Medical Abbreviations and Terminology

Medical Abbreviations

Abbreviations by Categories

• Before Meals:

  • ā: before

  • a.c.: before meals

• Alzheimer’s Disease:

  • AD: Alzheimer’s disease

• As Desired:

  • ad lib: as desired

• Activities of Daily Living:

  • ADLs: Activities of daily living

• Medical Equipment:

  • AED: Automated External Defibrillator

  • BSC: beside commode

• Medical Associations:

  • AHA: American Heart Association

• Amputation Types:

  • AKA: Above Knee amputation

  • BKA: Below knee amputation

• Ambulation Terms:

  • amb: ambulate, ambulatory

• Physical Conditioning:

  • AROM: Active range of motion

  • CBR: complete bedrest

• Cardiovascular Terms:

  • BP, B/P: Blood Pressure

  • BPM: beats per minute

  • CHF: Congestive Heart Failure

  • CVA: cerebrovascular accident, stroke

  • MI: myocardial infarction

• Patient Complaints:

  • c/o: complain of, in care of

• Chronic Conditions:

  • COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• Emergency Procedures:

  • CPR: cardiopulmonary resuscitation

• Diabetes-Related Terms:

  • DM: diabetes mellitus

  • FBS: fasting blood sugar

  • FSBS: Fingerstick blood sugar

  • NCS: no concentrated sweets

• Medical Orders and Notations:

  • DNR: do not resuscitate

  • Dx/dx: diagnosis

  • FF: force fluids

Common Abbreviations

• General Health Terms:

  • GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease

  • HBV: hepatitis B virus

  • HTN: hypertension

  • HOB: Head of bed

  • HOH: hard of hearing

  • Ht: height

  • Hx: history

• Medical Actions:

  • HS/hs: hour of sleep

  • I&O: intake and output

  • Low-Na: Low-sodium

  • Na: sodium

  • NAS: no added salt

  • NPO: nothing by mouth

  • O2: oxygen

• Occupational Health Terms:

  • OBRA: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

  • OT: occupational therapist, occupational therapy

• Medical Timing Notations:

  • P: after

  • pc, p.c.: after meals

  • q: every

  • q2h, q3h, q4h: every 4 hours

  • qd: every day

  • qh, qhr: every hour

  • qhs: every night at bedtime

  • q.o.d: every other day

• Miscellaneous:

  • R: respiration, rectal

  • RDT: registered dietitian

  • ROM: Range of motion

  • S&S, S/S: signs and symptoms

  • SOB: shortness of breath

  • STAT/stat: immediately

  • t.i.d., tid: three times a day

  • TKR: total knee replacement

  • T.P.R.: temperature, pulse, and respiration

  • UTI: urinary tract infection

• Vital Signs and Measurements:

  • VS, vs: vital signs

  • w/c, W/C: wheelchair

  • wt.: weight

Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes

Medical Prefixes and Their Meanings

• a, an: without, not, lack of

  • Example: analgesic: without pain

• bi: two, twice, double

  • Example: bifocal: two lenses

• brady: slow

  • Example: bradycardia: slow pulse, heartbeat

• dis: apart, free from

  • Example: disinfected: free from microorganisms

• dys: bad, painful

  • Example: dysuria: painful urination

• hyper: too much, high

  • Example: hypertension: high blood pressure

• hypo: below, under

  • Example: hypotension: low blood pressure

• tachy: swift, fast, rapid

  • Example: tachycardia: rapid heartbeat

Medical Roots and Their Meanings

• brachi(o): arm

  • Example: brachial: pertaining to the arm

• card, card(o): heart

  • Example: cardiology: study of the heart

• cyan: blue

  • Example: cyanosis: blue, gray, purple tinge in the skin due to lack of oxygen in the blood

• pneo/pnea: breathing

  • Example: tachypnea: rapid breathing

Common Suffixes in Medical Terminology

• -emesis: vomiting

  • Example: hyperemesis: excessive vomiting

• -phagia: to eat

  • Example: dysphagia: difficulty swallowing

• -phasia: speaking

  • Example: aphasia: absence of speaking

• -plegia: paralysis

  • Example: paraplegia: paralysis of lower portion of the body

• -uria: condition of the urine

  • Example: dysuria: painful urination