Common medical abbreviations

ProScribe employee training vocabulary and additional common terms

Abx

antibiotics

AMA

against medical advice

AMS

altered mental status

ASA

aspirin

AT/NC

atraumatic/normocephalic

c/w

consistent with

CA

cancer

CMT

cervical motion tenderness; PE finding seen when F presents with pelvic infection

CTA

clear to auscultation (normal lung finding)

CXR

chest x-ray

d/c

discharge

DOE

dyspnea on exertion

DDx

differential diagnosis

Dx

diagnosis

EF

ejection fraction; low can indicate congestive heart failure

EOMI

extraocular movements intact; normal finding when pt is asked to look in diff directions

ETT/ET tube

endotracheal tube

f/u

follow up

Fx

fracture

G/P/A

pregnancies/live births/miscarriages and abortions

H&H

hemoglobin & hematocrit

h/o

history of

HA

headache

Hct

hematocrit

Hgb

hemoglobin

IM

intramuscular

Hx

history

IUP

intrauterine pregnancy

IVDA

intravenous drug abuse

JVD

jugular venous distention; bulging neck veins; common in congestive heart failure

LLE

lower left extremity

LLL

left lower lobe

LLQ

left lower quadrant

LUE

left upper extremity

LUQ

left upper quadrant

LNMP

last normal menstrual period

LOC

loss of consciousness

LOS

length of stay

MVA

motor vehicle accident

N/V/D

nausea/vomiting/diarrhea

NAD

no acute distress/disease

NKDA

no known drug allergies

nml/nl

normal

NPO

nothing per os (by mouth)

NS

normal saline

NSR

normal sinus rhythm

PCN

penicillin

PERRL(A)

pupils are equal, round, and reactive to light; A = accommodation (proximal/distal focus)

ppd

packs per day

PRN

as needed

PTA

prior to arrival

RLE

right lower extremity

RLQ

right lower quadrant

RLL

right lower lobe

RUE

right upper extremity

RUQ

right upper quadrant

ROM

range of motion

RRR

regular rate and rhythm

Rx

prescription

s/p

status post

TM

tympanic membrane

Tx

treatment

URI

upper respiratory infection

WNL

within normal limits

HTN

hypertension

AA&O

awake, alert, & oriented

AKA

above knee amputation

B

bilateral

BID

twice per day

BKA

below knee amputation

BM

bowel movement

BS

bowel sounds

CAD

coronary artery disease

C-spine

cervical spine

CHF

congestive heart failure

CP

chest pain

CVA

cerebrovascular accident (stroke)

d/t

due to

DKA

diabetic ketoacidosis

F/C

fever and chills

FROM

full range of motion

GSW

gunshot wound

IDDM

insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

L-spine

lumbar spine

MI

myocardial infarction (heart attack)

NTG

nitroglycerin (vasodilator)

PAC

premature atrial contractions

PND

post nasal drip

Q4H

every 4 hours

QD

every day

QH

every hour

QID

four times daily

RR

respiratory rate

RXN

reaction

Sx

symptoms

TID

three times daily

TTP

tenderness to palpitation

VSS

vital signs stable

CMP

complete metabolic panel

CBC

complete blood count