Common Medical Abbreviations

A

assessment

before

ac

before meals

ad lib

as desired

am/AM

between midnight and noon

amt

amount

bilateral

bid

twice a day

Bx

biopsy

with

C

Celsius

CC

chief complaint

cc

cubic centimeter

cm

centimeter

c/o

complains of

CT

computed tomography

d

day

dc/DC or D/C

discontinue

DOB

date of birth

Dx

diagnosis

ER

emergency room

ETA

estimated time of arrival

F

Fahrenheit

FUO

fever of undetermined (or unknown) origin

g or gm

gram

gtt or gtts

drop or drops

h

hour

Hg

mercury

water

hydrogen peroxide

H&P or HxPx

history and physical

Ht

height

Hx

history

ICU

intensive care unit

I&D

incision and drainage

IP

inpatient

K/K+

potassium

kg

kilogram

left

L/l

liter

lb or #

pound

mg(m)

milligram

ml

milliliter

mm

millimeter

MRI

magnetic resonance imaging

Na/Na+

sodium

N/A

not applicable

neg

negative

NKA

no known allergies

NKDA

no known drug allergies

noct

night

OD

overdose

oint

ointment

OP

outpatient

OR

operating room

OTC

over-the-counter

OV

office visit

oz

ounce

after

PE

physical exam

per

by or through

PET

positron emission tomography

PK

pain killer

pm/PM

between noon and midnight

PRN/prn

as needed

Pt/pt

patient

q

every

qd

every day

qid

four times a day

right

r/o, R/O

rule out

ROS

review of systems

Rx

"take" OR prescription

without

sig

instructions or directions

SO

standing order OR significant other

SOAP

Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan

S&S

signs and symptoms

stat

immediately

T

temperature

tab(s)

tablet(s)

tbsp

tablespoon

temp

temperature

tid

three times a day

TPR

temperature, pulse, and respiration

tsp

teaspoon

Tx

therapy or treatment

UNK

unknown

VS

vital signs

w/a

when awake

wk

week

WNL

within normal limits

Wt

weight

>

greater than

<

less than

+

positive

-

negative

~

approximately

%

percent

increase