Commonly Used Medical Abbreviations

Medical Abbreviations

ABBREVIATION
MEANING

A.C.
Before meals

A/G Ratio
Albumin to Globulin Ratio

ACL
Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Ad Lib
At liberty; As desired

ARF
Acute Renal Failure

ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ADR
Adverse Drug Reaction

AIDS
Acute Immune Deficiency Syndrome

AKA
Above the Knee Amputation

ANED
Alive with No Evidence of Disease

ADH
Antidiuretic Hormone

ARDS
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

ASCVD
Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

B.I.D.
Twice a day

BLD
Blood

BKA
Below the Knee Amputation

BMP
Basic Metabolic Panel

BP
Blood Pressure

BPD
Borderline Personality Disorder

BSO
Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy

C&S
Culture and Sensitivity

C/O
Complaint of

Cap
Capsule

Ca
Cancer

CABG
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

CBC
Complete Blood Count

CC
Chief Complaint

cc
Cubic Centimeters

CDE
Complete Dental Evaluation

CPAP
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

CT
Chemotheraphy

CVA
Cerebrovascular Accident

D/C or DC
Discontinue or Discharge

DCIS
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ

DDx
Differential Diagnosis

DJD
Degenerative Joint Disease

DM
Diabetes Mellitus

DNC, D&C or D and C
Dilatation and Curettage

DNR
Do Not Rescucitate

DOE
Dyspnea On Exertion

DTR
Deep Tendon Reflexes

DVT
Deep Vein Thrombosis

ETOH
Alcohol

ECT
Electrocinvulsive Therapy

EC
Enteric Coated

Ext.
External or Extract

Elix.
Elixir

FX
Fracture

Fl or Fid
Fluid

g
Gram

GvHD
Graft versus Host Disease

gtt
Drop

Gr
Grain

H&H
Hemoglobin and Hematocrit

H&P
History and Physical Examination

h.s.
At bedtime

H/O or h/o
History of

HA
Headache

HRT
Hormone Replacement Therapy

HTN
Hypertension

I&D
Incision and Drainage

IBD or IBS
Inflammatory Bowel Disease or Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome

ICU
Intensive Care Unit

IM
Intramuscular

IPF
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

IU
SInternational Units

Jt
Joint

K
Potassium

KCl
Potassium Chloride

LBP
Low Back Pain

LLQ
Left Lower Quadrant

LUQ
Left Upper Quadrant

MCL
Medial Collateral Ligament

mg
Milligrams

M/H
Medical History

ml
Milliliters

N/V
Nausea or Vomiting

Na
Sodium

NCP
Nursing Care Plan

NPO
Nothing Per Orem (Nothing by mouth)

NSR
Normal Sinus Rhythm

O.D.
Right Eye

O.S.
Left Eye

O.U.
Both Eyes

ORIF
Open Reduction and Internal Fixation

P
Pulse

P.O.
Per Orem (By mouth)

P.R.N.
As needed

PD
Progressive Disease

PERRLA
Pupils Equally Round and Reactive to Light and Accommodation

Plt.
Platelets

PMI
Point of Maximum Impulse

PMS
Premenstrual Syndrome

PT
Physical Therapy

PTH
Parathyroid Hormone

PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

PUD
Peptic Ulcer Disease

q.d.
Every day

q.i.d.
Four times a day

q.h.
Every hour

q.h.s.
Every bedtime

q.o.d.
Every other day

q2h
Every 2 hours

RA
Rheumatoid Arthritis

RDS
Respiratory Distress Syndrome

R/O
Rule Out

REB
Rebound

RLQ
Right Lower Quadrant

RUQ
Right Upper Quadrant

ROS
Review of Systems

s/p
Status Post

SAD
Season Affective Disorder

SOB
Shortness of Breath

SQ
Subcutaneous

T
Temperature

T&A
Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

t.i.d.
Three times daily

tab
Tablet

TAH
Total Abdominal Hysterectomy

THR
Total Hip Replacement

TKR
Total Knee Replacement

TMJ
Tempomandibular Joint