F Back to Main Page
F	Fahrenheit  also female  also finger
F.A.	first aid
F.B.	foreign body
f.f.	force fluid
FA	fluorescent antibody
FANA see ANA	fluorescent antinuclear antibody test
FBC	full blood count
FBS	fasting blood sugar
FCA	fracture, complete, angulated
FCC	fracture, complete, comminuted  also fracture, compound, comminuted
FCCC	fracture, complete, comminuted, compound
FCD	fracture, complete, deviated
FD	fully dilated
FDA	Food and Drug Administration
FDP	fibrin degradation product  also flexor digitorum profundus
FDS	flexor digitorum superficialis
Fe def.	iron deficiency
FEC	freestanding emergency center
FEF	forced expiratory flow
FEKG or FECG	fetal electrocardiogram
fem.	femoral
fem. pop.	femoral popliteal
fet.	fetal
FEV	forced expiratory volume
FEV1	forced expiratory volume in 1 second
FFP	fresh frozen plasma
FGC	full gold crown
FH	family history  also fetal heart
fh	fundal height
FHR	fetal heart rate
FHR-UC	fetal heart rate - uterine contraction
FHS	fetal heart sounds
FHT	fetal heart tones
FiO2	faction of inspired oxygen concentration
fl.	fluids
fl. dr.	fluid dram
fl. oz.	fluid ounce
flac.	flaccid
fld.	fluid
flex.	flexion  also flexor
FM	finger movement
FNA	fine needle aspirate
FNAB	fine-needle aspiration biopsy
FOB	fecal occult blood
FOOSH	fell on outstretched hand
FOS	full of stool/constipated
FPAL	full term premature abortion living
FPM	full passive movement
FR	fracture  also frequency of respiration  also full range
fract.	fractional
FRBB	fracture of both bones
FRC	functional residual capacity
FRJM	full range of joint movement
FROM	full range of motion  also full range of movement
FS	finger stick
FSC	fracture, simple comminuted
FSCC	fracture, simple, complete, comminuted
FSH	follicle stimulating hormone
FT	full term
FTD	failure to descend
FTND	full term normal delivery
FTSG	full thickness skin graft
FTT	failure to thrive
FTW	fast-twitch white (skeletal muscle)
FU or F/U	follow-up
FUB	functional uterine bleeding
FUO	fever of unknown/undetermined origin
FVC	forced vital capacity
FW	fetal weight
Fx	fracture
FXBB	fracture of both bones
G Back to Main Page
g or gm	gram
G or GRAV	gravida (Lat. pregnant)
G&S	group and save
G.A.	general anesthesia
G.C.	gonococcus
G.H.	growth hormone
G/E	gastroenteritis
G/M	granulocyte/macrophage
g/ml	grams per milliliter
G/P	gravida/para
G/W	glucose and water
GA	gastric analysis  also general anaesthetic/anesthesia  also general appearance  also gestational age
GABA	gamma-aminobutyric acid
Gal	gallon
GB	gallbladder  also Guillain-BarrŽ (syndrome)
GBEF	gallbladder ejection fraction
GBS	gallbladder series
GC	general condition  also gonococcal  also gonococcus
GC/MS	gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
GCP	good clinical practice (guidelines)
GCRP	good clinical research practice
GCS	Glasgow Coma Scale
GCT	germ cell tumor
GDM	gestational diabetes mellitus
GE	gastroenteritis  also Gastroenterology  also gastroesophageal
GED	gastric emptying duration  also Graves' eye disease
gen	general
GER	gastroesophageal reflux
GERD	gastroesophageal reflux disease
gest.	gestation
GFR	glomerulo filtration rate
GGT	gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase
GI	gastrointestinal
GLP	good laboratory practice
gluc	glucose
Gm- or GN	gram negative
gm.%	grams per 100 c.c.
Gm+ or GP	gram positive
GMA	grand mal attack
GN	glomerulonephritis
GNC	general nursing care
GOT	goal of treatment
GP	general paralysis  also general practice  also General Practitioner  also Goodpasture (syndrome)
GPA	Goodpasture antigen
GPP	good pharmacy practice
gr.	grains (dosage)
Grav.	pregnancy
GSS	Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome
GSW	gunshot wound
gt.	drop
Gt. tr.	gait training
GTN	glycerol trininitrate
GTT	glucose tolerance test
gtt.	drops
GU	genitourinary
GVH or GvHD	graft versus host disease
GYN	Gynecology
H Back to Main Page
H	history  also hydrogen  also hypodermic
h	hour
H&C	hot and cold
H&P	history and physical
h.d.	at bedtime
H.O.	house officer
H.R.S.T.	heat, reddening, swelling, tenderness
h/o	history of
H+	hydrogen ion
H2O	water
H2O2	hydrogen peroxide
HA or H/A	headache
HAF	hyperalimentation fluid
HASCVD	hypertensive arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease
HB	heart block
Hb. or Hgb	hemoglobin
HBP	high blood pressure
hbse	human behavior and social environment
HBV	hepatitis B virus
HC	head circumference
HCG	human chorionic gonadotropin
Hct.	hematocrit
HCVD	hypertensive cardiovascular disease
Hd	head  also Hodgkin's diseasee (lymphoma)
HDL	high density lipproteins (cholesterol)
HEADS	home, education/employment, activities, drugs, and sexuality (triage technique for adolescent histories)
HEENT	head, eyes, ears, nose, throat
HEENT see EENT	head, ear, eye, nose and throat
HELLP	hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count (syndrome)
Hem	Hematology
Hem Pro	hematology profile
Hep. Lock	Heparin lock
hern.	hernia
hgb	hemoglobin
HGO	hepatic glucose output
HH	health history
HH or HOH	hard of hearing
HIDA	hepatobiliary (scan)
HIE	hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
hist.	histology  also history
HIV	human immunodificiency virus
HKAFO	hip knee ankle foot orthosis
HLA	histocompatibility leukocyte focus  also human leukocyte group A
HM	hand movement/motion
HMD	hyaline membrane disease
HMG	human menopausal gonadotropin
HNP	herniated nucleus pulposus
HOB	head of bed
HOCM	hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
horiz.	horizontal
HPC	history of presenting complaint
hpf	high power field
HPI	history of present illness
HPL	human placental lactogen
HR	heart rate
HRT	hormone replacement therapy
HS or h.s.	at bedtime (Lat. hora somni)
HSDD	hypoactive sexual desire order
HSG	hysterosalpingography
HSV	herpes simplex virus
Ht	heart  also height
HT or HTN	hypertension
HVD	hypertensive vascular disease
Hx	history
Hyperal.	hyperalimenation
hypo	hypodermically
Hz	hertz (cycles/second)
I Back to Main Page
I	radioactive iodine
I&D	incision and drainage
I&O	intake and output
i.c.	between meals (Lat. inter cenam)  also intracutaneous(ly)
i.d.	during the day
I.U.	International Unit
I/E	expiratory  also inspiratory
IA	Inferior Alveolar (oral injection site)  also intra-arterially
IABP	intra-aortic balloon pump
IBD	inflammatory bowel disease
ICCU	intensive coronary care unit
ICD	implantable cardioverter defibrillator
ICF	intracellular fluid
ICP	intracranial pressure
ICS	intercostal space
ICT	insulin coma therapy
ICU	intensive care unit
ID	identification  also Infectious Disease  also intradermal
IDDM	insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, type I
IDET	intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty
IDL	intermediate density lipoprotein
Ig	immunoglobulin
IgA	immunoglobulin A
IgE	immunoglobulin E
IgG	immunoglobulin G (Gamma Globulin)
IgM	immunoglobulin M
IH	infectious hepatitis
IHD	ischemic heart disease
IM	infectious mononucleosis  also intramedullary  also intramuscular
IMCU	intermediate medical care unit
IMP	inpatient multidimensional psych scale
imp.	impression
IMV	intermittent mandatory ventilation
In.	inches
Inc. AB	incomplete abortion
incr.	increased(ing)
Inev. AB	inevitable abortion
inf	inferior  also infusion
inhal.	inhalation
inj	injection  also injured
INR	coagulant response time  also International Normalization Rate
inspir	inspiration  also inspiratory
instill	instillation
int.	internal
INTHC	intrathecally
IO	inferior oblique
ION	ischemic optic neuropathy
IOP	intraocular pressure
IP	intraperitoneal
IPJ	interphalangeal joint
IPPB	intermittent positive pressure breathing
IQ	intelligence quota
IRDS	idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome
irreg.	Irregular
IS	intercostal space
IST	insulin shock therapy
ITP	idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
IUC	intrauterine catheter
IUCD	intrauterine contraceptive device
IUD	intrauterine device
IUFD	intrauterine fetal death
IUGR	intrauterine growth retardation
IUP	intrauterine pregnancy
IUTP	intrauterine term pregnancy
IV	intravenous  also intravenously
IVC	inferior vena cava  also intravenous cholangiogram
IVD	intervertebral disc
IVI	intravenous infusion
IVP	intravenous pyelogram
IVPB	intravenous piggy back
IVU	intravenous urogram
IVUS	intravascular ultrasound
J Back to Main Page
J	joint
J-P	Jackson Pratt drain
JRA	juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
jt.	joint
JVP	jugular venous pulse
K Back to Main Page
K	kidney  also potassium
KC1	potassium chloride
Kcal.	Kilocalorie
KCO	transfer factor for carbon monoxide
Kg.	kilogram
KJ	knee jerk
KK	knee kick
KS(17-) or 17KS	17 ketosteroids
KSS	Kearns-Sayre syndrome
KUB	kidney, ureter, bladder (x-ray)
KVO	keep vein open
L Back to Main Page
L	left  also light  also liter  also liver  also lower  also syphillis (Lat. lues)  also lumbar
L & W	living and well
L&D	labor and delivery
L.E.	lower extremities
L.N.	lymph node
L.O.C.	laxative of choice  also level of consciousness  also loss of consciousness
L.S.	lumbosacral
l/min	liter per minute
L2, L3	second, third lumbar vertebrae
LA	left antrum
lab.	laboratory
lac.	laceration
lacr.	lacrimal
lact.	lactic
LAD	left anterior descending (coronary artery)  also left axis deviation  also lymphadenopathy
LAE	left atrial enlargement
lam.	laminectomy
LAN	lymphadenopaty
lap.	laparotomy
lat.	lateral
LAVH	laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy
lax	laxative
LB	large bowel
lb.	pound
LBBB	left bundle branch block
LBP	lower back pain
LBW	low birth weight
LCA	left coronary artery
LD	lethal dose
LDH	lactic dehydrogenase
LDL	low density lipoprotein (cholesterol)
LE	lupus erythematosus
leuc.	leukocytes
LF	low flap  also low forceps
LFA	left frontoanterior
LFD	low forceps delivery
LFP	left frontoposterior
LFT	left frontotransverse  also liver function test
lg	large  also leg
LGA	large for gestational age
LGV	lymphogranuloma venereum
LH	luteinizing hormone
LHRH	luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone
LHT	left hypertrophia
LICS	left intercostal space
lig.	ligament
LIH	left inguinal hernia
liq.	liquid
LKS see LSK	liver, kidneys, spleen
LL	lower lid
LLE	lower left extremity
LLG	left lateral gaze
LLL	lower left lobe (lung)
LLQ	lower left quadrant (abdomen)
LMA	left mentoanterior
LMD	family doctor
LML	left mediolateral
LMP	last menstrual period  also left mentoposterior
LMT	left mentotransverse
LNMP	last normal menstrual period
LOA	left occiput anterior
LOM	left otitis media
LOP	left occipital posterior
LOS	length of stay
LOT	left occiput anterior
LP	light perception  also lumbar puncture
lpf	low power field
LPN	licensed practical nurse
LR	labor room  also lateral rectus  also light reflex
LRQ	lower right quadrant
Ls.	loose
LSA	lateral sacrum anterior
LSB	left sternal border
LSCS	lower segment Cesarean section
LSO	left salpingo-oophorectomy
LSP	left sacrum posterior
LST	left sacrum transverse
Lt.	left  also light
LTCS	low transverse Cesarean section
LUE	left upper extremity
LUL	left upper lobe
LUQ	left upper quadrant
LV	left ventricle
LVEDP	left ventricular end diastolic pressure
LVF	left ventricular failure
LVH	left ventricular hypertrophy
LWCT	coagulation time  also Lee-White Clotting Time
Lymphs	lymphocytes
lytes	electrolytes