MED TERMS

a

a

before

abd

abdomen, abdominal

ABG

arterial blood gas

ac

before meals

ad lib

as desired

ADLs

activities of daily living

A&O

alert and oriented

bid

twice per day

BM

bowel movement

BP

blood pressure

BUN

blood urea nitrogen

CAD

coronary artery disease

CBC

complete blood count

CHF

congestive heart failure

CNS

central nervous system

c/o

complains of

CXR

chest x-ray

dc

discontinue

D/C

discharge

DM

diabetes mellitus

DNR

do not resuscitate

ECG

electrocardiogram

ESRD

end stage renal disease

FOB

foot of bed

Hgb

hemoglobin

H&H

hemoglobin and hematocrit

Hct

hematocrit

HOB

head of bed

H&P

history and physical

HR

heart rate

HTN

hypertension

hs

at bedtime

I&O

intake and output

IS

insentive spirometry

LOC

level of consciousness

MAE

moves all extremities

MAR

medication administration record

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NKA

no known allergies

NPO

nothing by mouth

N&V

nausea and vomiting

OOB

out of bed

pc

after meal

PO

by mouth

PRN

as needed

QID

four times a day

Qh

Every hour

Q2h

Every 2 hours

Q3h

Every 3 hours

RBC

red blood cells

R/O

rule out

SOA, SOB

shortness of air, shortness of breath

STAT

immediately

S/S

signs and symptoms

TCDB

turn, cough, and deep breathe

TID

three times a day

TPN

total parenteral nutrition

UA

urinalysis

U/O

urine output

UTI

urinary tract infection

WBC

white blood cells

WDL

within defined limits

WNL

Within normal limits

-al

Pertaining to

-algia

Pain

-cyte

Cell

-ectomy

Removal

-emia

Blood condition

-globin

Protein

-gram

Record

-ic

Pertaining to

-ism

Condition or process

-itis

Inflammation

-logist

Specialist in the study of

-logy

Study of

-mania

Excessive preoccupation

-oma

Tumor or mass

-oxia

Oxygen

-opsy

To view

-osis

Abnormal condition

-pathy

Disease

-penia

Deficient or decreased

-phobia

Fear

-pnea

Breathing

-scope

Examination instrument

-scopy

Process of visual examination

-stasis

Stopping or controlling

-stomy

Surgical opening

-tomy

Incision

A-, an-

Absent

Ante-

Before

Brady-

Slow

Dia-

Complete or through

Dys-

Bad, painful, difficult, abnormal

Endo-

Within

Exo-

Outside

Hemi-

One half

Hyper-

Excessive, more than normal

Hypo-

Below, less than normal