Question | Answer |
AIDS | acquired immunodeficiency syndrome |
APGAR | appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, respiration |
BUN | blood urea nitrogen |
CABG | coronary artery bi-pass graft |
CAT/CT Scan | computerized axial tomography |
CPAP | continuous positive airway pressure |
GERD | gastroesophageal reflux disease |
HIPAA | **health insurance potability and accountability act (of 1996)** |
LASER | light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation |
MICU | medical intensive care unit |
NSAID | non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug |
NICU | neonatal intensive care unit
(birth to 1st 28 days) |
PEEP | positive end expiratory pressure |
PERRLA | pupils equal round reactive to light and accommodation |
PET | positron emission tomography |
REM | rapid eye movement |
SAD | seasonal affective disorder |
SARS | severe acute respiratory syndrome |
SIDS | sudden infant death syndrome |
A TENs unit | transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation |
TURP | transurethral resection of the prostate |
ETOH | **ethyl alcohol** |
HCI | **hydrochloric acid** |
HCO3 | **bicarbonate** |
h,hr,* | hour |
hs, HS (2100) | at bedtime/hour of sleep
(2100) |
with | c with a line over it |
without | s with a line over it |
after | p with a line over it |
every | q, or q with a line over it |
bid | twice a day
0900&1800 |
tid | three times a day
0900, 1300, 1800 |
qid | four times a day
0900, 1300, 1800, 2100 |
hs | at bedtime/hour of sleep
2100 |
STAT | immediately |
PRN | as needed |
ad lid | as desired |
< > | less than, greater than |
triangle | change |
circle with a line through it, and a triangle | no change |
a- /an- | no, not, without |
anti- / ant- | against |
end- / endo- | within |
AKA | above knee amputation |
ALS | amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(Lou Geric disease) |
AM, am (ante meridiem) | in the morning before noon |
AMA | against medical advice |
amb | ambulate |
ARDS | adult respiratory distress syndrome |
AROM | active range of motion |
ASHD | arteriosclerotic heart disease |
A&W | alive and well |
Ba | barium |
BE | barium enema |
BKA | below knee amputation |
BM | bowel movement |
BMR | basil metabolic rate |
BMT | bone marrow transplant |
BP, B/P, bp | blood pressure
(120/80) |
BPH | benign prostatic hypertrophy/hyperplasia |
bs, BS | blood sugar
(80-110mg%) |
BSE | breast self exam |
BSO (2 fallopian tubes) | bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
(2 tubes/ 2 oo's) |
BUN | blood urea nitrogen
(kidneys) |
bw, BW | birth weight |
Bx, bx | biopsy |
APC | asprin |
ASA | asprin |
A, B, AB, O | blood types |
@ | at |
AAA | abdominal aortic aneurism |
abd | abdomen |
ABG's | arterial blood gases |
ACE | angiotensin-converting enzyme (anti-hypertensive) |
ACLS | advanced cardiac life support |
ACS | acute coronary syndrome |
AD | Alzheimer disease |
ADD | attention deficit disorder |
ADH | anti-diuretic hormone |
ADHD | attention deficit hyperactivity disorder |
ADL | activities of daily living |
ADT | admission, discharge, transfer |
AED | automated external defibrillator |
AF | atrial-fibrillation
(quivering) |
AFB | acid fast bacillus
(TB) |
EBV | Epstein-Barr virus |
ECG/EKG | electrocardiogram |
ECHO | echocardiogram |
ECT | electroconvulsive therapy |
ED | emergency department |
EDC | expected date of confinement
(pregnancy due date) |
EEG | electroencephalogram |
EENT | ears, eyes, nose, throat |
EMG | electromyogram |
EMT | emergency medical technician |
ENT | ear, nose, throat |
eos | eosinophils
(type of white blood cell) |
ER | emergency room |
ERT | estrogen replacement therapy |
ESRD | end stage renal disease |
ETT | exercise tolerance test |
F, F* | Fahrenheit |
FBS | fasting blood sugar
(mormal= 80-110mg%) |
FDA | food and drug administration |
Fe | iron |
FEF | forced expiratory flow |
FHR | fetal heart rate |
FUO | fever of undetermined origin |
Fx | fracture |
G | gravida |
g, gm | gram |
GB | gallbladder |
GH | growth hormone |
GI | gastrointestinal |
GP (Dr) | general practitioner |
grav. 1, 2, 3, | how many times pregnant |
gt | drop/gutt
(Hb A1c gutta) |
gtt | drops/guttae |
GTT | glucose tolerance test |
GU | genitourinary |
GYN | gynecologist |
H | hydrogen |
Hb, Hgb | hemoglobin |
HBV | hep. B virus |
Hct | hematocrit |
patent | open |
occluded | blocked |
HCV | hepatitis C virus |
HD | hemodialysis |
HDL (happy) | high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) |
He | helium |
HEENT | head, ears, eyes, nose, throat |
Hg | mercury |
H&H | hemoglobin & hematocrit |
HIV | human immunodeficiency virus |
h/o | history of |
H2O | water |
H&P | history and physical |
HPV | human papillomavirus |
HRT | hormone replacement therapy |
HSV | herpes simplex virus |
ht | height |
HTN | hypertension |
Hx | history |
RBC | red blood cell/erythrocyte
(blood value= 4.5 - 5.5mm3) |
WBC | white blood cell/leukocyte
(blood value= 4,000 - 11,000) |
Platelets | thrombocyte
(blood value= 200,000 - 4000,000) |