tydek07
Forum Captain
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There was a member in the chat room that stated he sometimes gets confused when he sees a medical abbrevation/term. So, I thought I would make a post of the commonly used medical abbreviations/symbols.
So they are:
↑ Increase(d)
↓ Decrease(d)
Ø None
♀ Female
♂ Male
< Lesser then
> Greater then
= Equal to
+ positive
- negative
∆ Change
@ at
≈ approximate
1o primary, first degree
2o secondary, second degree
3o tertiary, third degree
µg microgram
ā before
α alpha
A&O alert and oriented
Afib atrial fibrillation
ABCs airway, breathing, and circulation
abd abdomen, abdominal
AIDS acquired immune deficiency syndrome
AED automatic external defibrillator
AMA against medical advice
AMI acute myocardial infarction
Amt. Amount
Ant. Anterior
Approx approximately
ASA acetylsalicyclic acid (aspirin)
AV atrioventricular
β beta
BBB bundle branch block
bid twice a day
Bilat. Bilateral
BM bowel movement
BP blood pressure
Brady bradycardia
BS blood sugar also breath sounds
BVM bag-valve-mask
ĉ with
C-1 cervical spine vertebrae 1, etc
c/o complaint of
CA cancer
cc chief complaint, also cubic centimeter
CHF congestive heart failure
cm centimeter
CMS circulation, movement, sensation
CNS central nervous system
CO carbon monoxide
CO2 carbon dioxide
COPD chronic obstructed pulmonary disease
CPR cardio-pulmonary resusciation
CSF cerbralspinal fluid
CVA cerebral vascular accident
cx chest
D50 50% Detrose
D5W 5% Detrose in Water
dc discontinued
dl deciliter = 100 ml
DOA dead on arrival
DTs delirium tremors
Dx diagnosis
ECG electrocardiogram
ED emergency department
Epi epinephrine
ER emergency room
ET endotracheal
ETOH ethyl alcohol
Fx fracture
FBAO foreign body airway obstruction
GCS Glasgow coma scale
GI gastrointestinal
GSW gun shot wound
Hx history
H/A headache
HIV human immunodeficiency virus
HR heart rate
Hr(s) hour, hours
IM intramuscular
IO intraosseous
IU international units
IV intravenous
IVP IV push
KCl potassium
kg kilogram = 1,000 grams
JVD jugular vein distention
L liter, left
L-1, 2 Lumbar spine vertebrae 1, 2 etc.
LLQ left lower quadrant
LOC level of consiousness
LUQ left upper quadrant
mcg microgram
mEq milliequivalent
mg milligram
MI myocardial infarction
min minute
mL milliliter
mm millimeter
MVA motor vehicle accident
N/V nausea & vomiting
NaHCO3 Sodium
Bicarbonate
NKA no known allergies
noc at night
NPO nothing by mouth
NS normal saline
NSR normal sinus rhythm
NTG nitroglycerine
neg. negative
O2 oxygen
O2 sat oxygen saturation
p after
PAC premature atrial contraction
palp palpation
PAT proxysmal atrial tachycardia
PE pulmonary embolism
ped pediatric
PERL pupils equal react to light
PMH past medical history
PMS pulse, motor, sensory
PO by mouth, orally
prn as needed
PSVT paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
Pt. Patient
PVC premature ventricular contraction
q every
qid four times a day
R right
resp respirations
RLQ right lower quadrant
RUQ right upper quadrant
Rx treatment
ŝ without
SIDS sudden infant death syndrome
SL sublingual
SNT soft, non tender
SOB shortness of breath
SQ subcutaneous
TB tuberculosis
tid three times a day
TIA transient ischemic attack
TKO to keep open
VF ventricular fibrillation
Vfib ventricular fibrillation
VT ventricular tachycardia
Vtach ventricular tachycardia
WO wide open
Feel free to add on others you use/see
So they are:
↑ Increase(d)
↓ Decrease(d)
Ø None
♀ Female
♂ Male
< Lesser then
> Greater then
= Equal to
+ positive
- negative
∆ Change
@ at
≈ approximate
1o primary, first degree
2o secondary, second degree
3o tertiary, third degree
µg microgram
ā before
α alpha
A&O alert and oriented
Afib atrial fibrillation
ABCs airway, breathing, and circulation
abd abdomen, abdominal
AIDS acquired immune deficiency syndrome
AED automatic external defibrillator
AMA against medical advice
AMI acute myocardial infarction
Amt. Amount
Ant. Anterior
Approx approximately
ASA acetylsalicyclic acid (aspirin)
AV atrioventricular
β beta
BBB bundle branch block
bid twice a day
Bilat. Bilateral
BM bowel movement
BP blood pressure
Brady bradycardia
BS blood sugar also breath sounds
BVM bag-valve-mask
ĉ with
C-1 cervical spine vertebrae 1, etc
c/o complaint of
CA cancer
cc chief complaint, also cubic centimeter
CHF congestive heart failure
cm centimeter
CMS circulation, movement, sensation
CNS central nervous system
CO carbon monoxide
CO2 carbon dioxide
COPD chronic obstructed pulmonary disease
CPR cardio-pulmonary resusciation
CSF cerbralspinal fluid
CVA cerebral vascular accident
cx chest
D50 50% Detrose
D5W 5% Detrose in Water
dc discontinued
dl deciliter = 100 ml
DOA dead on arrival
DTs delirium tremors
Dx diagnosis
ECG electrocardiogram
ED emergency department
Epi epinephrine
ER emergency room
ET endotracheal
ETOH ethyl alcohol
Fx fracture
FBAO foreign body airway obstruction
GCS Glasgow coma scale
GI gastrointestinal
GSW gun shot wound
Hx history
H/A headache
HIV human immunodeficiency virus
HR heart rate
Hr(s) hour, hours
IM intramuscular
IO intraosseous
IU international units
IV intravenous
IVP IV push
KCl potassium
kg kilogram = 1,000 grams
JVD jugular vein distention
L liter, left
L-1, 2 Lumbar spine vertebrae 1, 2 etc.
LLQ left lower quadrant
LOC level of consiousness
LUQ left upper quadrant
mcg microgram
mEq milliequivalent
mg milligram
MI myocardial infarction
min minute
mL milliliter
mm millimeter
MVA motor vehicle accident
N/V nausea & vomiting
NaHCO3 Sodium
Bicarbonate
NKA no known allergies
noc at night
NPO nothing by mouth
NS normal saline
NSR normal sinus rhythm
NTG nitroglycerine
neg. negative
O2 oxygen
O2 sat oxygen saturation
p after
PAC premature atrial contraction
palp palpation
PAT proxysmal atrial tachycardia
PE pulmonary embolism
ped pediatric
PERL pupils equal react to light
PMH past medical history
PMS pulse, motor, sensory
PO by mouth, orally
prn as needed
PSVT paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
Pt. Patient
PVC premature ventricular contraction
q every
qid four times a day
R right
resp respirations
RLQ right lower quadrant
RUQ right upper quadrant
Rx treatment
ŝ without
SIDS sudden infant death syndrome
SL sublingual
SNT soft, non tender
SOB shortness of breath
SQ subcutaneous
TB tuberculosis
tid three times a day
TIA transient ischemic attack
TKO to keep open
VF ventricular fibrillation
Vfib ventricular fibrillation
VT ventricular tachycardia
Vtach ventricular tachycardia
WO wide open
Feel free to add on others you use/see
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