A-Z Medical Terms for New Medical Beginners, and for Medical Professionals, Abbreviation
A_Z Medical Terms and Meaning for new medical beginners and Medical Professionals who wish to learn more.
Common Medical Abbreviations List for all medical professionals| A-Z Medical Terms for New Medical Beginners
A-Z Medical Terms for New Medical Beginners
A – Medical abbreviations
- c. Before meals
- A/g ratio: Albumin to globulin ratio
- ACL: Anterior cruciate ligament
- AFR: Acute renal failure
- ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- ADR: Above drug reaction
- AKA: above the knee amputation
- ADH: Antidiuretic hormone
- ARDS: Acute renal failure
- ASCVD: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
B – Medical abbreviations
- i.d: twice daily
- BKA: Below the knee amputation
- BMP: Basic metabolic panel
- BP: Blood pressure.
- BPD: Borderline personality disorder.
- BSO: Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.
C – Medical abbreviations
- C&s: culture and sensitivity, perform to detect infection
- C/O: complaint of
- Ca; capsule
- Ca: cancer
- CBC: complete blood count
- CABG: coronary artery bypass graft
- CDE: complete dental evaluation
- CC: chief complaint
- CC: cubic centimeters
- CPAP: continuous positive airway pressure
- COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- CT: A type of treatment therapy for cancer.
- CVA: Cerebrovascular accident.
D – Medical abbreviations
- D/C or DC: Discontinue or discharge
- DCIS: Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. A type of breast cancer.
- DDX: Differential diagnosis.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus.
- DNC, D&C, or D and C: Dilation and curettage. Widening the cervix and scrapping with a curette for the purpose of removing tissue lining the inner surface of the womb (uterus).
- DNR: Do not resuscitate. This is a specific order not to revive a patient artificially if they succumb to illness. If a patient is given a DNR order, they are not resuscitated if they are near death and no code blue is called.
- DOE: Dyspnea on exertion. Shortness of breath with activity.
- DTR: Deep tendon reflexes. These are reflexes that the doctor tests by banging on the tendons with a rubber hammer.
- DVT: Deep venous thrombosis (blood clot in a large vein).
E – Medical abbreviations
- ETOH: ETOH intake history is often recorded as part of patient history.
- ECT: Electroconvulsive therapy. A procedure used to control seizures (convulsions).
F – Medical abbreviations
- FX: Fracture.
G – Medical abbreviations
- g: gram, a unit of weight
- GOMER: Slang for “get out of my emergency room.”
- GvHD: Graft vs. host disease. It is complicated by the syndromes of acute and chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD).
- gtt: Drops.
H – Medical abbreviations
- H&H: Hemoglobin and hematocrit. When the H & H is low, anemia is present.
- H&P: History and physical examination.
- s.: At bedtime. As in taking medicine at bedtime.
- H/O or h/o: History of. A past event that occurred.
- HA: Headache.
- HRT: Hormone replacement or hormone replacement therapy.
- HTN: Hypertension.
I – Medical abbreviations
- I&D: Incision and drainage.
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- ICD: Implantable cardioverter defibrillator
- ICU: Intensive care unit. The patient was moved to the intensive care unit.
- IM:
- IMP: This is the summary conclusion of the patient’s condition by the healthcare professional at that particular date and time.
- ITU: Intensive therapy unit
- in vitro: In the laboratory
- in vivo: In the body
- IPF: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. A type of lung disease.
- IU: International units.
J – Medical abbreviations
- JT: Joint.
K – Medical abbreviations
- K: Potassium. An essential electrolyte frequently monitored regularly in intensive care.
- KCL: Potassium chloride.
L – Medical abbreviations
- LCIS: Lobular Carcinoma in Situ. A type of cancer of the breast. The patient is receiving treatment for Lobular Carcinoma in Situ.
- LBP: Low back pain. LBP is one of the most common medical complaints.
- LLQ: Left lower quadrant. Diverticulitis pain is often in the LLQ of the abdomen.
- LUQ: Left upper quadrant. The spleen is located in the LUQ of the abdomen.
- Lytes: Electrolytes (potassium, sodium, carbon dioxide, and chloride).
M – Medical abbreviations
- MCL: Medial collateral ligament.
- mg: Milligrams.
- M/H: Medical history
- ml: Milliliters.
- MVP: Mitral valve prolapse.
N – Medical abbreviations
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- Na: Sodium. An essential electrolyte frequently monitored regularly in intensive care.
- NCP: Nursing care plan
- NPO: Nothing by mouth. For example, if a patient was about to undergo a surgical operation requiring general anesthesia, they may be required to avoid food or beverage prior to the procedure.
- NSR: Normal sinus rhythm of the heart
O – Medical abbreviations
- O&P: Ova and parasites. Stool O & P is tested in the laboratory to detect parasitic infection in persons with chronic diarrhea.
- D.: Right eye.
- S.: Left eye.
- U.: Both eyes.
- ORIF: Open reduction and internal fixation, such as with the orthopedic repair of a hip fracture.
P – Medical abbreviations
- P: Pulse. Pulse is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the “vital signs.”
- p¯: After meals. As intake two tablets after meals.
- o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- r.n.: As needed. So that it is not always done, but done only when the situation calls for it (for example, taking pain medication only when having pain and not without pain).
- PCL: Posterior cruciate ligament.
- PD: Progressive disease. Patients at risk of developing progressive disease of the kidneys include those with proteinuria or hematuria.
PERRLA: Pupils equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation.
PFT: Pulmonary function test. A test to evaluate how well the lungs are functioning. - PERRLA: Pupils equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation.
- Plt: Platelets, one of the blood-forming elements along with the white and red blood cells.
- PMI: Point of the maximum impulse of the heart when felt during the examination, as in beats against the chest.
- PMS: Premenstrual syndrome
- PT: Physical therapy
- PTH: Parathyroid hormone
- PTSD: Post-traumatic stress syndrome
- PUD: Peptic ulcer disease. A type of ulcer of the stomach.
Q – Medical abbreviations
- d.: Each day. As in taking medicine daily.
- i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- q2h: Every 2 hours. As in taking a medicine every 2 hours.
- q3h: Every 3 hours. As in taking a medicine every 3 hours.
- QAM: Each morning. As in taking medicine each morning.
- qhs: At each bedtime. As in taking medicine each bedtime.
- qod: Every other day. As in taking medicine every other day.
- QPM: Each evening. As in taking medicine each evening.
R – Medical abbreviations
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis. A type of joint disease.
- RDS: Respiratory distress syndrome
- R/O: Rule out. Doctors frequently will rule out various possible diagnoses when figuring out the correct diagnosis.
- REB: Rebound, as in rebound tenderness of the abdomen when pushed in and then released.
- RLQ: Right lower quadrant. The appendix is located in the RLQ of the abdomen.
- ROS: Review of systems. An overall review concerns relating to the organ systems, such as the respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurologic systems.
- RUQ: Right upper quadrant. The liver is located in the RUQ of the abdomen.
S – Medical abbreviations
- S/p: Status post. For example, a person who had a knee operation would be s/p a knee operation.
- SAD: Season affective disorder. A type of depression that occurs during the winter months when there is little light.
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- SQ: Subcutaneous. This is a typical notation when noting or ordering an injection (shot) given into the fatty tissue under the skin, such as with insulin for diabetes mellitus.
T – Medical abbreviations
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the “vital signs.”
- T&A: Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
- i.d.: Three times daily. As in taking medicine three times daily.
- tab: Tablet
- TAH: Total abdominal hysterectomy
- TAH: Total abdominal hysterectomy. A type of surgery to remove a woman’s uterus, Fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
- THR: Total hip replacement
- TKR: Total knee replacement
- TMJ: Tempomandibular joint
U – Medical abbreviations
- UA or u/a: Urinalysis. A UA is a typical part of a comprehensive physical examination.
- U or u**: Mistaken as the number 0 or 4, causing a 10-fold overdose or greater
- ULN: Upper limits of normal
- URI: Upper respiratory infection, such as sinusitis or the common cold
- Ut dict: As directed. As in taking medicine according to the instructions that the health care professional gave in the office or in the past
- UTI: Urinary tract infection
V – Medical abbreviations
- VSS: Vital signs are stable. This notation means that from the standpoint of the temperature, blood pressure, and pulse, the patient is doing well.
W – Medical abbreviations
- Wt: Weight. Bodyweight is often recorded as part of the physical examination.
X – Medical abbreviations
- XRT: Radiotherapy (external). A type of treatment that uses radiation.
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