Common Abbreviations and Symbols Used by Health Care Practitioners

ADL

Activities of Daily Living

AMB

Ambulatory

BRP

Bathroom privileges

CBR

Complete bedrest

OOB

Out of bed

Up ad lib

up as desired

WC

Wheelchair

abd

abdomen

BP

blood pressure

Bx

biopsy

C

Celsius

CNS

central nervous system

c/o

complains of

CTA

clear to auscultation

DOE

dyspneic on exertion

dx

diagnosis

f

Fahrenheit

FUO

fever of unknown origin

GI

gastrointestinal

GU

genitourinary

H/A

headache

h/o

history of

HPI

history of present illness

Imp

impressions

L

left

LLQ

left lower quadrant

LUQ

left upper quadrant

LOC

level of consciousness

MAE

moves all extremities

NAD

no apparent distress

NKA

no known allergies

N/V

nausea and vomiting

Neg

negative

P

pulse

PE

physical examination

PMH

past medical history

R

Respirations

R/O

rule out

RLQ

right lower quadrant

RUQ

right upper quadrant

ROS

review of systems

r

right

SOB

short of breath

Sx

Symptoms

T

tempature

Tx

Treatment

WNL

Within Normal Limits

+

Positive

-

Negative

AKA

above the knee amputation

ASCVD

arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease

ASHD

arteriosclerotic heart disease

BKA

below THE knee amputation

BPH

benign prostatic hypertrophy

CA

cancer

CAD

coronary artery disease

CHF

congestive heart failure

COPD

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CVA

cerebrovascular accident

DM

diabetes mellitus

DVT

deep vein thrombosis

Fx

fracture

HTN

hypertension

MI

myocardial infarction

MVA

motor vehicle accident

NKDA

no known drug allergies

PE

pulmonary embolism

PVD

peripheral vascular disease

STD

sexually transmitted disease

URI

upper respiratory infection

UTI

urinary tract infection

AC, a.c.

before meals

AM

morning

bid, BID

twice a day

BPM

beats per minute

QD

daily

Q, q

every

QID, qid

four times a day

QOD, qod

every other day

H, h

hour

PC, p.c.

after meals

TID, t.i.d.

three times daily

X

times

Min

minutes

PM

evening

ABG

arterial blood gases

BE

barium enema

CBC

complete blood count

CO2

carbon dioxide

C&S

culture and sensitivity

CXR

chest x-ray

ECG, EKG

electrocardiogram

FSBG

finger stick blood glucose

Hb, Hgb

hemoglobin

Hct

hematocrit

H+H

hemoglobin and hematocrit

lytes

electrolytes

RBC

red blood cell

UA

urinalysis

UGI

upper GI