Common Medical Abbreviations and Prefixes

These flashcards cover common medical abbreviations and their meanings, as well as prefixes and their definitions to aid in studying for health-related examinations.

AAROM

Active Assisted Range of Motion

AD

Alzheimer’s Disease

AED

Automated External Defibrillator

ADLs

Activities of Daily Living

BID

Twice a day

BKA

Below-Knee Amputation

BLS

Basic Life Support

BP

Blood Pressure

BSE

Breast Self-Examination

CAD

Coronary Artery Disease

CBC

Complete Blood Count

CCMS

Clean-Catch Midstream

CHF

Congestive Heart Failure

CNA

Certified Nursing Assistant

COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

CXR

Chest X-Ray

DNR

Do Not Resuscitate

DM

Diabetes Mellitus

ED

Emergency Department

EKG

Electrocardiogram

FBS

Fasting Blood Sugar

GERD

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

HTN

Hypertension

ICU

Intensive Care Unit

IV

Intravenous

LDL

Low-Density Lipoprotein

N/A

Not Applicable

NPO

Nothing by Mouth

O2

Oxygen

P.M. , pm

Afternoon

P MSI

Post Myocardial Infarction

PRN

As needed

Rx

Prescription

SOB

Shortness of Breath

TB

Tuberculosis

UTI

Urinary Tract Infection

VS

Vital Signs

WBC

White Blood Cell

wt.

Weight

-itis

Inflammation

-ectomy

Surgical removal

-logy

Study of

-plasty

Surgical repair

-oma

Tumor

-emia

Blood condition

-pathy

Disease of

anemia

Lack of red blood cells

hypo

Low or below normal

hyper

High or above normal

bi-

Two or double

pre-

Before

post-

After

inter-

Between or among

trans-

Across or through