Medical Abbreviations

Medical Abbreviations

  • they represent shortened forms of words
  • they are an ^^efficient way of communicating quickly and concisely with other healthcare workers^^
  • healthcare workers use abbreviations to ^^convey information about their patients^^
  • they help ^^save time and space on medical documents^^

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Examples of medical Abbreviations

  • C/o: Complains of
    • Symptoms: Patient complains in the patient’s words and expressions.
    • usually, the patient is complaining of pain, fever, bleeding, swelling, difficulty to do usual acts, abnormal features…
    • usually said in non-medical terms
    • Signs: what doctors see and find and usually written in medical terms
  • Temp: Temperature
    • Normal Temperature around 37°C
    • A %%high temperature%% is called a fever
  • P: Pulse
    • Pulse is counting the heart rate (HR) and looking for its regularity
    • Normal around 72/min, regular
    • %%Increased HR%% is called Tachycardia
    • %%Slow HR%% is called Bradycardia
  • BP: Blood Pressure
    • Normal - around 120/80
    • %%Increased BP%% (120/110) is called Hypertension HTN
    • %%Decreased BP%% (70/50) is called Hypotension
    • %%Severe hypotension%% (50/30) is called Shock

Abbreviations of Disease Names

  • AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
  • CHF: Congestive Heart Failure
  • DVT: Deep Venous Thrombosis
  • DM: Diabetes Mellitus
  • RF: Renal Failure
  • TB: Tuberculosis

Abbreviations of Pathogens

  • HAV: Hepatitis A Virus
  • HBV: Hepatitis B Virus
  • HCV: Hepatitis C Virus
  • HDV: Hepatitis D Virus
  • HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Abbreviations for Laboratory Investigations

  • CBC: Complete Blood Count (CBP)
  • Hb: Hemoglobin
  • WBC: White Blood cell
  • RBC: Red Blood Corpuscles
  • ESR: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
  • BT: Bleeding Time
  • CT: Clotting Time
  • PT: Prothrombin Time
  • C&S: Culture and Sensitivity
  • GTT: Glucose Tolerance Test (Curve)

Abbreviations for Medical Imaging

  • CT: Computed Tomography
  • MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • ECG: Electrocardiogram
  • EEG: Electroencephalogram
  • EMG: Electromyogram
  • CXR: Chest X-Ray

Abbreviations for Drug usage

  • q.i.d. : 4 times a day
  • t.i.d. : 3 times a day
  • b.i.d. : twice a day
  • IM: Intramuscular
  • IV: Intravenous, Intravenously

Abbreviations for Hospital Rooms

  • ER: Emergency Room
  • ICU: Intensive Care Unit
  • NICU: Neonates Intensive Care Unit
  • IDU: Intensive Diseases Unit
  • OR: Operation Room (Theater)

Abbreviations for Medical Process

  • ALS: Advanced Life Supporter
  • CPR: Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
  • Post-op: Postoperative (after surgery)
  • Pre-op: Preoperative (before surgery)

Other common abbreviations

  • Wt: Weight
  • ~ : approximately
  • % : percent
  • # : pound or number
  • : check or checked
  • : increase or increasing
  • ↓ : decrease or decreasing
  • → : to the right
  • ← : to the left
  • △ : change or changed
  • ° : degree
  • ♂ : male
  • ♀ : female
  • cc: cubic centimeter (same as ml)

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