorthand can include shortening (making less lengthy) of longer disease names, by cutting the word down to its base (the Latin or Greek part that makes it). Medical professionals also create (make) words that mean something. An example of this is "stat", used to indicate (show) that something needs to be hurried (done faster). It is from the Latin "base word" statim, meaning quick. A very commonly (often) used shorthand is shortening things on order forms for patients. An example is, "pre-op" meaning |pre-operation| (patient who is being prepared for surgery). These can be very complicated and extensive (meaning there is a lot of them).
Despite the fact that this shorthand might make it difficult for new Interns (new doctors) or recently trained nurses to get used to this unofficial language, it has been shown to improve (make better) the speed of treatment in hospitals.
Medical authorities in the United Kingdom and elsewhere have questioned the use of medical shorthand; believing that it can lead to mistakes being made due to less clear communication and have advised doctors to avoid its use.[1]
Medications change
How to take medications change
Medications can be given in different ways (routes). Abbreviations for the most common routes are:[2]
| Abbreviation: | Means the medication is taken: |
|---|---|
| PO | By mouth (swallowed) |
| IM | Intramuscularly (injected into a muscle) |
| INH | Inhaled (breathed in) |
| IV | Intravenously (injected into a vein) |
| PR | "Per rectum" (placed into the rectum) |
| SC, SQ, Sub-q | "Subcutaneous" (injected under the skin) |
When to take medications change
Doctors use many different abbreviations to say when to take a medication. It is helpful to remember that doctors use the letter "q" to stand for "every. For example, "qAM" stands for "every AM" (morning).[2]
Here are some of the most common:[2]
| Abbreviation: | This Means the Medicine Should Be Taken: |
|---|---|
| qAM | Every morning |
| qPM | Every evening |
| qHS | At bedtime |
| prn | As needed (the person should take the medication only when they need it) |
| qd | Once a day |
| bid | Twice a day |
| tid | Three times a day |
| qid | Four times a day |
| qod | Every other day |
| qwk | Every week |
| qmo | Every month |
Drugs & medications change
Some drugs and medications have common abbreviations. Here are some examples:[3]
| Abbreviation: | Stands For: | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| APAP | Acetaminophen | Common brand name: Tylenol |
| ASA | Aspirin | "ASA" is short for Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin's original name) |
| ETOH | Alcohol | Stands for ethanol (drinking alcohol) |
| MVI | Multivitamin | A set of vitamins in one pill |
| NSAID | Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug | Pronounced "en-sed"; examples are ibuprofen and aspirin |
| NTG | Nitroglycerin | Used for heart attacks and other problems; also called "nitro" |
| OBC | Oral birth control | Birth control taken as a pill (also called OC: oral contraceptive) |
| OTC | An over-the-counter drug | Can be bought without a doctor's prescription |
| PCP | Phencyclidine | An illegal drug that causes hallucinations |
| SSRI | Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor | A type of antidepressant; examples are Prozac and Paxil |
About the body change
Common abbreviations that have to do with the human body include:[4]
| Abbreviation: | Stands For: | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| BP | Blood pressure | A measure of how hard the heart is working |
| HR | Heart rate | How many times the heart beats in one minute |
| O2 | Oxygen | Pronounced "oh-too" |
| O2 sats | Oxygen saturation | A measure of how much oxygen a person is getting |
| RBC | Red blood cells | The cells in the blood that carry oxygen |
| RR | Respiratory rate | How many times a person breathes in one minute |
| VS | Vital signs | A patient's blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature |
| WBC | White blood cells | The cells in the blood that fight infection |
| WNL | Within Normal Limits | Normal for the patient's age and gender (Example: "VS WNL" means "vital signs are normal for this patient") |
Medical specialties change
There are many different kinds of medical specialties. These are kinds of doctors that treat people with certain kinds of problems. Abbreviations for medical specialties include:[4]
| Abbreviation: | Stands For: | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ENT | Ears, Nose, and Throat | Treats problems with the ears, nose, and throat |
| ER | Emergency room | Treats medical emergencies |
| GI | Gastrointestinal | Treats problems with the gastrointestinal tract |
| GU | Genitourinary | Treats problems with the genitals or the urinary system |
| GYN | Gynecology | Treats and prevents problems with a woman's reproductive system |
| Hem/Onc | Hematology/Oncology | Treats blood disorders and cancer (pronounced "HEEM-onk") |
| ICU | Intensive Care Unit | A special hospital unit for very sick people |
| Neuro | Neurology | Involves the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and nerves) (pronounced "NURR-oh") |
| OB | Obstetrics | The medical specialty that treats women while they are pregnant and giving birth |
| OR | Operating room | Part of the hospital where surgery is done |
| Ortho | Orthopedics | Treats problems with the bones, like broken bones |
| Pedi | Pediatrics | Pediatric doctors (pediatricians) treat children (pronounced "PEE-dee") |
Health problems change
Many health problems have common abbreviations. For example:[5][4]
| Abbreviation: | Stands For: | A Problem With: | Meaning/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-fib | Atrial fibrillation | Heart | A type of abnormal heartbeat where the heart beats quickly and irregularly |
| CA | Cancer | A group of diseases caused by abnormal cells growing out of control | |
| CAD | Coronary artery disease | Heart | The arteries that bring blood to the heart get blocked off and cannot bring enough blood to the heart |
| CHF | Congestive heart failure | Heart | The heart cannot pump enough blood to the body |
| COPD | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | Lungs | A group of chronic diseases that make it hard to breathe |
| CVA | Cerebrovascular accident | Brain | Stroke |
| DM | Diabetes mellitus | Metabolism | See also diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) |
| DJD | Degenerative Joint Disease | Joints | Arthritis |
| DVT | Deep vein thrombosis | Blood clotting | A blood clot, usually in a big vein in the leg |
| HTN | Hypertension | Circulatory system | High blood pressure |
| IDDM | Insulin-Dependent Diabetes | Metabolism | Diabetes that needs to be treated with insulin (usually type 1 diabetes) |
| Mets | Metastasis | Cancer | The original cancer has spread to another place in the body |
| MI | Myocardial infarction | Heart | Heart attack (also called AMI, for "acute myocardial infarction") |
| NIDDM | Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes | Metabolism | Diabetes that does not need to be treated with insulin (usually type 2 diabetes) |
| OD | Overdose | Taking too much medication or drugs, either accidentally or on purpose | |
| SOB | Shortness of Breath | Breathing | Having trouble breathing |
| TIA | Transient ischemic attack | Brain | A small stroke that does not leave any permanent brain damage |
| V-fib | Ventricular fibrillation | Heart | The heart quivers and twitches, and cannot pump blood to the body |
| V-tach | Ventricular tachycardia | Heart | The heart beats too fast to pump blood to the body; pronounced "V-tack" |
Infections change
Common abbreviations for infections include:[5][4]
| Abbreviation: | Stands For: | Meaning/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C. diff | Clostridium difficile infection | Bacteria attack the intestines; many antibiotics will not kill C. diff (pronounced "SEE-diff") |
| HCV | Hepatitis C virus | A chronic infection of the liver |
| HIV | Human immunodeficiency virus | The virus that causes AIDS |
| HPV | Human papillomavirus | A virus that can cause cancer |
| MRSA | Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus | A bacterial infection that many antibiotics will not kill (pronounced "MURR-suh") |
| PID | Pelvic inflammatory disease | An infection of a woman's reproductive system |
| STI | Sexually transmitted infection | Used to be called "STD" (sexually transmitted disease) |
| TB | Tuberculosis | An infection of the lungs |
| URI | Upper respiratory infection | An infection of the upper respiratory tract; examples are the common cold and sinus infections |
| UTI | Urinary tract infection | An infection of the bladder or kidneys |
Mental health problems change
Common abbreviations for mental health problems include:[4]
| Abbreviation: | Stands For: | Meaning/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ADHD | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder | Used to be called ADD (Attention-deficit disorder) |
| ASD | Autism spectrum disorder | A group of disorders, including autism and Asperger syndrome |
| GAD | Generalized anxiety disorder | Causes a person to feel very anxious and worried, most of the time |
| OCD | Obsessive-compulsive disorder | An anxiety disorder that causes unwanted thoughts and actions |
| ODD | Oppositional defiant disorder | A pattern of angry behavior, arguing, and causing trouble |
| PTSD | Post-traumatic stress disorder | Caused by psychological trauma |
| SI | Suicidal ideation | When a person thinks about killing themselves |
Tests & treatments change
Doctors often talk about common medical tests and treatments by using abbreviations. Examples of these abbreviations include:[4][2]
| Abbreviation: | Stands For: | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| CABG | Coronary artery bypass graft | Surgery to treat blocked arteries that bring blood to the heart; pronounced "cabbage" |
| CBC | Complete Blood Count | A basic blood test that counts the number of blood cells in a person's blood |
| CPR | Cardiopulmonary resuscitation | Emergency treatment done when a person's heart or breathing stops |
| CT | Computed tomography scan | Uses X-rays to make a 3-D picture of the inside of the body; also called a "CAT scan" |
| ECG; EKG | Electrocardiogram | Test of the heart's electrical activity |
| Echo | Echocardiogram | Test that uses sound waves to make a picture of the heart and whether it is working normally |
| EEG | Electroencephalogram | Test of the brain's electrical activity |
| LFTs | Liver function tests | Tests of how well the liver is working (usually blood tests) |
| MRI | Magnetic resonance imaging | Uses a very strong magnet to make a 3-D picture of the inside of the body |
| XRT | X-ray Therapy | Usually means radiation therapy for cancer |
Other abbreviations change
Other abbreviations used in medicine include:[4]
| Abbreviation: | Stands For: | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hx | History | Example: "Patient has a family Hx of diabetes" means "Patient has a family history of diabetes" |
| a | Before | Example: "Take a 8:00" means "Take (this medication) before 8:00" |
| AMA | Against Medical Advice | The patient has chosen to not comply with a treatment plan (example: "patient left the hospital AMA") |
| BMI | Body Mass Index | A measure of how much a person weighs based on their height |
| c | With | Example: "Take c food" means "Take (this medication) with food" |
| DNR | Do Not Resuscitate | The patient has a Do Not Resuscitate order saying they do not want to be resuscitated if their heart stops |
| Dx | Diagnosis | The medical problem a person has |
| NKDA | No known drug allergies | If the person has a drug allergy, we don't know about it. The person has no drug allergies we know about. |
| NPO | Nothing by mouth | The patient should not swallow anything (no food, liquids, or medications) |
| p | After | Example: "Patient had pain p eating" means "Patient had pain after eating" |
| s̅ | Without | Example: "Nausea s̅ vomiting" means "Patient was nauseous but did not vomit' |
| Tx | Treatment | Example: "Tx was administered at 8:00am" means "Treatment was administered at 8:00am" |
References change
- ↑ "Are TLAs more trouble than they're worth?". StudentBMJ. 2006. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Alphabetical Listing of Medical Abbreviations". Spinal Cord Resource Center. United Spinal Association. 2015. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Prescriptions and Medication Orders". The Pharmaceutics and Compounding Laboratory. University of North Carolina – Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Archived from the original on May 25, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 "Appendix B: Some Common Abbreviations". MedlinePlus. United States National Library of Medicine. April 18, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Medical Abbreviations". The Pharmaceutics and Compounding Laboratory. University of North Carolina – Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Archived from the original on May 25, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.