Medical Abbreviations A

Medical Abbreviations

Letter A

• A.A.R.O.M. stands for active assistive range of motion
• AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication
• A.B.G stands for arterial blood gas
• a.c. means before meals
• A/C stands for assist control
• ADA Diet stands for American Diabetes Association Diet
• A.D.L. stands for activities of daily living
• A.Fib. stands for atrial fibrillation
• AKA stands for above-knee amputation or above-the-knee amputation
• ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• AMA stands for against medical advice
• A&O stands for alert and oriented
• A/P stands for anterior-posterior
• A.R.O.M. stands for active range of motion
• ASAP stands for as soon as possible
• ASD stands for autism spectrum disorder
• ASL stands for American Sign Language

Letter B

• b.i.d. means twice a day
• BKA stands for below-knee amputation
• B/L stands for bilateral
• B.L.BS stands for bilateral breath sounds
• BMR stands for basal metabolism rate
• BP stands for blood pressure
• BR stands for bed rest
• bs stands for bowel sounds
• BS stands for breath sounds
• B/S stands for bedside
• bx stands for biopsy

Letter C

• c̅ with means Celsius or centigrade
• CA stands for cardiac arrest, cancer, or carcinoma
• CABG stands for coronary artery bypass graft
• CAD stands for coronary artery disease
• cal stands for calorie
• cath stands for catheter
• CBC stands for complete blood count
• cc stands for cubic centimeter
• CC stands for chief complaint
• CHF stands for congestive heart failure or chronic heart failure
• CCU stands for coronary care unit
• CHI stands for closed head injury
• cm stands for centimeter
• CMT stands for continuing medication and treatment
• CN stands for cranial nerve
• CNA stands for certified nursing assistant
• CNS stands for central nervous system
• c/o stands for complains of
• COTA stands for certified occupational therapy assistant
• cont stands for continue(d)
• COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• CP stands for cerebral palsy
• CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure
• CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• CRF stands for chronic renal failure
• CRNP stands for certified registered nurse practitioner
• CSF stands for cerebrospinal fluid
• CT stands for computerized tomography
• CV stands for cardiovascular
• CVA stands for cerebral vascular accident
• CXR stands for chest X-ray

Letter D

• d stands for day
• d/c stands for discontinue
• DC stands for discharge
• DM stands for diabetes mellitus
• DNK stands for do not know
• DNKA stands for did not keep appointment
• DNR stands for do not resuscitate
• DNT stands for did not test
• DOA stands for dead on arrival
• DOB stands for date of birth
• DOE stands for dyspnea on exertion
• d/t stands for due to
• Dx stands for diagnosis

Letter E

• ECC, EKG stands for electrocardiogram
• ED stands for emergency department
• EEG stands for electroencephalogram
• EENT stands for eyes, ears, nose, throat
• EMG stands for electromyogram
• ENT stands for ears, nose, throat
• ER stands for emergency room
• ETOH stands for ethanol (alcohol)
• exam stands for examination
• ext stands for external, exterior

Letter F

• F stands for Fahrenheit
• FH stands for family history
• fib stands for fibrillation
• fl, fld stands for fluid
• FOB stands for foot of bed
• f/u stands for follow-up
• FWB stands for full weight bearing
• Fx stands for fracture

Letter G

• GB stands for gall bladder
• GCS stands for Glasgow Coma Scale
• GE stands for gastroenterology
• GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease
• G/E stands for gastroenteritis
• gen stands for general
• gest stands for gestation
• GI stands for gastrointestinal
• GNA stands for geriatric nursing assistant
• gluc stands for glucose
• GP stands for general practitioner, general paralysis
• GSW stands for gunshot wound
• GTT stands for glucose tolerance test
• Gt.tr. stands for gait training
• GYN stands for gynecology

Letter H

• h stands for hour
• H/A stands for headache
• HAV stands for hepatitis A virus
• Hb stands for hemoglobin
• HB stands for heart block
• HBP stands for high blood pressure
• h.d. stands for at bedtime
• HEENT stands for head, eyes, ears, nose, throat
• HEP stands for home exercise program
• H2O stands for water
• h/o stands for history of
• HOB stands for head of bed
• H&P stands for history and physical
• HR stands for heart rate
• HTN stands for hypertension
• HVD stands for hypertensive vascular disease
• Hx stands for history
• Hz stands for hertz (cycles/second)

Letter I

• ICU stands for intensive coronary care unit
• ICP stands for intracranial pressure
• ICU stands for intensive care unit
• imp stands for impression
• incr stands for increased(ing)
• inf stands for infusion, inferior
• inspire stands for inspiration, inspiratory
• int stands for internal
• I&O stands for intake and output
• IPPB stands for intermittent positive pressure breathing
• irreg stands for irregular
• IV stands for intravenous(ly)

Letter J

• J, jt stands for joint

Letter K

• K stands for potassium, kidney

Letter L

• L stands for left, liver, liter, lower, light, lumbar
• L2, L3 stands for second lumbar vertebrae, third lumbar vertebrae
• lab stands for laboratory
• lac stands for laceration
• lat stands for lateral
• LBW stands for low birth rate
• L.E. stands for lower extremities
• liq stands for liquid
• L.O.C. stands for loss of consciousness, level of consciousness, laxative of choice
• LOS stands for length of stay
• LP stands for lumbar puncture
• LPN stands for licensed practical nurse
• LUE stands for left upper extremity
• Lx stands for larynx
• L&W stands for living and well

Letter M

• m, M stands for married, male, mother, murmur, meter, mass, molar
• max stands for maximum, maxillary
• MBC stands for maximum breathing capacity
• MBSS stands for modified barium swallow study
• MCA stands for middle cerebral artery
• MD stands for muscular dystrophy
• mdnt stands for midnight
• med stands for medicine
• mets stands for metastasis
• MG stands for myasthenia gravis
• MI stands for myocardial infarction
• min stands for minute
• MICU stands for medical intensive care unit
• mod stands for moderate
• MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging
• MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
• mss stands for massage
• MVA stands for motor vehicle accident

Letter N

• n stands for nerve
• Na stands for sodium
• NaCl stands for sodium chloride
• NAD stands for no abnormality detected
• NAD stands for no apparent distress
• neg stands for negative
• neur stands for neuralgia

Letter O

• (not provided)

Letter P

• (not provided)

Letter R

• (not provided)

Letter S

• (not provided)

Letter T

• T stands for temperature
• T&A stands for tonsils and adenoids, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
• tab stands for tablet
• TAH stands for total abdominal hysterectomy
• TB stands for tuberculosis
• TBI stands for traumatic brain injury
• temp stands for temperature
• THERAP stands for therapy, therapeutic
• THR stands for total hip replacement
• TIA stands for transient ischemic attack
• TKR stands for total knee replacement
• TNM stands for tumor, nodes, and metastases
• TO stands for telephone order
• TPN stands for total parenteral nutrition
• TPR stands for temperature, pulse, respiration
• tr stands for trace
• trach stands for tracheostomy
• tsp stands for teaspoon
• Tx stands for treatment, traction

Letter U

• U/A stands for urinalysis
• UCD, UCHD stands for usual childhood diseases
• UG stands for upward gaze
• Unilat stands for unilateral
• u/o stands for under observation
• Ur stands for urine
• URD stands for upper respiratory disease
• URI stands for upper respiratory infection
• Urol stands for urology
• u/s, US stands for ultrasound
• UTI stands for urinary tract infection

Letter V

• V stands for vein
• VA stands for visual acuity
• vag stands for vagina, vaginal