before
ā
with
c (with a line over it)
nitroglycerin
NTG
oxygen
O2
obstetrics
OB
after
p (with a line over it)
physical exam, pulmonary embolism
PE
orally, by mouth
PO
patient
Pt
every
q
four times a day
QID
rule out
R/O
prescription
Rx
without
s (with a line over it)
signs/symptoms
s/s
sudden infant death syndrome
SIDS
sublingual
SL
shortness of breath
SOB
symptoms
Sx
immediately
stat
transient ischemic attack
TIA
three times a day
TID
to keep open
TKO
treatment
Tx
times
X
years old
y/o
increased
↑
decreased
↓
African American
AA
Asian
A
Black
B
chief complaint
CC
complains of
c/o
current health status
CHS
date of birth
DOB
differential diagnosis
DD or DDx
estimated date of confinement
EDC
family history
FH
female
♀
Hispanic
H
history
Hx
history and physical
H&P
history of present illness
HPI or HOPI
impression
IMP
male
♂
medications
Med
newborn
NB
past history
PH or PMH
patient
Pt
physical exam
PE
private medical doctor
PMD
signs and symptoms
S/S
vital signs
VS
weight
Wt
white
W
year-old
y/o
abdomen
Abd
cardiovascular
CV
central nervous system
CNS
ear, nose, and throat
ENT
gastrointestinal
GI
genitourinary
GU
gynecological
GYN
head, eye, ears, nose, and throat
HEENT
musculoskeletal
MSK
obstecrical
OB
peripheral nervous system
PNS
respiratory
Resp
abdominal pain
abd pn
chest pain
CP
dyspnea on exertion
DOE
fever of unknown origin
FUO
gunshot wound
GSW
headache
H/A
lower back pain
LBP
nausea/vomiting
n/v
no apparent distress
NAD
pain
pn
shortness of breath
SOB
substernal chest pain
sscp
abdominal aortic aneurysm
AAA
abortion
Ab
acute myocardial infarction
AMI
adult respiratory distress syndrome
ARDS
alcohol
ETOH
atherosclerotic heart disease
ASHD
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
COPD
chronic renal failure
CRF
dead on arrival
DOA
cystic fibrosis
CF
delirium tremens
DTs
deep vein thrombosis
DVT
diabetes meelitus
DM
dilation and curettage
D&C
duodenal ulcer
DU
end-stage renal disease
ESRD
end-strage renal failure
ESRF
epstein-barr virus
EBV
foreign body obstruction
FBO
hepatitis B virus
HBV
hiatal hernia
HH
hypertenstion
HTN
infectious disease
ID
inferior wall myocardial infarction
IWMI
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
IDDM
intracranial pressure
ICP
mass casualty incident
MCI
mitral valve prolapse
MVP
motor vehicle crash
MVC
multiple sclerosis
MS
non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
NIDDM
organic brain syndrome
OBS
otitis media
OM
overdose
OD
paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea
PND
pelvic inflammatory disease
PID
peptic ulcer disease
PUD
pregnancies/births
G/P
pregnacy-induced hypertension
PIH
pulmonary embolism
PE
rheumatic heart disease
RHD
sexually transmitted disease
STD
ST elevation myocardial infarction
STEMI
transient ischemic attack
TIA
tuberculosis
TB
upper respiratory infection
URI
urinary tract infection
UTI
wolff-parkinson-white syndrome (disease)
WPW
agniotensin-converting enzyme
ACE
aspirin
ASA
bicarbonate
HCO3
birth control pills
BCP
calcium
Ca++
calcium channel blocker
CCB
calcium chloride
CaCl2
chloride
Cl-
digoxin
Dig
dilantin
DPH
diphenhydramine
DPHM
diphtheria-pertusis-tetanus
DPT
hydrochlorothiazide
HCTZ
lactated ringer’s, ringer’s lactate
LR,RL
nitroglycerin
NTG
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent
NSAID
normal saline
NS
oral birth control pill
OBCP
penicillin
PCN
phenobarbital
PB
potassium
K+
sodium bicarbonate
NaHCO3
sodium chloride
NaCl
tylenol
APAP
abdomen
Abd
antecubital
AC
anterior axillary line
AAL
anterior cruciate ligament
ACL
anterior-posterior
A/P
dorsalis pedis
DP
gallbladder
GB
intercostal space
ICS
lateral collateral ligament
LCL
left lower lobe
LLL
left lower quadrant
LLQ
left upper lobe
LUL
left ventricle
LV
liver, spleen, kidneys
LSK
lymph node
LN
midaxillary line
MAL
posterior axillary line
PAL
right lower lobe
RLL
right lower quadrant
RLQ
right middle lobe
RML
right upper lobe
RUL
right upper upper quadrant
RUQ
temporomandibular joint
TMJ
tympanic membrane
TM
arterial blood gas
ABG
bilateral breath sounds
BBS
blood glucose
BGL
breath sounds
BS
cerebrosprinal spinal
CSF
chest x-ray
CXR
complete blood count
CBC
computerized tomography
CT
conscious, alert, and oriented
CAO
costovertebral angle
CVA
deep tendon reflexes
DTR
dorsalis pedis (pulse)
DP
electrocariogram
EKG, ECG
electroencephalogram
EEG
expiratory
Exp
extraocular movements (intact)
EOMI
fetal heart tones
FHT
full range of motion
FROM
full-term normal delivery
FTND
heart rate
HR
heart sounds
HS
hemoglobin
Hgb
inspiratory
Insp
jugular vein distention
JVD
laceration
lac
level of consciousness
LOC
moves all extremities (well)
MAEW
nontender
NT
normal range of motion
NROM
palpation
Palp
passive range of motion
PROM
point of maximal impulse
PMI
posterior tibial (pulse)
PT
pulse
P
pupils equal and reative to light
PEARL
pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accomodation
PERRLA
range of motion
ROM
respirations
R
temperature
T
unconscious
unc
urinary incontinence
UI
after (post)
p (with a line over it)
after eating
pc
alert and oriented
A/O
anterior
ant.
approximate
≈
as needed
prn
before (ante)
a (with a line over it)
before eating
a.c.
body surface area (%)
BSA
celsius
C°
change
∆
decreased
↓
equal
=
fahrenheit
F°
immediately
stat
increased
↑
inferior
inf.
left
L
less than
moderate
mod.
more than
>
negative
-
no, not, none
circle with / through it
not applicable
n/a
number
no or #
occasional
occ
pack years
pk/yrs, p/y
per
/
positive
+
posterior
post.
postoperative
PO
prior to arrival
PTA
radiates to
→
rule out
R/O
right
®
superior
sup.
secondary to
2°
times (for 3 hrs.)
x (x 3h)
unequal
≠
warm and dry
W/D
while awake
WA
with (cum)
c with a line over it
within normal limits (or we never looked)
WNL
without (sine)
s with a line over it
zero
0
advanced cardiac life support
ACLS
advanced life support
ALS
against medical advice
AMA
automated external defibrillator
AED
bag-valve mask
BVD
basic life support
BLS
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CPR
continuous positive airway pressure
CPAP
do not resuscitate
DNR
endotracheal tube
ETT
estimated time of arrival
ETA
external cardiac pacing
ECP
intermittent positive-pressure ventilation
IPPV
long spine board
LSB
nasal can
NC
nasogastric
NG
nasopharyngeal airway
NPA
no transport - refusal
NTR
nonrebreather mask
NRM
nothing by mouth
NPO
oropharyngeak airway
OPA
oxygen
O2
per square inch
psi
physical therapy
PT
positive end-expiratory pressure
PEEP
short spince board
SSB
therapy
Rx
treatment
Tx
turned over to
TOT
verbal order
VO
centimeter
cm
cubic centimeter
cc
deciliter
dL
drop(s)
gtt(s)
drops per minute
gtts/min
every
q
grain
gr
gram
g, gm
hour
h or hr
hydrogen-ion concentration
pH
interacardiac
IC
intramuscular
IM
intravenous
IV
intraosseous
IO