Common Medical Abbreviations

abd

abdomen

ac

before meal

ADL

activities of daily living

ad lib

as desired

Adm (adm)

admitted or admission

AKA

above-the-knee amputation

AM (am)

morning

amb

ambulate, ambulatory

amt

amount

ap

apical

ASAP

as soon as possible

as tol

as tolerated

bid

twice a day

BKA

below-the-knee amputation

BM (bm)

bowel movement

BP, B/P

blood pressure

B.R.

bed rest

BRP

bathroom privileges

BSC

bedside commode

c̄ (often written as c̄ with a horizontal line or bar over it)or c

with

CBC

complete blood count

CBR

complete bed rest

CCU

coronary care unit

CHF

congestive heart failure

cl liq

clear liquids

CNS

central nervous system

c/o

complains of

COPD

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CVA

cerebrovascular accident (stroke)

dc (d/c)

discontinue

disch

discharge

DNR

do not resuscitate

DOA

dead on arrival

DOB

date of birth

DON

director of nursing

drsg

dressing

Dx

diagnosis

ECG (EKG)

electrocardiogram

FBS

fasting blood dugar

Fx

fracture

gal

gallon

GERD

gastroesophageal reflux disease

gtt

drops

GU

genitourinary

HAI

health care-associated infection

H₂O

water

HIPAA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996

HOB

head of bed

HS (hs)

hour of sleep (bedtime)

ht

height

HTN

hypertension

ID

identification

I&O

intake and output

IV

intravenous

lb

pound

lg

large

liq

liquid

LLQ

left lower quadrant

LUQ

left upper quadrant

MDRO

multidrug-resistant organism

MDS

Minimum Data Set

mg

milligram

MI

myocardial infarction (heart attack)

mL

milliliter

mm

millimeter

neg

negative

NG

nasogastric

NIDDM

noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

noc, noct

night

NPO (npo)

nothing per mouth (nils per os)

N&V

nausea and vomiting

O₂

Oxygen

OOB

out of bed

OT

occupational therapy

oz (OZ)

ounce

pc

after a meal

PEG

percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

per

by, through

PM (pm)

afternoon or evening

PPE

personal protective equipment

po (per os)

by mouth

prn

as necessary

Pt (pt)

patient

PT

physical therapy

q

every

qhs

every night at bedtime

qid

for times a day

RBC

red blood cell, red blood cell count

rehab

rehabilitation

resp

respiration

RLQ

right lower quadrant

ROM

range of motion

RT

respiratory therapy

RUQ

right upper quadrant

s̄ (often written with a horizontal line above it, s̄)or s

without

SCD

sequential compression device

SOB

shortness of breath

ST

speech therapy

STAT, stat

at once, immediately

Sx

symptoms