Fundamentals - Medical Abbreviation Study Guide

a̅̅

before

a.c.

before meals

p̅̅

after

p.c.

after meals

bid

twice a day

tid

three times a day

qid

four times a day

qh

every hour

prn

as needed

STAT

immediately

c̅̅

with

s̅̅

without

OD

right eye

OS

left eye

OU

both eyes

AD

right ear

AS

left ear

AU

both ears

Ad lib

as desired

hs

hour of sleep

ADL

activities of daily living

d/c

discontinue

ETOH

ethyl alcohol, intoxicated

HOB

head of bed

Hx

history

I&O

Intake and output

NKA

no known allergies

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NPO

nothing by mouth

OOB

out of bed

os

mouth

PE

physical exam, pulmonary embolism

po

by mouth

R/O

rule out

ROM

range of motion

S&S

signs and symptoms

V/S

vital signs

WA

while awake

w/c

wheelchair

WNL

within normal limits

y/o

years old

Ax

axillary

DNR

do not resuscitate

IM

intramuscular

subcut

subcutaneous

IVP

IV push

mg

milligram

mcg

microgram

a-

without

-algia

pain

-an

pertaining to

anti-

against

-ar

pertaining to

aut-, auto

self,own

bi-

two

brady-

slow

-cide

killing

-cyte

cell

Dys-

bad, painful, difficulty, abnormal

-emia

blood condition

epi-

above, upon, on

erythema/o

flushed/redness

eu-

good, normal, true

-gram

record

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

hemi-

half

hyper-

above/excessive

hypo-

deficient, below, under

-ia

condition

inter-

between

intra-

within, into

-ism

process or condition

-itis

inflammation

-lithiasis

condition of stones

-logy

study of

-megaly

enlargement

multi-

many

-oid

resembling originating from

-oma

tumor, mass, fluid collection

-opsy

view of

-oxia

oxygen

-pathy

disease, emotion

-penia

deficiency

peri-

surrounding

-plasty

surgical repair

-plegia

paralysis, palsy

-pnea

breathing

poly-

many, much, increased

post-

after

pre-

before

pseudo-

false

quadri-

four

-rrhea

flow

-sclerosis

hardening

-scope

instrument for visual exam

-scopy

visual exam

semi-

half

-stasis

stopping

-stenosis

tightening, structure