Common Medical Abbreviations

Medical Terminology Flashcards

What does ABG stand for?

Arterial Blood Gas

What does A. fib mean?

Atrial fibrillation

What does A. tach. mean?

Atrial tachycardia

What does a.c. or a/c mean?

before meals - as in taking medicine before meals

What does ADH stand for?

Antidiuretic hormone

What does A.D.L. stand for?

Activities of Daily Living

What does Abd mean?

Abdomen

What does ABP stand for?

Arterial Blood Pressure

What does ad lib mean?

As desired or at liberty

What does ADR stand for?

Adverse drug reaction

What does AKA stand for?

Above the knee amputation

What does ALL stand for?

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

What does AMA mean?

Against medical advice

What does amb mean?

Ambulatory

What does AMI stand for?

Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack)

What does Amt mean?

Amount

What does angio mean?

Angiogram

What does ant mean?

Anterior

What does ARDS stand for?

Acute respiratory distress syndrome

What does ARF stand for?

Acute renal failure

What does aq mean?

Water (aqueous)

What does art. mean?

Artery

What does ASA stand for?

Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)

What does Ax mean?

Axilla

What does BCP stand for?

Birth control pill

What does b.i.d. (BID) mean?

Twice a day

What does Bilat mean?

Bilateral

What is B/P?

Blood pressure - Blood pressure is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the vital signs that measures the pressure of circulating against blood vessels' walls and results from how the circulatory system pumps blood through the circulatory system.

What does BE stand for?

Barium enema

What does BKA stand for?

Below the knee amputation

What does BM mean?

Bowel movement

What does BMD stand for?

Bone mineral density

What does BMI stand for?

Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement of a person's body fat based on height and weight.

What does BMP stand for?

Basic metabolic panel. Electrolytes (potassium, sodium, carbon dioxide, and chloride) and creatinine and glucose.

What does BUN stand for?

Blood urea nitrogen

What does Bx stand for?

Biopsy

What does C stand for?

Celsius, centigrade

What does c/o mean?

Complains of

What does C&S stand for?

Culture and sensitivity, performed to detect infection.

What does Ca mean?

Cancer; carcinoma

What does Ca or Calc. mean?

Calcium

What does CABG stand for?

Coronary artery bypass and graft - Coronary artery bypass graft

What does cal mean?

Calorie

What does cap mean?

Capsule

What does CAT or CT stand for?

CT (computerized tomography) scan

What does CBC stand for?

Complete blood count - Complete blood count

What does cc mean?

Chief complaint

What does CC stand for?

Cubic centimeter

What does CCU stand for?

Coronary care unit, critical care unit

What does chol. mean?

Cholesterol

What does CI mean?

Chloride

What does CNS stand for?

Central nervous system

What does CO2 stand for?

Carbon dioxide

What does COPD stand for?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

What does CPAP stand for?

Continuous positive airway pressure. Treatment for sleep apnea

What does CPR stand for?

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), also called mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, is a life-saving technique to restart a heart that stops beating.

What does CSF stand for?

Cerebral spinal fluid

What does CVP stand for?

Central venous pressure

What does CVA stand for?

Cerebrovascular accident (stroke) - Cerebrovascular accident (Stroke).

What does CXR stand for?

Chest x-ray

What does D & C stand for?

Dilation & curettage - Dilation and curettage. Widening the cervix and scrapping with a curette for the purpose of removing tissue lining the inner surface of the womb (uterus).

What does D/C mean?

Discharge

What does d/c mean?

Discontinue

What does D5W stand for?

Dextrose 5% in water

What does DD stand for?

Date dictated

What does DDX stand for?

Differential diagnosis

What does defib mean?

Defibrillation

What does Diff mean?

Differential

What does dil. mean?

Dilute

What does dist mean?

Distal

What does DM stand for?

Diabetes mellitus

What does DNR mean?

Do not resuscitate. This is a specific order not to revive a patient artificially if they succumb to illness.

What does SOB stand for?

Shortness of breath

What does SpOz stand for?

Oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry

What does SVO₂ stand for?

Mixed venous oxygen saturation

What does SVC stand for?

Slow vital capacity

What does SVR stand for?

Systemic vascular resistance

What does SVRI stand for?

Systemic vascular resistance index

What does T stand for?

Temperature

What does TB stand for?

Tuberculosis

What does TC stand for?

Time constant

What does TCO₂ stand for?

Total CO₂

What does TCPOZ stand for?

Transcutaneous pressure of oxygen

What does TE stand for?

Expiratory time

What does Thigh stand for?

Time high

What does Ti stand for?

Inspiratory time

What does TID stand for?

Dynamic inspiratory time

What does Tis stand for?

Static inspiratory time

What does TLC stand for?

Total lung capacity

What does TION stand for?

Time low

What does TTN stand for?

Transient tachypnea of the newborn

What does URTI stand for?

Upper respiratory tract infection

What does UAC stand for?

Umbilical artery catheter

What does UVC stand for?

Umbilical venous catheter

What does VE stand for?

Minute volume of expired volume per minute (BTPS]

What does VA stand for?

Minute alveolar ventilation

What does VC stand for?

Vital capacity

What does VCO₂ stand for?

Carbon dioxide production (STPD) per minute

What does Vo stand for?

Deadspace

What does Vo/VT stand for?

Deadspace to tidal volume ratio