Medical Terminology: Abbreviations and Symbols

Abbreviations and Symbols a-z

17-KS

17-ketosteroids

17-OHCS

17-hydroxycorticosteriods

A&P

anatomy and physiology

AB

abortion

Abd

abdomen

ABGs

arterial blood gases

ABO

blood groups

AC

air conduction

ac`

before meals (ante cibum)

ACA

adenocarcinoma

Acc

accommodation

ACG

angiocardiography

ACh

acetylcholine

ACR

American College of Rheumatology

ACS

American Cancer Society

ACTH

adrenocorticotropic

AD

Alzheimer disease; advance directive

ADE

adverse drug effect

ADH

antidiuretic hormone

ADHD

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

ADL

activities of daily living

ADR

adverse drug reaction

AE

above elbow

AED

automated external defibrillator

AF or AFib

atrial fibrillation

AFB

acid-bast bacilli

AFP

alpha-fetoprotein

AGN

acute glomerulonephritis

AIDS

acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

AIH

artificial insemination homologous

AK

above knee

ALD

aldolase

ALL

acute lymphocytic leukemia

ALS

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

ALT

argon laser trabeculoplasty; alanine aminotransferase

AMD

age-related macular degeneration

AMI

acute myocardial infarction

ANA

antinuclear antibodies

ANS

autonomic nervous system; acute nephritic syndrome

AOM

acute otitis media

AOP

acknowledgement of paternity

AP

anteroposterior

APA

American Psychiatric Association

ARD

acute respiratory disease

ARDs

acute respiratory disease

AROM

artificial rupture of membranes

ASAP

as soon as possible

Ascus

atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance

ASD

autism spectrum disorder

ASHD

arteriosclerotic heart disease

ASO

antistreptolysin O

ASPD

advanced sleep phase disorder

AST

aspartate aminotransferase

AT/RT

atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor

AV

atrioventricular

ax

axillary

Ba

barium

BAC

blood alcohol concentration

baso

basophil

BC

bone conduction

BCC

basal cell carcinoma

BDD

body dysmorphic disorder

BE

Barrett esophagus; below elbow; barium enema

BG

blood glucose

BK

below knee

BM

bowel movement

BMD

bone mineral density (test)

BMI

body mass index

BMR

basal metabolic rate

BP

blood pressure

BPH

benign prostatic hyperplasia (hypertrophy)

BUN

blood urea nitrogen

Bx

biopsy

C

centigrade; Celsius

C1, C2, etc.

first cervical vertebra; second cervical vertebra, etc.

CA

cancer

CA-125

cancer antigen 125

Ca

calcium

CABG

coronary artery bypass graft

CAD

coronary artery disease

CAPD

continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

CAT

computerized axial tomography

CBC

complete-blood count

CBT

cognitive-behavioral therapy

CC

cardiac catheterization; chief complaint; clean catch (urine)

CD

Crohn disease

CDC

centers of Disease Control and Prevention

CEA

carcinoembryonic antigen

CF

cystic fibrosis

CGN

chronic glomerulonephritis

CHD

coronary heart disease

chemo

chemotherapy

CHF

congestive heart failure

CHO

carbohydrate

chol

cholesterol

Ci

curie

CIN

cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

CK

creatine kinase

CKD

chronic kidney disease

CLI

critical limb ischemia