A Back to Main Page
a	assessment  also before (Lat. ante)
a or AB	abortion or miscarriage
a or ART	artery
A&E	accident and emergency
A&P	auscultation and percussion
A&W	alive and well
a.c.	before meals (Lat. ante cenam)
a.f.g.f.	acidic fibroblast growth factor
a.k.	above knee
a.p.	before dinner
A.S.A.	American Society of Anesthesiologists
A.S.A. 1	normal healthy patient
A.S.A. 2	patient with mild systemic disease
A.S.A. 3	patient with severe systemic disease
A.S.A. 4	patient with incapacitating systemic disease that is constant threat to life
A.Z.	Ascheim-Zondek test
A/B	acid/base ratio
A/BE	acid/base equilibrium
A/G	albumin globulin ratio
A/O	alert and oriented
A2	aortic second sound
AA	affected area
aa	equal part of each
AAA	abdominal aortic aneurysm
AAL	acute lymphoblastic leukemia  also anterior axillary line
AAROM	active assisted range of motion
AASP	acute atrophic spinal paralysis
AAU	acute anterior uveitis
AB	Ace Bandage  also active bilaterally
ab	antibody
AB or abd	abdominal
Abb	abbreviations
ABC	absolute basophil count
abd.	abdomen  also abduction  also abductor
ABE	activity before exercise  also acute bacterial endocarditis
ABG	arterial blood gas
ABN	abnormal  also active bulimia nervosa  also acute bacterial nephritis
ABP	arterial blood pressure
abs	absent
ABW	actual body weight
Ac	acute
AC	anterior chamber
acc	accident
Acc.Inc.	accidentally incurred
Acc.Inj.	accidental injury
accom.	accommodation
ACE	angiotensin converting enzyme
ACEI	angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
ACh	Acetylcholine
AChR	Acetylcholine receptor
ACL	anterior cruciate ligament
ACM	acute cerebrospinal meningitis
ACM or APAP	acetaminophen (paracetamol)
ACNP	acute care nurse practitioner
ACOP	approved code of practice
Acous	acoustic
Acr	acrylic
ACS	acute cervical sprain
Act	actinomycin
ACT	active motion  also anesthesia care team
act	activity
Act-C	actinomycin C
Act-D	actinomycin D
ACTH	adrenocorticotropic hormone
ACVD	acute cardiovascular disease
AD	advance directive  also Alzheimer's disease  also right ear (Lat. auris dexter)
ad lib	as desired  also at liberty
ADD	Attention Deficit Disorder
ADH	antidiruetic hormone (vasopressin)
ADHD	Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder
ADL	activities of daily living
ADM	acquired dermal melanocytosis  also arginine-deficient medium
adm.	admission
ADR	adverse drug reaction
AE	above elbow
AEA	above elbow amputation
AF	afebrile
AF or Afib	atrial fibrillation
AFB	acid fast bacilli
AFO	ankle-foot orthosis
AFP	alpha fetoprotein
AGA	appropriate gestational age
AgNO3	silver nitrate
AH	abdominal hysterectomy
AHCD	acquired hepatocellular degeneration
AHD	acquired hepatocerebral degeneration
AHF	Argentinian hemorrhagic fever
aI	active ingredient
AI	Adequate Intake  also aortic insufficiency  also articulation index
AIDS	acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
AIDS-KS	acquired immunodeficiency syndrome with Kaposi's sarcoma
AJ	ankle jerk
AKA	above knee amputation
aka	alcoholic ketoacidosis
alb.	albumin
alc.	alcohol
alkPhos	alkaline phosphate
ALL	acute lymphocytic/lymphoblastic leukemia
ALS	amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
ALT	alanine aminotransferase (formerly SGPT)  also alternating with
AM	before noon (Lat. ante meridiem)
AMA	against medical advice
amb.	ambulating  also ambulatory
AMD	age-related macular degeneration
AMI	acute myocardial infarction
AML	acute myeloid/myeloblastic leukemia
amnio	amniocentesis
amp.	ampule  also amputation
ANA see FANA	antinuclear antibody test
anes.	anesthesia
ANF	antinuclear factor
ann. fib.	annulus fibrosis
ANS	autonomic nervous system
ant.	anterior
ANUG	acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis
Anxty or ANX	anxiety
AO	aorta
AOB	alcohol on breath
AODM	adult onset diabetes mellitus
AP	acid phosphatase  also active pepsin  also ante partum
A-P	anteroposterior
AP res.	abdominal perineal resection of the rectum
A-P&lat or AP&L	anteroposterior and lateral
APC	atrial premature contractions
aph	aphasia
aq.	water
AR	active-resistance  also aortic regurgitation
ARC	AIDS Related Complex
ARD	acute respiratory distress
ARDS	adult respiratory distress syndrome
ARE	active-resistance exercise
ARF	acute respiratory failure  also acute rheumatic fever
Arg.	arginine
AROM	active range of motion  also artificial rupture of membranes
art	arterial  also articulation
AS	aortic stenosis  also left ear (Lat. Auris sinistra)
ASA	aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
ASAP	as soon as possible
ASC or ATS	arteriosclerosis
ASCVD	atherosclerotic/arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease
ASD	atrial septal defect
ASHD	arteriosclerotic heart disease
ASO	antistreptolysin O
AST	aspartate aminotransferase (formerly SGOT)  also aspartate transaminase
AT	Achilles tendon
at. flut.	atrial flutter
ATN	acute tubular necrosis
ATNR	asymmetrical tonic neck reflex
ATP	adenosine triphosphate
ATR	Achilles tendon reflex
ATT	arginine tolerance test
AU	according to custom (Lat. ad usum)  also both ears (Lat. auris unitas)
aud.	auditory
Aur. Fib	auricular fibrillation
AV	aortic valve  also atrioventricular
AV or AvV	atrioventricular valves
AVD	aortic valve disease
AVE	aortic valve echocardiogram
AVF	arteriovenous fistula
AVHS	acquired valvular heart syndrome
AVO	aortic valve opening
AVp	arginine vasopressin
AVR	aortic valve replacement
AVS	aortic valve stenosis
AVt	arginine vasotocin
AW	able to work  also above waist
Ax.	axial  also axilla  also axillary
AXR	abdominal X-ray
B Back to Main Page
B	black  also born
B&C	biopsy and curettage
B&J	bone and joint
B.	bath
b.i.d. or B/D	twice daily (Lat. bis in die)
b.i.n. or B/N	twice a night (Lat. bis in nox)
B.U.O.	bleeding of undetermined origin  also bruising of undetermined origin
BA	brachial artery  also bronchial asthma
Ba.E or BA or BE	barium enema
Ba.S	barium swallow
Bab.	Babinski sign
BAC	blood alcohol concentration
BAL	bronchoalveolar lavage
BAM	basilar artery migraine
BAO	basal acid output  also brachial artery output
BAO-MAO	basal acid output to maximal acid output
BAP	Behavior Activity Profile  also brachial artery pressure
BAR	bariatrics  also barometer  also barometric  also beta-adrenergic receptor
Barb	barbiturate
BarbDep	barbiturate dependence
BARK	beta-adrenergic receptor kinase
BAS	beta-adrenergic stimulation
Bas.	basal  also basilar
baso	basophile  also basophilic
BAT	basic aid training  also blunt abdominal trauma  also brown adipose tissue
BAV	bicuspid aortic valve
BB	beta blocker  also both bones
BBA	born before arrival
BBB	bundle branch block
BBBB	bilateral bundle-branch block
BBF	bronchial blood flow
BBk	blood bank
BBS	bashful bladder syndrome  also bilateral breath sounds
BBT	basal body temperature
BBTC	basal body temperature chart
BBx or BrBx.	breast biopsy
BBx/FS	breast biopsy/frozen section
BC	basal cell  also birth control  also board certified  also breast cancer  also bronchial carcinoma  also buffy coat
Bc or HCO3	bicarbonate
BCA	balloon catheter angioplasty  also basal cell atypia  also breast cancer antigen
BCAg	basal cell antigen
BCC	basal cell carcinoma  also benign cellular changes  also birth control clinic
BCD	basal cell dysplasia
BCE	basal cell epithelioma
BCG	bacillus Calmette-Guerin (tuberculosis vaccine)  also ballistocardiogram  also ballistocardiography  also bromcresol green (Dye)
BCH	basal cell hyperplasia
BCP	birth control pills
BCS	breast conservation surgery
BCt	blood count
BCult or bl cult	blood culture
BCyF	breast cyst fluid
BCyFP	breast cyst fluid protein
BD	band  also barbital-dependent  also behavioral disorder  also bile duct  also blood donor  also brain damage  also brain dead  also brain death
bd	twice daily
BD or D.O.B.	birth date
Bd.	board
BDC	burn dressing change
BdG	bidirectional Glenn shunt
BDI	blunt duodenal injury
BDil	bronchodilator
BE	below elbow
BEA	below elbow amputation
BFlo	blood flow
BFP	biological false positive
BHT	blunt head trauma
BI	basilar impression  also biological indicator  also bodily injury  also bone impaction  also burn index
Bic.	biceps
BID	brought in dead
BIH	bilateral inguinal hernia
bilat.	bilateral  also bilaterally
bili	bilirubin
BInj	brain injury
BiW	twice weekly
BJ	biceps jerk (reflex)
BJM	bones joints muscles
BK	below knee
bk.	back
BKA	below knee amputation
BkMD	Becker muscular dystrophy
BL	blood loss
BL or BsL	baseline
Blad.	bladder
bld.	blood
BLE	both lower extremities
BLLF	bilateral lower lung fields
BLQ	both lower quadrants
BLS	basic life support
BLS-D	basic life support and defibrillation
BM	basal metabolism  also black male  also bone marrow  also bowel movement
BMD	Best's macular dystrophy
BMI	body mass index
BMR	basal metabolic rate
BMT or HDC	bone marrow transplant
BN	bulimia nervosa
BND	barely noticeable difference
BNO	bladder neck obstruction
BO(R)	bowels open (regularly)
BOA	born on arrival
BOE	bilateral otitis externa
BOIP	bronchiolitis obliterans interstitial pneumonia
BOM	bilateral otitis media
BOMA	otitis media, both ears, acute
BOO	bladder outlet obstruction
BOOP	bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia
BOP	blood ova parasites
BoTox or BT	botulinum toxin
BOW	bag of water
BP	blood pressure  also body part
BPC or BPCuff	blood pressure cuff
BPD	bronchopulmonary dysplasia
BPH	benign prostatic hypertrophy
BPM	beats per minute
BPP	blood pressure and pulse
BR	bedrest
BR or WC	bathroom
Br.	breech presentation
brach.	brachial
BRBPR	bright red blood per rectum
broncho	bronchoscopy
BRP	bathroom privileges
BS	blood sugar  also bowel sounds  also breath sounds  also bronchial secretion
BSA	body surface area
BSA or BS+	bowel sounds active
BSB	bedside bag
BSC	bedside commode
BSD	bedside drainage
BSEx	breast self examination
BSN	bowel sounds normal
BSO	bilateral salpingooophorectomy
BSP	bromsulphalein (Dye)
BSR	basal skin resistance  also blood sedimentation rate  also bowel sounds regular
BSS	balanced salt solution
BST	blood serologic test
BT	bladder tumor  also blood type  also body temperature  also brain tumor  also breast tumor
BT or Bl.T	bleeding time
BT or HS	bedtime
BTB	bromthymol blue (Dye)
BTE	behind the ear
BTFS	breast tumor/frozen section
BTL	bilateral tubal ligation
BTLS	basic trauma life support
BTR	biceps tendon reflex
BTS	blood transfusion service
BTU	British thermal unit
BTW	by the way
BTx	blood transfusion  also brevetoxin
BU	Bethesda unit  also blood urea  also burn unit  also Buruli ulcer
BUA	blood uric acid
Buc or Bucc	buccal
BUE	both upper extremities
BUN	blood urea nitrogen
BUN/CR	blood urea nitrogen/creatine ratio
BUQ	both upper quadrants
BUR	bilateral ureteral occlusion
BUS	Bartholin, urethral, and Skene glands
BV	blood vessel
BVE	blood vessel endothelium
BVO	branch vein occlusion
BVP	blood vessel prosthesis
BW	bed wetting  also below waist  also birth weight  also black woman
BW or body wt.	body weight
BWS	battered woman/wife syndrome
Bx.	biopsy
C Back to Main Page
C	Caucasian  also cervical
C&S	culture and sensitivity
C.	Celsius complement  also centigrade  also gallon
c.	with
C.I	color index
C.M.M.	Certified Nurse-Midwife
c.v.	tomorrow night
C/O	care of
c/o	complains of  also complaints
C/S	Cesarean section
C1 - C7	cervical vertebrae
Ca	calcium  also carcinoma
CA	cancer  also cardiac arrest  also Caucasian adult
CAA	cerebral amyloid angiopathy
CABG	coronary artery bypass graft
CaCO3	calcium carbonate
CAD	coronary artery disease
CAF	Caucasian adult female  also cell adhesion factor
Caf.	caffeine
CAH	chronic active hepatitis
CAHD	coronary atherosclerotic heart disease
Cal or Kcal.	calorie
CAM	Caucasian adult male
CAPD	continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
Caps	capsules
car.	carotid
Card Cath	cardiac catheterization
card.	cardiac
CardMyo	cardiomyopathy
CaSac	calcium saccharin
CAT	computerized axial tomography
Cat.	cataract
cath	catheter  also catheterization
CB	Cesarean birth
CBC	complete blood count
CBD	common bile duct
CBF	cerebral blood flow
CBG	capillary blood gas
CBR	complete bed rest
CBV	catheter balloon valvuloplasty  also cerebral blood volume
CC	Caucasian child  also chief complaint
cc.	cubic centimeter
CCB	calcium channel blocker
CCBs	calcium channel blocker class
CCF	congestive cardiac failure
C-CF	carotid-cavernous fistula
CCGC	capillary column gas chromotography
CCU	coronary care unit
CD	cadaver donor  also cardiac disease  also contagious disease
cd	candela (measurement unit for light)
CD or COD or c.m.	cause of death (Lat. causa mortis)
CDC	Center for Disease Control
CDys	cardiac dysrhythmia
CEA	carcinoembryonic antigen  also carcinoembryonic enzyme
Cerv.	cervical  also cervix
CF	cardiac failure  also Caucasian female  also cystic fibrosis
cg.	centigram
CHB	complete heart block
CHD	congenital heart disease  also coronary heart disease
Chem.	chemotherapy
CHF	congestive heart failure
CHO	carbohydrate
Chol	cholesterol
Chr	chronic
CI	cardiac index  also cardiac insufficiency  also cerebral infarction
CICU	cardiac intensive care unit
CID	carpal instability, dissociative
CIND	carpal instability, non-dissociative
CIS	carcinoma in situ
CI-XII	1st to 12th cranial nerve
CJD	Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
C-JF	carotid-jugular fistula
CK	creatinine kinase
cl	centiliter
Cl	chloride  also chlorine  also clubbing
Cl.T	clotting time
Clav. or Cl	clavicle
cldy	cloudy
CLL	chronic lymphocytic leukemia
CM	cardiac murmur  also cardiac muscle  also Caucasian male
cm.	centimeter
CMal	cerebral malaria
CMass	center of mass
Cmc	carpometacarpal
CMCJ	carpometacarpal joint
CMem	cell membrane
CML	chronic myeloid leukemia
CMV	cytomegalovirus
CN	cranial nerve
CNS	central nervous system
cnst.	constipation
CO	carbon monoxide  also cardiac output
Co2 or CD	carbon dioxide
COAD	chronic obstructive airway disease
COLD	chronic obstructive lung disease
comb.	combination  also combine
comm.	communicable
comp.	compound  also compress
conc.	concentrated
cons.	consultation
cont.	continued  also contractions
COP	center of pressure
COPD	chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Cor	heart
CP	cerebral palsy  also chest pain
CPAP	continuous positive airway pressure
CpBy	cardiopulmonary bypass
CPC	clinicopathological conference
CPD	cephalo-pelvic disproportion
CPK	creatinine phosphokinase
CPPB	continuous positive pressure breathing
CPR	cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CPRS	complex regional pain syndrome
CPT	chest physical therapy
CR	closed reduction
cran.	cranial
CRD	chronic respiratory disease
creat. or Crea	creatinine
CRF	case report form  also chronic renal failure
CRP	C-reactive protein
CRS	catheter-related sepsis
CRT	capillary refill time  also cardiac resuscitation team
CRU	cardiac rehabilitation unit
CRV	central retinal vein
CRVO	central retinal vein occlusion
Cs	case
CSAVP	cerebral subarachnoid venous pressure
CSD	cat scratch disease
CSDB	cat scratch disease bacillus
CSF	cerebrospinal fluid
C-spine	cervical spine
CT	chest tube  also computed axial tomography
CThr	cerebral thrombosis
CTS	carpal tunnel syndrome
CTSP	called to see patient
CU	cause unknown
CV	cardiac volume  also cardiovascular  also Curriculum Vitae
CVA	cerebrovascular accident (stroke)  also costovertebral angle
CVC	central venous catheters
CvD	cardiovascular disease
CVL	central venous line
CVP	central venous pressure
CvS	cardiovascular system
CWP	cell wall protein
Cx	cervix  also culture
CxR	chest x-ray
cyath.	glassful
Cysto	cystoscopy
D Back to Main Page
d	right (Lat. dexter)
D&C	dilation and curettage
D&E	dilation and evacuation
D&R	dilation and radium implant
D&V	diarrhoea and vomiting
D.P.	dorsal pedia
d/c	discontinue
D/DW	dextrose in distilled water  also distilled water
D/L	decilter
D/S	discharge summary
D/W	dextrose in water  also discussed with
D5LR	5% dextrose and lactated ringers
D5W	5% dextrose and sterile water
DAH	diffuse alveolar hemorrhage
DAP	distal airway pressure
db.	decibel
DBE	deep breathing exercise
DC	discharges  also discontinue
DD	discharge diagnosis
DDx	differential diagnosis
decr.	decreased
decub.	lying down
def.	defacation
dehyd.	dehydrated
Derm.	Dermatology
DES	Diethylstilbestrol
DH	drug history
DI	diabetes insipidus  also diagnostic imaging
DIAG.	diagnosis
diam.	diameter
DIC	disseminated coagulopathy  also disseminated intravascular coagulation
diff.	differential blood count
dil.	dilute
dim.	diminished
DIND	delayed ischemic neurologic deficit
DIP	distal interphalangeal (joint)
dis.	disease
disch.	discharge
disp.	disposition
dist.	distal  also distilled
DIU	death in utero
div.	divorced
DJD	degenerative joint disease
DKA	diabetic ketoacidosis
DLE	disseminated lupus erythematosis
DM	diabetes mellitus  also diastolic murmur
DNA	deoxyribonucleic acid
DNKA	did not keep appointment
DNR	do not recussitate
DNRCC	do not recussitate comfort care
DOA	dead on arrival
DOB	date of birth
DOE	dyspnea on exertion
Dors	dorsal
DPL	diagnostic peritoneal lavage
DPN	deep peroneal nerve
DPT	diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccine
DR	delivery room
dr.	dram
DRE	digital rectal examination
drsg.	dressing
DSE	debutamine stress echocardiogram
DTR	deep tendon reflexes
DT's	delirium tremens
DU	duodenal ulcer
DUB	dysfunctional uterine bleeding
DUI	driving under influence
Dx	diagnosis
E Back to Main Page
e	without
E. coli	Escherichia coli
e.g.	for example (Lat. exempli gratia)
EAR	estimated average requirements
EBL	estimated blood loss
EBV	Epstein-Barr virus
EBV-IM	Epstein-Barr virus (infectious mononucleosis)
ECF	extended care facility  also extracellular fluid
ECHO	echocardiogram  also enterocytopathogenic human orphan virus
ECS	endocervical scrape
ECT	electroconvulsive therapy
ED	emergency department
EDC	estimated date of confinement
EDOD	estimated date of delivery
EEG	electroencephalogram
EENT see HEENT	eyes, ears, nose, throat
EEX	electrodiagnosis
EGA	estimated gestational age
EGD	esophago-gastroduodenoscopy
EKG or ECG	electrocardiogram
elev.	elevated
ELF	elective low forceps
elix.	elixir
EmBx	endometrial biopsy
EMG	electromyogram/electromyography
EMS	emergency medical service  also endometrial scrape
EMU	early morning urine
En.	enema
ENT	ears, nose, throat
Eoc.	eosinophiles
EOM	extraocular movement
Ep	epilepsy
Epis.	episiotomy
Epis. LML	left mediolateral episiotomy
Epis. Med.	medial episiotomy
Epis. RML	right mediolateral episiotomy
ER	endoplasmic reticulum
ERCP	endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography
ERP	endoscopic retrograde pancreatography
ESR or sed. rate	erythrocyte sedimentation rate
ESRD	end-stage renal disease
EST	electroshock therapy
et	and
ETIOL. or Etio	etiology
ETOH	ethanol (alcohol)
EUA	examine under anesthesia
EVAL	evaluation
ex.	example  also exercise
Exp. Lap.	exploratory laparotomy
expir	expiration  also expiratory
ext.	external  also extremity
EXT	extraction
Ext.	extract
ext. gen.	external genitalia