Common EMA and Public Safety Abbreviations

ACLS

Advanced Cardiac Life Support

ADA

Americans With Disabilities Act

AEIOUTIPS

Alchohol; Epilepsy, endocrine, electrolytes; Insulin; Opiates and other drugs; Uremia (kidney failure); Trauma, temperature; Infection, Poisoning, psychogenic causes; Shock, stroke, seizure, syncope, space-occupying lesion, subarachnoid hemorrhage

ALS

Advanced Life Support

AED

Automated External Defibrillator

AEMT

Advanced Emergency Medical Technician

AICD

Automated Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

ALTE

Apparent Life-threatening Event (preferred term is now BRUE)

AMA

Against Medical Advice

APGAR

Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respirations

ATV

Automatic Transport Ventilator

AVPU

Awake and alert, responsive to Verbal stimuli, responsive to Pain, Unresponsive

BGL

Blood Glucose Level

BLS

Basic Life Support

BP

Blood Pressure

BPAP

Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure

BRUE

Brief Resolved Unexplained Event

BSA

Body Surface Area

BSI

Body Substance Isolation

BVM

Bag-Valve Mask

C-spine

Cervical spine