Medical Abbreviations and Meanings

Abbreviations and Their Meanings

ABGs | arterial blood gases
ABO | blood group system
a.c. | before meals
ACTH | adrenocorticotropic hormone
ADH | antidiuretic hormone
ad lib | as desired
AIDS | acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
alb | albumin
ALL | acute lymphocytic leukemia
ALT | alanine transaminase (see SGPT)
AMI | acute myocardial infarction
AML | acute myelocytic leukemia
aPTT | activated partial thromboplastin time
Aq | water (aqua)
AST | aspartate aminotransferase (see SGOT)
ASO | antistreptolysin O
AV | arteriovenous; atrioventricular
b.i.d. | twice a day (bis in die)
bili | bilirubin
BMP | basic metabolic profile
BMR | basal metabolic rate
BP | blood pressure
bpm | beats per minute
BS | blood sugar
BUN | blood urea nitrogen
Bx | biopsy
c− | with (cum)

C | Celsius; centigrade
C & S | culture & sensitivity
Ca | calcium
CABG | coronary artery bypass graft
CAD | coronary artery disease
CAT | computed axial tomography
CBC; cbc | complete blood count
cc | cubic centimeter
CCU | coronary (cardiac) care unit; critical care unit
CF | cystic fibrosis
Chem | chemistry
Chemo | chemotherapy
CHF | congestive heart failure
Chol | cholesterol
CK | creatine kinase
cm | centimeter
CML | chronic myelogenous leukemia
CMV | cytomegalovirus
CNS | central nervous system
c/o | complaints of
CO | carbon monoxide; cardiac output
CO2 | carbon dioxide
COPD | chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CP | cerebral palsy; cleft palate
CPR | cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Crit | hematocrit (see HCT)
C-section | cesarean section
CSF | cerebrospinal fluid
CT scan | computed tomography scan

CVA | cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
CVC | central venous catheter
CVAD | Central venous access device
CXR | chest x-ray
D | day
DIC | disseminated intravascular coagulation
Diff | differential count of white blood cells
Dil | dilute
DKA | diabetic acidosis (ketoacidosis)
DM | diabetes mellitus; diastolic murmur
DNA | deoxyribonucleic acid
DNAR | Do not attempt resuscitation
DNR | do not resuscitate
DOB | date of birth
DPT | diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus
DRG | diagnosis-related group
DVT | deep vein thrombosis
Dx | diagnosis
EBV | Epstein–Barr virus
ECG | electrocardiogram
ECHO | echocardiography; echocardiogram
ECU | emergency care unit
ED | emergency department
EEG | electroencephalogram
EKG | electrocardiogram
ELISA | enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
EMG | electromyogram
EMS | emergency medical service
ENT | ear, nose, and throat

Eos | eosinophils
ER | emergency room
ESR/sed rate | erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ESRD | end-stage renal disease
ETOH | ethyl alcohol
exc | excision
F | Fahrenheit
FBS | fasting blood sugar
Fe | iron
FH, Fhx | family history
FS | frozen section
FSH | follicle-stimulating hormone
FUO | fever of unknown origin
Fx | fracture
GB | gallbladder
GH | growth hormone
GI | gastrointestinal
gluc | glucose
Gm, gm, g | gram
GTT | glucose tolerance test
GYN | gynecology
h | hour
HAV | hepatitis A virus
Hb, Hgb | hemoglobin
HBsAg | hepatitis B surface antigen
HBV | hepatitis B virus
HCG | human chorionic gonadotropin
HCl | hydrochloric acid
HCT, Hct | hematocrit (see crit)

HCV | hepatitis C virus
HDL | high-density lipoprotein
Hg | mercury
HGB, hgb | hemoglobin
HH, H & H | hemoglobin and hematocrit
HIV | human immunodeficiency virus
h/o | history of
H2O | water
h.s. | at bedtime (hora somni)
hx | history
ICU | intensive care unit
ID | identification, intradermal
IM | intramuscular
IP | inpatient
IV | intravenous
IVP | intravenous pyelogram
K+ | potassium
Kg | kilogram
L | left, liter
Lat | lateral
lb | pound
LD/LDH | lactic dehydrogenase
LDL | low-density lipoprotein
LE | lupus erythematosus (lupus)
LH | luteinizing hormone
LP | lumbar puncture
lymphs | lymphocytes
lytes | electrolytes
M | meter

Mcg | microgram
MCH | mean corpuscular hemoglobin
MCHC | mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
MCV | mean corpuscular volume
mets | metastases
Mg | milligram
Mg++ | magnesium
MI | myocardial infarction
mL | milliliter
mm | millimeter
MMR | measles-mumps-rubella
mono | monocyte; mononucleosis
MRI | magnetic resonance imaging
MS | multiple sclerosis
Na+ | sodium
NaCl | sodium chloride
neg | negative
NG, ng | nasogastric
NKA | no known allergy
noc | night
NPO, n.p.o. | nothing by mouth (nil/non/nulla per os)
NS | normal saline
NSAID | nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug
n/t | numbness and tingling
N&V, n/v | nausea and vomiting
O2 | oxygen
OA | osteoarthritis
OB | obstetrics; occult blood
OD | overdose

od | once daily (omni die)
OGTT | oral glucose tolerance test
O&P | ova and parasite
OP | outpatient
OR | operating room
Oz | ounce
p− | after (post)
P | pulse; phosphorus
PaCO2 | partial pressure of carbon dioxide
PaO2 | partial pressure of oxygen
PAP | Papanicolaou test (smear)
Path | pathology
Pb | lead
p.c. | after food/meals (post cibum)
Peds | pediatrics
PET | positron emission tomography
pH | hydrogen ion concentration (measure of acidity or alkalinity)
PICC | peripherally inserted central catheter
PKU | phenylketonuria
PLT, plt | platelet
PMNs | polymorphonuclear leukocytes
PNS | peripheral nervous system
p/o | postoperative
PO, p.o. | orally (per os)
polys | polymorphonuclear leukocytes
pos | positive
post-op | after operation
PP | postprandial (after a meal)
PPBS | postprandial blood sugar

PPD | purified protein derivative (TB test)
PRBCs | packed red blood cells
pre-op | before operation
prep | prepare for
PRN, p.r.n. | as necessary (pro re nata)
protime | prothrombin time
PSA | prostate-specific antigen
pt | patient
PT | prothrombin time/physical therapy
PTT | partial thromboplastin time
PVC | premature ventricular contraction
QNS, q.n.s. | quantity not sufficient
R | right
RA | rheumatoid arthritis
RBC, rbc | red blood cell or red blood count
req | requisition
RIA | radioimmunoassay
R/O | rule out
RPR | rapid plasma reagin
RT | respiratory therapy
RR | recovery room
Rx | treatment
s− | without
SA | sinoatrial
SAD | seasonal affective disorder
SC, SQ | subcutaneous
sed rate | erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
segs | segmented white blood cells
SGOT | serum glutamic–oxaloacetic transaminase (see AST)

SGPT | serum glutamic–pyruvic transaminase (see ALT)
SI | Systéme International (international system of units)
SLE | systemic lupus erythematosus
sol | solution
SpGr, sp gr | specific gravity
s.q. | subcutaneously
Staph | staphylococcus
STAT, stat | immediately (statum)
STD | sexually transmitted disease
Strep | streptococcus
Sx | symptoms
T | temperature
T3 | triiodothyronine (a thyroid hormone)
T4 | thyroxine (a thyroid hormone)
TAT | turnaround time
TB | tuberculosis, tuberculin
T cells | lymphocytes from the thymus
T&C | type and crossmatch (type & x)
TIA | transient ischemic attack
TIBC | total iron-binding capacity
TPN | total parenteral nutrition (intravenous feeding)
TPR | temperature, pulse, and respiration
Trig | triglycerides
TSH | thyroid-stimulating hormone
Tx | treatment
UA, ua | urinalysis
URI | upper respiratory infection
UTI | urinary tract infection
UV | ultraviolet

VAD | vascular access device
VCU | voiding cystourethrogram
VD | venereal disease
WBC, wbc | white blood cell
wd | wound
WT, wt | weight