M Back to Main Page
m	male  also married  also mass  also meter  also molar  also mother  also murmur
m.	minim
m.a.s.	patient is disagreeable and uncooperative
m.b.	mix well
m.g.r.	murmurs, gallops, or rubs
M.R.D.	medical records department
M.R.L.	medical record librarian
M.T.	medical technologist/technician  also muscles and tendons
MA	mental age
mac.	macerated
MACE	major adverse clinical event
macro.	macrocytic  also macroscopic
MAE	major arrhythmic events
MAL	malignant
MAP	mean arterial pressure
max.	maxillary  also maximum
MBC	maximum breathing capacity
mcg.	microgram
MCH	mean corpuscular hemoglobin
MCHC	mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
MCL	midclavicular line
MCP	metacarpophalangeal joint
MCV	mean corpuscular volume
MD	muscular dystrophy
MDI	metered dose inhaler
Mdnt.	midnight
MDS	myelodysplastic syndrome
ME	medical examiner  also middle ear
MEC	medical emergency clinic
MED	minimum effective dose
Med.	medicine
MEN	multiple endocrine neoplasia
mEq./l	milliequivalents per liter
MERRF	myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red muscle fibers
MET	metabolic equivalent
Mets.	metastasis
MG	myasthenia gravis
Mg.	magnesium
mg.	milligram
mg.%;	milligrams per 100 cc
mg/dl	milligrams per deciliter
MGCT	malignant granular cell tumor
MGF	maternal grandfather
MGGF	maternal great grandfather
MGJ	mucogingival Junction
MH	marital history
MHC or HLA	major histocompatibility complex
micro	microcytic  also microscopic
MICU	medical intensive care unit
min	minute
Mitr.I	mitral insufficiency
Ml	mitral insufficiency  also myocardial infarction
ml.	milliliter
MLF	medial longitudinal fasciculus
MM	mucous membrane
mm	muscles
mm.	millimeter
MMPI	Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
MmR	Mumps, measles, Rubella
Mn.	manganese  also midnight
MNeo or MNpl	malignant neoplasm
MOC	maintenance of certification
mod	moderate
mods	multiple organ dysfunction syndrome
mol. wt.	molecular weight
MOM	milk of magnesia
mono.	monocyte
MP	metacarpophalangea  also metacarpophalangeal
MPA	malpractice attorney
Mr.	medial rectus  also mental retardation  also mitral regurgitation
MRA	magnetic resonance angiography
MRCP	magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography
MRI	magnetic resonance imaging
MRM	modified radical mastectomy
MRN	magnetic resonance neurography
mRNA	messenger RNA
MRSA	Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
MRV	magnetic resonance venography
ms	mitral stenosis
MS	morphine sulfate  also multiple sclerosis
Ms	murmurs
MSL	midsternal line
mss	massage
MSU	midstream urine
MT	metacarpophalangeal joint
mtDNA	mitochondrial DNA
MVA	motor vehicle accident
MVD	microvascular decompression
MVP	mitral valve prolapse
MVR	mitral valve replacement
MVV	maximum voluntary ventilation
N Back to Main Page
N&V	nausea and vomiting
N&W	normal and well
n.	nerve
N.P.	Neuropsychiatry
N.S.	nervous system
N/A	not applicable
N/T	numbness & tingling
N2	nitrogen
N2O	nitrous oxide (anesthetic)
NA	not available
Na	sodium
NaCl	sodium chloride
NAD	no abnormality detected  also no apparent distress
NAP	neutrophil alkaline phosphatase
NB	newborn
nb	note well
NBM or n.p.o.	nothing by mouth (Lat. nil per oris)
NBS	normal bowel sounds  also normal breath sounds
NCT	nerve conduction test
NEC	necrotising enterocolitis
NED	no evidence of disease
neg.	negative
NER	no evidence of recurrence
NERD	no evidence of recurrent disease
Neur.	Neurology
NGT	nasogastric tube
NI	no insurance
NIC	neonatal intensive care
NICU	neonatal intensive care unit
NIDDM	non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, type II
NIP	no infection present  also no inflammation present
NKA	no known allergies
NM	neuromuscular
NMR	nuclear magnetic resonance (scan)
noct.	nocturnal
NOS	not otherwise specified
NP	neuropsychiatric
NPH	normal pressure hydrocephalus  also NPH insulin (Neutral Protamine Hagedorn/Zinc)
NPN	nonprotein nitrogen (BUN and creatinine)
NS	Neurosurgery  also nonspecific
Ns.	nerves
NSA	no significant abnormality
NSAID	non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drug
NSD	normal spontaneous delivery
NSR	normal sinus rhythm
NST	non-stress test
NSVD	normal spontaneous vaginal delivery
NTG	nitroglycerine
NTP	normal temperature and pressure
nullip	never gave birth
NV	next visit
NVD	nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
NWB	non-weight bearing
NYD	not yet diagnosed
O Back to Main Page
o	none  also without
O	oedema  also oral
O&P	ova and parasites (stool exam)
O.	pint
O.D.	right eye (Lat. oculus dexter)
O.L.	left eye (Lat. oculus sinister)
O.M.	otitis media
O.S.	left eye
O.T.	occupational therapy  also old tuberculin
O/D	overdose
O/E	on examination
O2	oxygen
O2 cap.	oxygen capacity
O2 sat.	oxygen saturation
OA	osteoarthritis
OB or OBG	Obstetrics
OB/GYN	Obstetrics and Gynecology
Obs	observation
OBS	organic brain syndrome
OC	on call  also oral contraceptive
OCC.	occasional  also occipital
OCD	Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OCP	oral contraceptive pill
od	once daily
OGTT	oral glucose tolerance test
OH	occupational history  also overhang (dental restoration)
OH(17-) or 17 OH	17 hydroxy steroid
OHD	organic heart disease
OHI	oral hygiene instruction
oint.	ointment
OMS	organic mental syndrome
OOB	out of bed
Op.	operation
OPC	outpatient clinic
OPD	outpatient department
Ophth.	Ophthalmology
opt.	best (Lat. optimus)
OR	open reduction  also operating room
OR-IF or ORIF	open reduction with internal fixation
ORT	operating room technician
Ortho.	Orthopaedic Surgery
os	bone (Lat. ossa)  also mouth (Lat. oris)  also opening
ot.	ear
OTC	over-the-counter (pharmaceuticals)
Oto	Otolaryngology
OU	both eyes  also each eye (Lat. oculus uterqie)
OV	office visit
OXPHOS	oxidative phosphorylation
oz.	ounce
P Back to Main Page
P	after  also phosphorus  also pulse
p & a	percussion and auscultation
P&N	Psychiatry and Neurology
p.c.	after meals (Lat. post cenam)
P.M.	afternoon (Lat. post meridiem)  also post-mortem
p.o. or per/os	by mouth (Lat. per oris)
p.o.d.	postoperative day
p.r.	per rectum
p.r.m.	according to circumstances
p.r.n.	as often as necessary (Lat. pro re nata)
P.T.	physical therapy  also posterior tibial artery  also pulse
p/c	presenting complaint
P2	pulmonic second heart sound
PA	physician's assistant
P-A	posteroanterior
PA view	posterioranterior view on x-ray
PA(S)P	pulmonary artery (systolic) pressure
PABA	para-aminobenzoic acid
PAC	premature atrial, auricular contraction
PaCO2	arterial carbon dioxide tension pressure
PACU	post anesthesia care unit
PAF	paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
palp.	palpable  also palpate  also palpated
PANDAS	pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococci
PaO2	alveolar oxygen pressure
Pap	Papanicolaou test (pap smear)
PAP	pulmonary artery pressure
Para	paraplegic  also prior births
paren.	parenterally
PARU	post anesthesia recovery unit
PAS	p-aminosalicylic acid  also pulmonary artery systolic pressure  also parental alienation syndrome
PAT	paroxysm atrial tachycardia  also pregnancy at term
Path.	Pathology
PAWP	pulmonary artery wedge pressure
Pb	lead
PB	peripheral blood
PBC	primary biliary cirrhosis
PBI	protein bound iodine
PBPs	Penicillin-binding Proteins
PCA	patient controlled anesthesia pump
PCL	posterior cruciate ligament
PCO2	carbon dioxide concentration
PCP	pneumocystis carinii pneumonia  also primary care physician
PCR	polymerase chain reaction
PCV	packed cell volume (of blood)
PD	perinatal death  also peritoneal dialysis  also pupillary distance
PDA	patent ductus arteriosus
PDN	private duty nurse
PDR	Physician's Desk Reference
pdr.	powder
PE	pelvic examination  also physical examination  also pulmonary embolism
PEA	pelvic examination under anesthesia
Ped.	Pediatrics
PEEP	positive end expiratory pressure
PEFR	peek expiratory flow rate
PEG	pneumoencephalogram
PEN	Penicillin
per	through  also by
peri	perineal
PERLA	pupils equal and responding to light & accomodation
PERRLA	pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation (normal)
PET	positron emission tomography
PF	push fluids
PFC	persistent fetal circulation
PFM	porcelain fused to metal
PFT	pulmonary function test
PG	pseudogout (chondrocalcinosis)
PGF	paternal grandfather
pH	hydrogen ion concentration  also potential of hydrogen
PH	past history  also pulomnary hypertension
pharm	pharmacy
PHN	postherpetic neuralgia
PHYS.	physical  also physiology
PI	present illness  also pulmonary insufficiency
PICA	posterior inferior coronary artery
PICC	peripherially inserted central catheter
PICU	pulmonary intensive care unit
PICVA	percutaneous in situ coronary venous arterialization
PID	pelvic inflammatory disease
PIH	pregnancy-induced hypertension
PIL	peripheral intravenous line
PIP	proximal interphalangeal (joint)
Pit.	Pitocin
PKU	phenylkentonuria
Plac.	placenta
plts.	platelets
PM	petit mal
PM&R	Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
PMD	private medical doctor
PMH	past medical history
PMN	polymorphonuclear
PMT	premenstrual tension
PN	poorly nourished  also practical nurse
PNC	premature nodal contraction  also prenatal clinic
PND	paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea  also post nasal drip
pneu.	pneumo  also pneumonia
PNI	peripheral nerve injury
PNS	peripheral nervous system
PNX	pneumothorax
PO2	oxygen pressure (or tension)
POC	product of conception
pof	pillow on face
POI	post operative instructions
polys	polymorphonuclear leukocytes
POMR	problem oriented medical record
poplit.	popliteal
pos.	positive
post.	posterior
POSTOP.	postoperative
pot. or K	potassium
PP	per protocol
pp	post partum  also post prandial
PPBS	post prandial blood sugar
PPD	purified protein derivative (of tuberculin)
PPF	protein plasma fractional
PPH	post partum hemorrhage  also primary pulmonary hypertension
ppm	parts per million
PPP	peripheral pulses palpable
PPPG	post prandial plasma glucose
PPS	plasma protein solution
ppt	part per trillion
PR	Proctology
PRBC	packed red blood cells
PRE	progressive resistive exercise
prem	premature
pre-op	preoperative
prep.	prepare for/as
PRICE	protection, relative rest, ice, compression, elevation
primip.	first pregnancy
pro. time	prothrombin time
prod.	productive
Prog.	prognosis
PROM	passive range of motion  also premature rupture of membranes
pron.	pronation  also pronator
pros.	prostate  also prostatic
prosth.	prosthesis
prot.	protein  also Protestant
PrP	prion protein
PRV	polycythaemia rubra vera
PS	Plastic Surgery  also psychotic  also pulmonary stenosis
PSA	Posterior Superior Alveolar (oral injection site)  also prostate-specific antigen
PSH	past surgical history
psi	pounds per square inch
PSMA	progressive spinal muscular atrophy
PSS	progressive systemic sclerosis
PSV	pressure support ventilation
PSVT	paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
Psych.	Psychiatry
PT	physical therapy  also prothrombin time
pt.	patient
PTA	percutaneous, transluminal angioplasty  also prior to admission/arrival
PTB	patellar tendon bearing
PTC	percutaneous transhepatic, cholangiography
PTCA	percutaneous transluminal coronary, angioplasty (balloon angioplasty)
PTH	parathyroid hormone
PTT	partial thromboplastin time
PTTK	partial thromboplastin time with kaolin
PTX	pneumothorax
PU	pregnancy urine
PUD	peptic ulcer disease
PUO	pyrexia of unknown origin
PUPPP	pruritic urticarial papules & plaques of pregnancy
PUVA	psoralen ultraviolet A
PV	per vaginam  also peripheral vascular  also plasma volume
PV bleed	per vagina bleed
PVASI	pelvic vascular injury
PVC	premature ventricular contraction
PVD	peripheral vascular disease
PVL	postoperative visual loss
PVR	Proliferative Vitreal Retinopathy  also pulmonary vascular resistance
PVT	previous trouble
PWB%	partial weight bearing with percent
Px	physical examination
Q Back to Main Page
q	each/every (Lat. quaque)
q.d.	once a day  also every day (Lat. quaque in die)
q.h.	every hour
q.h.s.	every bedtime
q.i.d.	four times a day
q.i.w.	four times a week
q.l.	as much as desired
q.n.s. or QNS	quantity not sufficient
q.o.d.	every other day
q.o.n.	every other night
q.p.	as much as you please
q.q.	each  also every (Lat. quaque)
q.q.h. or qqh or q4H	every four hours (Lat. quaque quarta hora)
q.s.	quantity sufficient
q.v.	as much as you wish
q.w.	every week
q2H	every two hours
qhs	once in the evening (drug dosing)
qn	every night (Lat. quaque nox)
qt.	quart
qts.	drops
quad.	quadriplegic
quant.	quantitative  also quantity