Lopez, Nolana - 3rd period - unit 1 Medical Symbols/ Common Abbreviations

• ( common medical symbols 1 - 14)

negative

%

percent

@

at

°

degrees

~

about, approximately

+

positive

>

greater than

<

less than

Δ

change

↑

higher, elevated up

→

to the right

↓

lower or down

←

to the left

♀

female

ABX ( Common Abbreviations

antibiotic

ad lib

as desired

AM, am

morning, before noon

b.i.d. or BID

Twice a day

C̄

with

CT

computerized tomography

CXR

chest x-ray

DOB

date of birth

ECG, EKG

electrocardiogram

ER

emergency room

H2O

water

H&P

h/o or H/O

history of

hs

bedtime ( error prone and best to just write out)

ht

height

Hx

history

IV

intravenous

Ib or #

pound

min.

minutes

NKDA

no known drug allergies

NPO

nothing by mouth ( in Latin, nil per os)

OB/GYN

obstetrician/ gynecologist

OR

operating room

OTC

over the counter

OV

office visit

oz

ounce

p̄

after

CC

Chief Complaint

c/o

complains of

CBC

complete blood count

consult

consultation

PM, pm

after noon

PMH

past medical history

postop

after surgery, postoperative

pre-op

before surgery, preoperative

PRN

as needed

Pro. Time

prothrombin time (blood clotting time)

Pt, pt.

patient

PTT

partial thromboplastin time (blood clotting time)

q

every

Rx

prescription

s (with a line on the top)

without

SOB

shortness of breath

stat, STAT

immediately

Sx

symptoms

T&C

type and crossmatch

t.i.d., TID

three times a day

TPR

temperature, pulse, respiration

UA

urinalysis

ung

ointment

VS, V/S

vital signs

WNL

within normal limits

wt

weight

y/o

years old