Medical Abbreviation

a

before

a.c.

before meals

p

after

p.c.

after meals

bid

twice a day

tid

three times a day

qid

four times a day

qh

every hour

prn

as needed

STAT

immediately

c

with

s

without

OD

right eye

OS

left eye

OU

both eye

AD

right ear

AS

left ear

AU

both ears

Ad lib

as desired

hs

hours of sleep

ADL

activities of daily living

d/c

discontinue

ETOH

ethyl alcohol, intoxicated

HOB

head of bed

Hx

history

I&O

intake and output

NKA

no known allergies

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NPO

nothing by mouth

OOB

out of bed

os

mouth

PE

physical exam, pulmonary embolism

po

by mouth

R/O

rule out

ROM

range of motion

S&S

signs and symptoms

V/S

vital signs

WA

while awake

w/c

wheelchair

WNL

within normal limits

y/o

year(s) old

Ax

axillary

DNR

do not resuscitate

IM

intramuscular

IV

intravenous

subcut

subcutaneous

IVP

IV (intravenous) push

mg

miligram

mcg

microgram

a-

without (prefix)

-algia

pain (suffix)

-an

pertaining to (suffix)

anti-

against (prefix)

-ar

pertaining to (suffix)

-opsy

view of (suffix)

-oxia

oxygen (suffix)

-pathy

disease (suffix)

-penia

deficiency (suffix)

peri-

surrounding (prefix)

bi-

two (prefix)

brady-

slow (prefix)

-cide

killing (suffix)

-cyte

cell (suffix)

dys-

bad, painful, difficulty, abnormal (prefix)

-emia

blood condition (suffix)

epi-

above (prefix)

erythema-

redness (prefix)

eu-

good, normal (prefix)

-gram

record (suffix)

-graph

instrument for recording (suffix)

-graphy

process of recording (suffix)

hemi-

half (prefix)

-plasty

surgical repair (suffix)

-plegia

paralysis (suffix)

-pnea

breathing (suffix)

poly-

many (prefix)

post-

after (prefix)

pre-

before (prefix)

pseudo-

false (prefix)

quadri-

four (prefix)

-rrhea

flow (suffix)

-sclerosis

hardening (suffix)

-scope

instrument for visual exam (suffix)

-scopy

visual exam (suffix)

semi-

half (prefix)

-stasis

stopping (s)

hyper-

above/excessive (p)

hypo-

below (p)

-ia

condition (s)

inter-

between (p)

intra-

within (p)

-stenosis

tightening (s)

-stomy

new opening (s)

sub-

under (p)

-suppresion

stopping (s)

supra-

above (p)

-ism

process or condition (s)

-itis

inflammation (s)

-lithiasis

condition of stones (s)

-logy

study (process of) (s)