THE NAME OF THE GAME
With permission from "Rhythms", the Yameitz Libechu newsletter
Have you ever tried to read a medical chart? Attempted to decipher your child’s hospital discharge summary? Confusion and bewilderment is what you will likely feel.
When it comes to abbreviations and acronyms the medical world is in a league of its own. We have compiled a list of some of the most common abbreviations used by medical professionals and their staff. This list is by no means complete, but it is no doubt an introduction to understanding the baffling world of “Medical Jargon.”
A
A&O - Alert and Oriented
A&P - Auscultation and Percussion
A&W - Alive & Well
Abd - Abdomen
ABE - Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
ABG - Arterial Blood Gases
ABX - Antibiotics
AC - Before Meals
Accel - Acceleration
Act - Activities
AD - Assistive Devices
AD Lib - As Desired
ADB - Admission Data Base
ADL - Activities of Daily Living
Adm - Admitting
ADR - Adverse Drug Reaction
AEB - As Evidenced By
AFB - Aorto-Femoral Bypass
A Fib - Atrial Fibrillation
AG - Albumin/globulin Ratio
AI - Aortic Insufficiency
AICD - Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
ALB - Albumin
ALTE - Acute Life Threatening Event
AM - Morning
AMA - Against Medical Advice
Amb - Ambulation
Amt - Amount
Anes - Anesthesia
Angio - Angiography
Ant - Anterior
Ao - Aortic
AOP - Apnea of Prematurity
APB - Atrial Premature Beats
APC’s - Atrial Premature Contractions
Appt - Appointment
AR - Aortic Root
ARDS - Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
ARF - Acute Renal Failure
ARI - Acute Respiratory Infection
AROM - Active Range of Motion
Art - Arterial
Av - Arteriovenous
AVM - Arteriovenous Malformation
AVR - Aortic Valve Replacement
AX F-B - Axilla-Femoral Bypass
B
(B) LY - Bilaterally
B - Black
Ba - Barium
BBB - Bundle Branch Block
BBBB - Bilateral Bundle Branch Block
BE - Barium Enema
BID - Twice a Day
Bil - Bilateral
Bili - Bilirubin
BP - Blood Pressure
BPD - Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
BPM - Breaths per Minute
BR - Bedrest
BSN - Bachelor of Science in Nursing
BW - Birth Weight
Bx - Biopsy
C
C - Centigrade
C&S - Culture and Sensitivity
CABG - Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
CAPD - Chronic Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis
Card - Cardiology
Cath - Catheterization
CBC - Complete Blood Count
CBD - Closed bag Drainage
CBF - Cerebral Blood Flow
CBG - Capillary Blood Gas
CC - Chief Complaint
CCA - Common Carotid Artery
CCU - Coronary Care unit
CDC - Center for Disease Control
CDH - Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
CHB - Complete Heart Block
CHF - Congestive Heart Failure
Chol - Cholesterol
Chr - Chronic
CI - Cardiac Index
CICU - Coronary Intensive Care Unit
CMP - Cardiomyopathy
CN - Cranial Nerve
CNS - Central Nervous System
CO - Complaint Of
CO2 - Carbon Dioxide
Comp - Compound
Conj - Conjunctiva
Cont - Continue
Coord - Coordination
COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Cor - Coronary
CP - Cerebral Palsy
CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
CPK - Creatine Phosphokinase
CPR - Cardio-pulmonary Resuscitation
CR - Complete Remission
Cr - Creatinine
CRF - Chronic Renal Failure
CRI - Chronic Renal Insufficiency
CRP - C-Reactive Protein
CSF - Cerebrospinal Fluid
Cspine - Cervical Spine
CT - Computed Tomography
CTA - Clear to Auscultation
CV=S1S2 - 1st and 2nd Heart Sound
CVA - Cerebrovascular Accident
CVD - Cardio Vascular Disease
CVP - Central Venous Pressure
CX - Culture
CXR - Chest X-Ray
D
D - Day
D&I Dry and Intact
DD - Developmental Delay
Def - Deficient
Del - Delivery
DEM - Department of Emergency Medicine
Dent - Dental
Derm - Dermatology
Dev -- Deviation
Devel - Developmental
DI - Doppler Imager
Diag - Diagnosis
DIB - Difficulty in Breathing
Diff - Differential Blood Count
Dil - Dilute
Dist - Distal
Disch - Discharge
DM - Diabetes Mellitus
DME - Durable Medical Equipment
DNC - Did Not Come
DNR - Do Not Resuscitate
DNS - Did Not Show
DO2 - Oxygen Delivery Bands
DOB - Date of Birth
DOC - Drug of Choice
DOE - Dyspnea on Exertion
DPT - Diptheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus
Dr - Doctor
Drsg - Dressing
DVT - Deep Vein Thrombophlebitis
Dx - Diagnosis
Dz - Disease
E
Ea - Each
EBL - Estimated Blood Loss
EC - Endo/Cystoscopy
ECA - External Carotid Artery
ECG - Electrocardiogram
ECMO - Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
ECT - Electroconvulsive Therapy
EDS - Electronic Discharge Summary
EEG - Electroencephalogram
EENT - Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat
Eff - Effacement
EFM - Electronic Fetal Monitoring
EFW - Estimated Fetal Weight
Eg - For Example
EGA - Estimated Gestational Age
ELBW - Extremely Low Birth Weight
Emerg - Emergency
EMS - Emergency Medical Service
Endo - Endocrinology
ENT - Ear, Nose, and Throat
Eq - Equivalent
ER - Emergency Room
Et - Endotracheal
ETOH - Ethyl Alcohol
ETT - Endotracheal Tube
EUA - Examination Under Anesthesia
Eval - Evaluation
Exer - Exercise
Exam - Examination
Exc - Excision
Exp - Expiratory
EXT - Extremities
Ext - Extension
F
F - Fahrenheit
FB - Foreign Body
FBS - Fasting Blood Sugar
Fe - Iron
Fecg - Fetal Electrocardiogram
Fem - Femoral
FHR - Fetal Heart Rate
FHT - Fetal Heart Tone
FHX - Family History
Fib - Fibrillation
FI02 - Forced Inspired Oxygen Concentration
FL OZ - Fluid Ounce
Flex - Flexion
Fluoro - Fluoroscopy
FM - Fetal Monitor
Freq - Frequent (Frequency)
FS - Flow Sheet
FT - Feeding Tube
FUO - Fever of Unknown Origin
FWB - Full Weight Bearing
Fx - Fracture
F/N - Finger/Nose
G
G - Gravida
GBS - Group B Beta Strep
Ge - Gastroenterology
GE - Gastro-Esophageal Junction
Gen – General
GERD - Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease
Gest Age - Gestational Age
GH - Growth Hormone
GI - Gastrointestinal
Gm - Gram
GPU - General Practice Unit
Gr - Grain
GS - General Surgery
GYN - Gynecology
H
H - Hydrogen
H/H - Hemoglobin and Hematacrit
H Aid - Hearing Aid
H&P - History and Physical
H2O - Water
HA - Headache
HAL - Hyperalimentation
HBP - High Blood Pressure
Hct - Hematocrit
HEENT - Head, Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat
HEME - Blood
Hep B - Hepatitis B
Hg - Mercury
Hgb - Hemoglobin
Hgt - Height
HO - History Of
Hosp - Hospitalization
HP - Hot Pack
HPI - History of Present Illness
HR - Heart Rate
Ht - Heart
Htn - Hypertension
HTp - Heart Transplant
HUS - Head Ultrasound
Hx - History
Hypo – Hypodermic
to be continued…