Medical Abbreviations The following table lists some medical abbreviations with their intended meaning. Abbreviation A A&E A&W AAA AB Ab Abd ABE ABG ABR ACE ACTH AD ADH ADHD ADL ADR AED AFB AFP Ag AGL AGN AHD AI AIDS AJ AKA AL ALL ALT AMA AMI ANA AOB AP APPT APSAC A-R ARDS ARF AS ASAP ASB ASD AST ATN Meaning atrial fibrillation accident and emergency alive and well abdominal aortic aneurysm, acute anxiety attack apex beat antibody, abortion abdomen, abdominal acute bacterial endocarditis arterial blood gases absolute bed rest angiotensin-converting enzyme adrenocorticotrophic hormone alzheimer's disease antidiuretic hormone attention deficit hyperactivity disorder activities of daily living adverse drug reaction antiepileptic drug acid-fast bacillus α-fetoprotein antigen acute granulocytic leukaemia acute glomerular nephritis autoimmune haemolytic disease aortic incompetence, aortic insufficiency acquired immune deficiency syndrome ankle jerk above knee amputation acute leukaemia acute lymphocytic leukaemia alanine transaminase against medical advice acute myocardial infarction antinuclear antibody alcohol on breath anteroposterior, alkaline phosphatase, apical pulse activated partial thromboplastin time anisoylated plasminogen streptokinase activator complex apical-radial pulse adult respiratory distress syndrome acute renal failure anal sphincter, ankylosing spondylitis, aortic stenosis, arteriosclerosis as soon as possible asymptomatic bacteriuria atrial septal defect aspartate transaminase acute tubular necrosis Page 1 of 11 AV BaE BB BBA BBB BBT BCC BCG BE BID BJ BKA BM BMI BMR BNO BOR BP BPH BR BS BSA BT BUN BW BWO Bx C C&P C&S c/o CA CABG CAD CAPD CAT CAVHD CBC CBS CC CCF CCU CEA CF CFT CGL CGN CHB CHD CHF CHP CI CICr CK CL CLL CML CMV CNS CO atrioventricular, aortic valve barium enema bed bath born before arrival blood-brain barrier, bundle branch block basal body temperature basal cell carcinoma bacille Calmette-Guerin barium enema, bacterial endocarditis brought in dead biceps jerk, bones and joints below knee amputation bone marrow, bowel movement body mass index basal metabolic rate bowels not open bowels open regularly blood pressure benign prostatic hypertrophy, benign prostatic hyperplasia bed rest bowel sounds, breath sounds, blood sugar body surface area bed time, brain tumour, breast tumour blood urea nitrogen body water, body weight bowels well open biopsy complement cystoscopy and pyelogram culture and sensitivity complains of cancer, carcinoma coronary artery bypass graft coronary artery disease continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis computer assisted tomography, computed axial tomography, computerised axial tomography continuous arteriovenous haemodialysis complete blood count chronic brain syndrome chief complaint congestive cardiac failure coronary care unit carcinoembryonic antigen complement fixation, cystic fibrosis complement fixation test chronic granulocytic leukaemia chronic glomerular nephritis complete heart block coronary heart disease congestive heart failure charcoal haemoperfusion cardiac index creatinine clearance creatine kinase clubbing chronic lymphocytic leukaemia chronic myelocytic leukaemia cytomegalovirus central nervous system cardiac output Page 2 of 11 COAD COD COLD COPD CPAP CPD CPK CPR CRD CRF CRP CSF CSM CSU CT CV CVA CVD CVP CVS Cx CXR Cy d D D&C D&E D&V D/W DBP DDU DH DI DIC DJD DKA DM DNA DNC DNR DOA DOB DOE DST DT DTNT DU DUB DVT Dx DXT EBM EBV ECF ECG ECHO ECT EDD EEG EENT chronic obstructive airways disease cause of death chronic obstructive lung disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease continuous positive airway pressure continuous peritoneal dialysis creatine phosphokinase cardiopulmonary resuscitation chronic renal disease chronic renal failure, corticotrophin-releasing factor C-reactive protein cerebrospinal fluid, colony stimulating factor cerebrospinal meningitis catheter specimen of urine circulation time, clotting time, computerised tomography, coronary thrombosis cardiovascular, central venous cerebrovascular cerebrovascular accident cardiovascular disease central venous pressure cardiovascular system cervix, cervical chest X-Ray cyanosis dead, deceased diagnosis dilatation and curettage dilation and evacuation diarrhoea and vomiting discussed with diastolic blood pressure drug dependency unit drug history drug information disseminated intravascular coagulation degenerative joint disease diabetic ketoacidosis diabetes mellitus, diastolic murmur did not attend (outpatients) did not come do not resuscitate dead on arrival date of birth dyspnoea on exertion dexamethasone suppression test delirium tremens door to needle time duodenal ulcer dysfunctional uterine bleeding deep vein thrombosis diagnosis deep X-ray therapy expressed breast milk Epstein-Barr virus extracellular fluid electrocardiogram echocardiogram electroconvulsive therapy expected date of delivery electroencephalogram eyes, ears, nose and throat Page 3 of 11 EFA ELBW ELISA EM EMG ENT EP EPO ERCP ERPC ESM ESN ESP ESR ESRF ET EtOH FB FBC FBS FEV 1 FFA FFP FH FHR FHS FLP FOB FP FSH FT4 FUO FVC Fx. GA GABA GB GC GCS G-CSF GE GFR g-GT GH GI(T) GnRH grav. GS GTT GU GUS Gyn. H H&L H&P h/o or H/O HA HB Hb HbA1 essential fatty acids extremely low birth weight enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ejection murmur electromyogram ear, nose and throat ectopic pregnancy erythropoietin endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography evacuation of retained products of conception ejection systolic murmur educationally subnormal end-systolic pressure erythrocyte sedimentation rate end stage renal failure endotracheal tube ethyl alcohol finger breadths, foreign body full blood count fasting blood sugar forced expiratory volume in 1 second free fatty acids fresh frozen plasma family history foetal heart rate foetal heart sounds fasting lipid profile faecal occult blood family planning, frozen plasma follicle-stimulating hormone free thyroxine fever of unknown origin forced vital capacity fracture general anaesthesia, general anaesthetic, gastric analysis, granuloma annulare, general appearance γ-aminobutyric Acid gall bladder gonococcal, gonococcus glasgow coma scale granulocyte colony-stimulating factor gastroenterology glomerular filtration rate γ-glutamyl transferase growth hormone gastrointestinal (tract) gonadotrophin-releasing hormone gravid (pregnant) general surgery, genital system glucose tolerance test gastric ulcer, genitourinary, gonococcal urethritis genitourinary system gynaecology hypodermic heart and lungs history and physical history of haemolytic anaemia heart block haemoglobin glycosylated haemoglobin Page 4 of 11 HBD HbF HBF HBP HBV hCG Hct. HCV HCVD HD HDL HDU hep HF HHD HHV HIV HLA HMMA HPA HPC HPV HR HRT HS HSV HSVE HT HTVD HUS HVA Hx. IA IADH IBC IBD IBS ICF ICM ICS ICU ID IDDM IDL IF Ig IHD IM imp inf INR IOP IP IPPB IPPV ISA IT ITP ITT ITU IU hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase foetal haemoglobin hepatic blood flow high blood pressure hepatitis B virus human chorionic gonadotrophin haematocrit hepatitis C virus hypertensive cardiovascular disease heart disease, Hodgkin's disease high-density lipoprotein high dependency unit hepatitis heart failure hypertensive heart disease human herpes virus human immunodeficiency virus human leukocyte antigen 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal history of present complaint human papilloma virus heart rate hormone replacement therapy heart sounds herpes simplex virus herpes simplex virus encephalitis hypertension hypertensive vascular disease haemolytic uraemic syndrome homovanillic acid history intra-amniotic, intra-arterial inappropriate antidiuretic hormone iron binding capacity inflammatory bowel disease irritable bowel syndrome intracellular fluid intercostal margin intercostal space intensive care unit initial dose, intradermal insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus intermediate-density lipoprotein inspiratory force, interstitial fluid immunoglobulin ischaemic heart disease infectious mononucleosis, intramuscular impression inferior international normalised ratio intraocular pressure intraperitoneal, inpatient intermittent positive-pressure breathing intermittent positive pressure ventilation intrinsic sympathomimetic activity intrathecal idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura insulin tolerance test intensive therapy unit international unit Page 5 of 11 IUD IUP IV IVP IVSD IVU J JV JVD JVP KJ KO KUB KVO L L&A L&W L1, L2 ... LA lac Lap LAT or lat LBBB LBW LCM LD LDH LDL LE LFT LH LIF LIH LKS LLL LLQ LMN LMP LMWH LN LOM LOPS LP LSCS LTC LUL LUQ LV LVF LVH M M1 MA MAOI MAP MCH MCHC MCT MCV MDI MDV intrauterine device intrauterine pregnancy intravenous intravenous pyelogram interventricular septal defect intravenous urography jaundice jugular vein jugular venous distention jugular venous pressure, jugular venous pulse knee jerk keep open, knock out kidneys, ureters, bladder keep vein open left, lumbar light and accommodation living and well lumbar vertebrae 1, 2 ... left arm, left atrium laceration laparotomy lateral left bundle branch block low birth weight left costal margin lethal dose, liver disease, lactate dehydrogenase lactate dehydrogenase low-density lipoprotein lupus erythematosus liver function test left hand, luteinizing hormone left iliac fossa left inguinal hernia liver, kidneys, spleen left lower lobe, left lower lid left lower quadrant lower motor neurone last menstrual period low molecular weight heparin lymph node limitation of movement length of patient's stay lumbar puncture lower segment caesarian section long-term care left upper lobe left upper quadrant left ventricle left ventricular failure left ventricular hypertrophy male, married, metre, molar, murmur mitral first sound menstrual age, mental age monoamine oxidase inhibitor mean arterial pressure mean corpuscular haemoglobin mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration medium-chain triglycerides mean corpuscular volume metered-dose inhaler multiple dose vial Page 6 of 11 mEq met MH MHC MI MIC ML MLD MM MND MP MRI MRSA MS MSL MSU MyG N N&T N&V NAD NARTI NBM NG NHL NICU NIDDM NKA NKHA NL NMR NMS NNRTI NOF #NOF NOK NS NSAID NSD NSFTD NSR NSU NVD NYD O O&A O&E O/A O/E OA OB Obs OC OD OGD OGTT OH OP OPA milliequivalent metastasis marital history, medical history, menstrual history major histocompatibility complex myocardial infarction, mitral incompetence, mitral insufficiency minimum inhibitory concentration midline minimum lethal dose multiple myeloma motor neurone disease menstrual period magnetic resonance imaging methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, multiple-resistant Staphylococcus aureus mitral stenosis, multiple sclerosis midsternal line midstream urine specimen myasthenia gravis normal nose and throat nausea and vomiting no acute distress, no appreciable disease, nothing abnormal detected nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor nil by mouth nasogastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma neonatal intensive care unit non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus no known allergies non-ketotic hyperosmolar acidosis normal nuclear magnetic resonance neuroleptic malignant syndrome non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor neck of femur fractured neck of femur next of kin nervous system, normal saline, nephrotic syndrome non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug no significant defect normal spontaneous full-term delivery normal sinus rhythm nonspecific urethritis nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea not yet diagnosed oedema observation & assessment observation and examination on admission on examination osteoarthritis occult blood obstetrics oral contraceptive overdose, right eye oesophogastroduodenoscopy oral glucose tolerance test occupational history outpatient outpatient appointment Page 7 of 11 OPD OR OS OT OTC OU P P&A P&R PA PAT PAWP PBI PC PCA PCP PCS PCV PE PEEP PEFR PEG PERRLA PET PF PFR PFT PH pHa PI PICC PID PKU PM PMB PMH PMI PMN PMR PMS PMT PN PND Pnx PO PPH PPI ppm PPTK PR PSA Pt PT PTA PTH PTR PTT PTTK PTU outpatient department operating room left eye occupational therapy over the counter both eyes pulse percussion and auscultation pulse and respiration pernicious anaemia, pulmonary artery paroxysmal atrial tachycardia pulmonary arterial wedge pressure protein bound iodine present complaint packed cells patient-controlled analgesia Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia portocaval shunt packed cell volume physical examination, pulmonary embolism, pleural effusion positive end-expiratory pressure peak expiratory flow rate percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy pupils equal, round, react to light and accommodation positron emission tomography peak flow peak flow rate pulmonary function test past history, patient history, personal history, prostatic hypertrophy, pulmonary hypertension arterial blood pH present illness, protease inhibitor peripherally inserted central catheter pelvic inflammatory disease phenylketonuria post mortem postmenopausal bleeding past medical history past medical illness polymorphonuclear leucocyte patient medical record postmenopausal syndrome, premenstrual syndrome premenstrual tension percussion note, peripheral neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, postnasal drip pneumothorax by mouth post partum haemorrhage proton pump inhibitor parts per million partial thromboplastin time kaolin per rectum prostate-specific antigen patient physical therapy, prothrombin time, parathyroid plasma thromboplastin antecedent, prior to admission, prothrombin activity parathyroid hormone prothrombin ratio partial thromboplastin time partial thromboplastin time kaolin propylthiouracil Page 8 of 11 PU PUD PUO PUVA PV PVC PVD PVT Px QALY R RA RAST RBBB RBC RBF RBS RDS REM RES RF RFT Rh factor RHD RIF RLD RLL RLQ ROM RP RQ RR RR & E RS RSF RSR RSV RTA rt-PA RUL RUQ RV RVH s S/B SA SALT SB SBE SBO SBP SC SCBU SH SI SIADH SIDS SL or sl SLE SOA peptic ulcer, pass urine, per urethra peptic ulcer disease pyrexia of unknown origin psoralen and ultraviolet A radiation per vagina premature ventricular contraction peripheral vascular disease paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia past history, prognosis, pneumothorax quality-adjusted life year(s) respiration renal artery, rheumatoid arthritis, right arm, right atrium radioallergosorbent test right bundle branch block red blood cell, red blood count renal blood flow random blood sugar respiratory distress syndrome rapid eye movement reticuloendothelial system renal failure, rheumatic fever, rheumatoid factor respiratory function test rhesus factor rheumatic heart disease right iliac fossa related living donor, right lateral decubitus right lower lobe (lung) right lower quadrant range of motion radial pulse respiratory quotient respiratory rate round regular and equal (pupils) respiratory system rheumatoid serum factor regular sinus rhythm respiratory syncytial virus road traffic accident recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator right upper lobe right upper quadrant residual volume, right ventricle right ventricular hypertrophy without seen by sinoatrial, surface area speech and language therapist seen by, shortness of breath subacute bacterial endocarditis, shortness of breath on exertion small bowel obstruction spontaneous bacterial peritonitis sickle cell, subcutaneous special care baby unit social history small intestine syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone sudden infant death syndrome sublingual systemic lupus erythematosus swelling of ankle(s) Page 9 of 11 SOAP SOB SP SR SSRI SSS ST stat. STD SV SVT Sx T T&A T&X T3 T4 TB TBA TBG TBS TBW TCA TD TDI TDM TENS TFT TG TH THR TIA TIBC TKO TL TLC TM TNF TOF TOP TOPS TP t-PA TPN TPR TSH TTA TTO TUR TURB TURP TV Tx. U&E UA UC UCG UCO UDV UFH UK subjective, objective, assessment, plan shortness of breath systolic pressure sinus rhythm, sustained release selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor sick sinus syndrome sinus tachycardia immediately sexually transmitted disease stroke volume supraventricular tachycardia symptoms temperature tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy type and crossmatch triiodothyronine thyroxine tuberculosis to be administered, to be arranged thyroid binding globulin total body surface total body water, total body weight tricyclic antidepressant tardive dyskinesia, transverse diameter total dose infusion therapeutic drug monitoring transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation thyroid function test triglyceride thyroid hormone total hip replacement transient ischaemic attack total iron-binding capacity to keep open tubal ligation tender loving care, total lung capacity tympanic membrane tumour necrosis factor tracheo-oesophageal fistula termination of pregnancy take off pounds sensibly thrombophlebitis, total protein tissue plasminogen factor total parenteral nutrition temperature, pulse, respiration thyroid-stimulating hormone to take away to take out transurethral resection transurethral resection of the bladder transurethral resection of the prostate trichomonas vaginalis, tidal volume treatment urea & electrolytes uric acid, urine analysis ulcerative colitis, urinary catheter urine chorionic gonadotropin urinary catheter out unit dose vial unfractionated heparin unknown Page 10 of 11 UO URI URTI US UTI VB VC VD VDG VDRL VE VF VLBW VLDL VP VS VT WB WBC WBS WCC WPW wt XX XY ZES urinary output upper respiratory infection upper respiratory tract infection ultrasound urinary tract infection venous blood vena cava, visual cortex, vital capacity, vulvovaginal candidiasis venereal disease venereal disease gonorrhoea Venereal Disease Research Laboratory vaginal examination ventricular fibrillation very low birth weight very low-density lipoprotein venous pressure vital signs ventricular tachycardia whole blood white blood cell, white blood count whole body scan white cell count Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome weight female chromosome type male chromosome type Zollinger–Ellison syndrome Page 11 of 11