ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVW

before

alpha

ß beta

@ at

# pound, quantity

" inch

® right

left

B bilateral

↑increase

↓decrease

psychiatric

none, no

change

/ per or divided by

< less than

> greater than

° degrees

Rx treatment, prescription

µ micro

AAA abdominal aortic aneurysm

ABC automated blood count (airway, breathing, circulation)

ABD abdominal (dressing)

ABG arterial blood gas

AC before meals (a.m.), antecubital

ACE angiotensin-converting enzyme

ACLS advanced cardiac life support

ACS acute coronary syndrome

ACTH adrenocorticotropin hormone

AD right ear, Alzheimer's disease

ADA American Diabetes Association

ADH antidiuretic hormone

ADHD attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

ADLs activities of daily living

ADR adverse drug reaction

AED automated external defibrillator

AHA American Heart Association

AIDS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

AKA above knee amputation

ALOC altered level of consciousness

ALS advanced life support, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

AMI acute myocardial infarction

AMPLE see SAMPLE

AMS altered mental status, acute mountain sickness

AP anterior to posterior

APAP abbreviation for acetaminophen, Tylenol

APGAR appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, respiration

aPTT activated partial thromboplastin time

AS left ear

ASA abbreviation for aspirin

AU both ears

AV atrioventricular

AVB atrioventricular block

AVM arteriovenous malformation

AVPU alert, verbal, painful, unresponsive

BBB bundle branch block

BCC, BCCa basal cell carcinoma

BE barium enema, base excess

bid twice a day

BKA below knee amputation

BM bowel movement

BMI body mass index

BP blood pressure

BPH benign prostatic hyperplasia

BPM beats per minute

BS blood sugar, bowel sounds

BSA body or burn surface area

BUN blood urea nitrogen

BVM bag-valve mask

with

°C degrees Celsius, centigrade

C & S or CS culture and sensitivity

Ca⁺⁺ calcium

CA cancer

CAD coronary artery disease

CBC complete blood count

CBG chemical blood glucose

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CF cystic fibrosis

CHB complete heart block

CHF congestive heart failure

CI cardiac index

chloride

CNS central nervous system

CO carbon monoxide, cardiac output

CO₂ carbon dioxide

COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CP chest pain, cerebral palsy

CPAP continuous positive airway pressure

CPR cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CSF cerebrospinal fluid

CSM circulation sensory and motor

CT computed tomography

CV cardiovascular

CVA cerebrovascular accident

CVC central venous catheter

CVP central venous pressure

Cx circumflex coronary artery

D5W 5% dextrose in water

DBP diastolic blood pressure

DC discontinue, direct current

DIC disseminated intravascular coagulopathy

DKA diabetic ketoacidosis

dL deciliter

DM diabetes mellitus

DOPE dislodgment, obstruction, pneumothorax, equipment

DT delirium tremens

DTS distance, time, shielding

DVT deep vein thrombosis

DZ, Dz disease

eAGestimated average glucose

ECG or EKG electrocardiogram

ED erectile dysfunction, emergency department (ER)

EFM electronic fetal monitoring

EMS emergency medical services

EPS extrapyramidal symptoms

ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate

ET endotracheal

ETOH abbreviation for alcohol

ETT endotracheal tube

°F degrees Fahrenheit

F and E fluid and electrolytes

Fe iron

FFP fresh frozen plasma

FHR fetal heart rate

Fr, fr French

GCS Glasgow Coma Scale

GI gastrointestinal

gtt drop

GU genitourinary

H & H hemoglobin and hematocrit

h, hr hour

H⁺ hydrogen ion

HA headache

HACE high-altitude cerebral edema

HAPE high-altitude pulmonary edema

HAZMAT hazardous material

HB heart block

HCl hydrogen chloride

HCO₃ carbonic acid

Hct hematocrit

HCTZ hydrochlorothiazide

HELLP hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets

Hgb hemoglobin

HHNS hyperglycemic, hyperosmolar, nonketotic syndrome

HIV human immunodeficiency virus

HOB head of bed

HRT hormone replacement therapy

HS hour of sleep (nighttime)

HTN hypertension

HVS hyperventilation syndrome

IBC iron binding capacity

IBD irritable bowel disease

IBS irritable bowel syndrome

IBW ideal body weight

IC incident commander

ICP intracranial pressure

ICS intercostal space

ID intradermal

IDDM insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

IHSS idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis

IM intramuscular

IN intranasal

INH abbreviation for isoniazid

INR international normalized ratio

IO intraosseous

I/O intake and output

IV intravenous

IVC inferior vena cava

IVF Intravenous fluid

IVP Intravenous push

IVPB Intravenous piggyback

J joule

JVD jugular vein distention

K⁺ potassium

KB knife blade (scalpel)

KCl potassium chloride

kg kilogram

LAD left anterior descending

LAT lateral

LBBB left bundle branch block

LLQ left lower quadrant

LMA laryngeal mask airway

LNMP last normal menstrual period

LOC level of consciousness

LPM liters per minute

LR lactated Ringer's (solution)

LTC left to count

LUQ left upper quadrant

mA milliampere

MAOI monoamine oxidase inhibitor

MAP mean arterial pressure

MAR medication administration record

MAST military antishock trousers

MCA motorcycle accident

mcg microgram

MCI mass casualty incident

MCL modified chest lead

mEq milliequivalent

mg milligram

Mg⁺⁺ magnesium

MgSO₄ magnesium sulfate

MH malignant hyperthermia

MI myocardial infarction

min minute, minimum

mL milliliter

mm millimeter

mm Hg millimeter of mercury

MRI magnetic resonance imaging

MRSA methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

MS morphine sulfate, multiple sclerosis, musculoskeletal

MSO₄ morphine sulfate

MVA motor vehicle accident

Na⁺ sodium

NAD no apparent/acute distress

NaHCO₃ sodium bicarbonate

NG nasogastric

NGT nasogastric tube

NI nasointestinal

NIDDM non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

NPA nasopharyngeal airway

NPO nothing by mouth

NRB nonrebreather

NS normal saline

NSAID nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

NSR normal sinus rhythm

NTG nitroglycerin

NTP nitroglycerin paste

n/v nausea and vomiting

O₂ oxygen

OCD obsessive compulsive disorder

OD overdose, right eye

OLMC online medical control

OPA oropharyngeal airway

OPP organophosphate

OPQRST onset, provocation, quality, radiation, severity, timing

OS left eye

OT occupational therapy

OTC over the counter

OU both eyes

oz ounce

after

PAC premature atrial complex

PAD peripheral artery disease

PaO₂ partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood

PAP pulmonary artery pressure

PASG pneumatic antishock garment

PCI percutaneous intervention

PCW pulmonary capillary wedge pressure

PDA patent ductus arteriosus

PE pulmonary embolism, edema

PEA pulseless electrical activity

PEEP positive end-expiratory pressure

PERRL pupils equal, round and reactive to light

PET positron emission tomography

PFIB perfluoroisobutene

pH potential of hydrogen

PICC peripherally inserted central catheter

PIH pregnancy-induced hypertension

PJC premature junctional complex

PMI point of maximal impulse

PMS premenstrual syndrome

PO per os (by mouth, orally)

PPD purified protein derivative (tuberculosis skin test)

PPE personal protective equipment

PPF plasma protein fraction

PPV positive pressure ventilation

PQRST See OPQRST

PRBC packed red blood cells

PRI PR interval

prn as needed

PSA prostate-specific antigen

PSI pounds per square inch

PSVT paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia

Pt patient

PT prothrombin time, physical therapy

PTSD posttraumatic stress disorder

PTT partial thromboplastin time

PVC premature ventricular complex

PVD peripheral vascular disease

q, Q every

qid four times per day

qod every other day

R regular (insulin)

RA rheumatoid arthritis

RBBB right bundle branch block

RCA right coronary artery

RL Ringer's lactate (solution)

RLQ right lower quadrant

ROM range of motion, rupture of membranes

RR respiratory rate

RSI rapid sequence intubation

RSV respiratory syncytial virus

RT respiratory therapy, right

RTS revised trauma score

RUQ right upper quadrant

without

SAMPLE signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, pertinent history, last oral intake, events leading up

SaO₂ oxygen saturation

SBP systolic blood pressure

SC or SQ subcutaneous

SCC squamous cell carcinoma

SI stroke index

SLP speech language pathology

SLUDGEM salivate, lacrimate, urinate, defecate, gastrointestinal distress, emesis, miosis or muscle twitching

SOB shortness of breath

SpO₂ pulse oximeter

ss, s/s signs and symptoms

STD sexually transmitted disease

SV stroke volume

SVC superior vena cava

SVR systemic venous resistance

T temperature

TB tuberculosis

TBSA total burn surface area

TCA tricyclic antidepressant

TCP transcutaneous pacing

TF tube feeding

TIA transient ischemic attack

tid three times per day

TKO to keep open (30 mL/hr)

TPN total parenteral nutrition

TPR temperature, pulse, respirations

TVP transvenous pacing

u, U unit

UA urinalysis

UC ulcerative colitis

UO urine output

URI upper respiratory infection

UTI urinary tract infection

VAD vascular access device

VF ventricular fibrillation

VRE vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus

VRSA vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

VT ventricular tachycardia

WBC white blood count

WC wheel chair

WMD weapons of mass destruction

WPW Wolff-Parkinson White (syndrome)