Medical Abbreviations

ABD

Abdominal

AP

Anterior-posterior (as in chest x-ray view)

BLE

Bilateral lower extremities

BSA

Body surface area

BUE

Bilateral upper extremities

EENT

Eyes, ears, nose, throat

HEENT

Head, eyes, ears, nose, throat

LLE

Left lower extremity

LLQ

Left lower quadrant

LUE

Left upper extremity

LUQ

Left upper quadrant

IM

Intramuscular

NT

Naso-tracheal

PTX

Pneumothorax

RLE

Right lower extremity

RLL

Right lower lobe

RLQ

Right lower quadrant

RML

Right middle lobe

RUE

Right upper extremity

RUQ

Right upper quadrant

ABG

Arterial blood gas

AKA

Above the knee amputation

BKA

Below the knee amputation

BAL

Blood alcohol level

BLS

Basic life support

BPM

Beats per minute (heart rate)

BUN

Blood urea nitrogen

CBC

Complete blood count

CT

Computed tomography

CXR

Chest x-ray

DBP

Diastolic blood pressure

DNI

Do not intubate

DNR

Do not resuscitate

EKG/ECG

Electrocardiograph

FROM

Full range of motion

GCS

Glasgow Coma Scale

H & H

Hemoglobin & hematocrit

I & D

Incision and drainage

LP

Lumbar puncture

MAE

Moves all extremities

NCAT

Normocephalic, atraumatic

NSR

Normal sinus rhythm

PERRL

Pupils equal, round and reactive to light

ROS

Review of systems

RRR

Regular rate and rhythm

R/O

Rule out

SBP

Systolic blood pressure

T & A

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy

UA

Urinalysis

US

Ultrasound

Alert and oriented x 4 (person, place, time, and event)

A/O x 4

ALOC

Altered level of consciousness

AMA

Against medical advice

BVM

Bag-valve mask

CSF

Cerebrospinal fluid

D/C

Discontinue

DC

Discharge

DDX

Differential diagnosis

DTR

Deep tendon reflex

ETOH

Alcohol

Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus

MRSA

MVA/MVC

Motor vehicle accident/collision

NPO

Nothing per os (mouth)

NSVD

Normal spontaneous vaginal delivery

PO

Per mouth

SOAP

Subjective, objective, assessment, plan

s/p

Status post

TM

Tympanic membrane

AAA

Abdominal aortic aneurysm

ACS

Acute coronary syndrome

A-Fib

Atrial fibrillation

AMI

Acute myocardial infarction

AMS

Altered mental status

AOM

Acute otitis media

BOM

Bilateral otitis media (infection in both ears)

BPH

Benign prostatic hypertrophy

BPV

Benign positional vertigo

CABG

Coronary artery bypass graft

CAD

Coronary artery disease

CHF

Congestive heart failure

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CVA

Cerebrovascular accident (stroke) or costovertebral angle

CVAT

Costovertebral angle tenderness

DKA

Diabetic ketoacidosis

DT's

Delirium tremens

DVT

Deep venous (vein) thrombosis

GERD

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

GSW

Gun shot wound

JVD

Jugular venous distention

IDDM

Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

NSTEMI

Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction

PE

Pulmonary embolism

SBO

Small bowel obstruction

SOB

Shortness of breath

STEMI

ST-elevation myocardial infarction

SVT

Supraventricular tachycardia

TIA

Transient ischemic attack

TURP

Transurethral resection of the prostate

URI

Upper respiratory infection

UTI

Urinary tract infection