Medical Terminology - General Abbreviations

AA: Alcoholics Anonymous

a.c.: before meals

AD, a.d.: right ear

ad lib: freely, as often as desired

am, AM: morning

AS, a.s.: left ear

AU, a.u.: each ear

BE: barium enema BID, b.i.d., bid: twice a day BP: blood pressure BR: bedrest BRP: bathroom privileges BM: bowel movement Bx: biopsy

C (with line above): with CA, Ca: carcinoma (cancer) cap.: capsule disc, DC, d.c.: discontinue DNR: do not resuscitate Dx, dx: diagnosis ED: emergency department ER: emergency room

Fx, fx: fracture g, gm: gram gt, gtt: drop, drops h: hour h.s.: hour of sleep (bedtime) Ht., ht: height Hx: history H&P: history and physical inj.: injection I and O, I/O: intake and output IV: intravenous

K+, K: potassium mg: milligram N&V: nausea and vomiting Na, Na+: sodium NC: nasal cannula NPO: nothing by mouth NPO p MN: nothing by mouth past midnight

oint., ung: ointment OOB: out of bed OTC: over the counter oz.: ounce P: pulse p.c.: after meals pH: power of hydrogen concentration PM, p.m.: afternoon PO, po, p.o.: by mouth PRN: as needed Pt: patient

q.am.: every morning q.d.: once daily q.h.: every hour q.i.d.: four times a day QNS: quantity not sufficient q.s.: quantity sufficient

r, R: rectal Rx: prescription S (with line above): without SOB: shortness of breath ss: one-half stat: immediately syr.: syrup susp.: suspension sup., supp.: suppository

T: temperature tab.: tablet tbsp., Tbsp., TBS, T.: tablespoon TID, t.i.d.: three times a day TPR: temperature, pulse, and respiration tsp., t.: teaspoon Tx: treatment VS: vital signs W/C, w/c: wheelchair