Medical Terminology Abbreviations

Common Medical Abbreviations And Terminology

Medical Terminology


Terminology Used By Medical Professionals

Here Are The Lists Of Medical Abbreviation

A- Accommodation; acetum; 

A 2-  Aortic second soundaa of each; arteries

AAA- Abdominal aortic aneurysms / abdomen

ABG- Arterial blood gas

ABI- Ankle-brachial index

ABO- Three basic blood groups

AC- Adrenal cortex; air conduction; alternating current

ac Before a meal

acc. Accommodation

A/CA- Accommodative / convergence accommodation ratio

ACE- Angiotensin-converting enzyme

ACh- Acetylcholine

AChE- Acetylcholinesterase

AChR- Acetylcholine receptor



ACLS- Advanced Cardiac Life Support

ACTH- Adrenocorticotropic hormone

AD- Advance directives to; up to

ADH- Antidiuretic hormone

ADHD- Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder

ADL; ADLs- Activities of daily living

ad lib.- Freely; as desired

admov.- Apply

ad sat.- to saturation

AED- antiepileptic drug

AF- Atrial fibrillation

AFB- Acid-fast bacillus

AFP- Alpha fetoprotein

A / G; AG ratio- Albumin / globulin ratio

Ag- silver; antigen

AGC Atypical glandular cells

AgNO 3- Silver nitrateah hypermetropic astigmatism

AHF- Antihemophilic factor A.

AI- Aortic incompetence; aortic insufficiency

AICD- Automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator

AIDS- Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

AK- above the knee

Al- aluminum albumin

ALL- Acute lymphocytic leukemia

ALP- Alkaline phosphatase

ALS- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

noc. every other night



AM- Morning

Am- Mixed astigmatism

AMA- Against medical advice

AMI- Acute myocardial infarction

AML- Acute myelogenous (myeloblastic) leukemia

AMLS- Advanced Medical Life Support

amp- ampule; amputation

ANA- Antinuclear antibody

anat- anatomy or anatomic

ANNA- anti-neuronal nuclear antibody

ANP- Atrial natriuretic peptideant. Anterioranti-

CCP- Anti cyclic citrullinated peptide

Ao. aorta

A-P- Anterior-posterior

A & P- Auscultation and percussion

ap- Before dinner

APAP- Acetaminophena PTT activated partial thromboplastin

AQ; aq- water

aq. least. distilled water

aq. frig. cold water

ARDS- Acute respiratory distress syndrome

ARMD- Age-related macular degeneration

AS- Ankylosing spondylitis; aortic stenosis; Auris Sinistra (left ear) 

As.- astigmatism



ASA- Acetylsalicylic acid

ASC- Atypical squamous cells

asc.- Ascending

ASCA- Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody

ASC-US- Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance

ASCVD- Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

ASD- Atrial septal defect

AsH- Hypermetropic astigmatism

AsM- myopic astigmatism

AST- aspartate aminotransferase

Ast- astigmatism

ATCC- American Type Culture Collection at. wt. atomic weight 

Au- gold

A-V; AV; A / V- Arteriovenous; atrioventricularav. Avoirdupois

AVM- Arteriovenous malformation

AVP- Arginine vasopressin

B- Boron; bacillus

Ba- barium

BAC- Blood alcohol concentration

BBB- Blood-brain barrier; bundle branch block

BBT- Basal body temperature

BCG- Bacille Calmette-Guérin

BCLS- Basic cardiac life support

BCP- Birth control pills

BD- Buerger disease

BE- Barium enema

Be- Beryllium

BHS Beta-hemolytic streptococci



BiD- bismuth

b.- bone

bib. drink

b.id, bid- twice a day

b.in- twice a night

bipap- bilevel positive airway pressure

BK- Below the knee

BLS- Basic life support

BM- Bowel movement

BMI- Body mass index

BMR- Basal metabolic rate

BMS- Bone marrow suppression

BMT- Bone marrow transplantation

BNP- Brain natriuretic peptidebol. Pill

BP- Blood pressure 

B.P.- British Pharmacopoeia

BPH- Benign prostatic hyperplasiabpm beats per minute

BRM- Biologic response modifier

BROW- Barley, rye, oats, and wheat

BSA- Body surface area

BSE- Breast self-examination



BUN- Blood urea nitrogen

BW- Birth weight; body weight

Bx- biopsy

C- calorie (kilocalorie); Celsiusc calorie (small calorie) 

c- with

CA- Coronary artery

ca.- About; approximately; cancer

CABG- Coronary artery bypass graft

CaCO 3- Calcium carbonate

CAD- Coronary artery disease

CAH- Chronic active hepatitis

Cal- large calorie

CAP- Let (the patient) take

cap.- Capsule

CBC- Complete blood count

CBI- Continuous bladder irrigation

CBRNE- Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive agents

CBT- Cognitive behavioral therapy

CC- Chief complaint

cc- Cubic centimeter

CCl 4- Carbon tetrachloride

CCU- Coronary care unit; critical care unit

CD4- T-helper cells

CD8- Cytotoxic cells

CDC- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CEA- carcinoembryonic antigen

CF- Cystic fibrosis; Christmas factor



CFTR- Cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator

cg- Centigram

CHD- Congenital heart disease; coronary heart disease

ChE- Cholinesterase

CHF- Congestive heart failure

CI- Cardiac index

Ci- Curie

CIN- Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

CIS- Carcinoma in situ

CK- Creatine kinase

CK-MB serum- Creatine kinase, myocardial-bound

Cl- Chlorine

CLL- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

cm- Centimeter 

c. ms- to be taken on medication tomorrow

CNS- Central nervous system

c.ns- To be taken tomorrow night

CO- Carbon monoxide; cardiac output

CO 2- Carbon dioxide

Co- cobalt

c / o- complains of

COLD- Chronic obstructive lung disease

COMT- Catechol-O-methyltransferase

COPD- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

COX-2- Cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors

CP- Cerebral palsy; cleft palate

CPAP- Continuous positive airway pressure

CPC- Clinicopathologic conference

CPD- Cephalopelvic disproportion

CPHSS- Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale

CPK- Creatine phosphokinase



CPM- Continuous passive motion

CPR- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CR- Conditioned reflex; controlled release; crown-rump length

CREST- Calcinosis, Raynaud phenomenon, esophageal dysfunction, sclerodactyly, telangiectasia (cluster of features of systemic sclerosis scleroderma) 

CRP c. reactive protein

CRS-R- Conners Rating Scales-Revised

CS- Cardiogenic shock; cesarean section; culture and sensitivity 

CSF- Cerebrospinal fluid; colony-stimulating factor

CSH- Combat support hospital

CT- Computed / computerized tomography

Cu- Copper

CV- Cardiovascular

CVA- Cardiovascular accident; cerebrovascular accident; costovertebral angle

CVC- Central venous catheter

CVP- Central venous pressure

CVRB- Critical value read back

CVS- Chorionic villi sampling

CXR- Chest x-ray

D- diopter; dose 

D5 / 0.9 NaCl 5% dextrose and normal saline solution (0.9% NaCl) 

D5 / ½ / NS 5% dextrose and half-normal saline solution (0.45% NaCl) 

D5W 5% dextrose in water

d density; right / d per day

D and C- Dilatation and curettage

dB- Decibel

DBP- Diastolic blood pressure

DC- Direct current; doctor of chiropractic

dc- discontinue

Derm- dermatology



det.- let it be given

DEXA- dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry

DFV- Doppler flow velocimetry

DHT- Dihydrotestosterone

DI- Diabetes insipidus

DIC- Disseminated intravascular coagulation

DISIDA (scan)- Diisopropyl iminodiacetic acid (cholescintigraphy) 

DJD- Degenerative joint disease

DKA- Diabetic ketoacidosis

dL- Deciliter

DM- Diabetes mellitus

DMARD- Disease-modulating antirheumatic drug

DNA- Deoxyribonucleic acid

DNH- Do not hospitalize arrival-date-vaccine-date-vaccion-date on tetus-date 

DOA- Do not resuscitate on dipcitate diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (vaccine) 

dr. dram

DRE- Digital rectal examination

DRG- Diagnosis-related group

DSM-IV-TR- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision

DTR- Deep tendon reflex (es) 

DTs- Delirium tremens

dur. dolor while pain lasts

DVT- Deep vein thrombosis

Dx- Diagnosis

D5W- Dextrose 5% in water

DWI- Driving while intoxicated

E- eye; Escherichia

EBV- Epstein-Barr virus

ECF- Extended care facility; extracellular fluid

ECG- Electrocardiogram, electrocardiograph

ECHO- Echocardiography

ECMO- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

ECT- Electroconvulsive therapy

ED- Emergency department; effective dose; erythema dose; erectile dysfunction

EDD- Estimated date of delivery (formerly EDC: estimated date of confinement) 

EEG- Electroencephalogram

EENT- Eye, ear, nose, and throat

EF- Ejection fraction



EGD- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy

EIA- Enzyme immunosorbent assay

EKG- Electrocardiogram; electrocardiograph

ELISA- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

elix.- Elixir

Em- Emmetropia

EMG- Electromyogram, electromyography

EMS- Emergency medical service

Endo- Endocrine

ENT- Ear, nose, and throat

EOM- Extraocular muscles

EP- Extrapyramidal

EPS- Extrapyramidal symptoms

ER- Emergency Room, extended-release

ERCP- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

ESR- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

ESRD- End-stage renal disease

EST- Electroshock therapy

ESWL- Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

ET-1- Endothelin-1ETOH, 

EtOH- Ethyl alcohol

ext. extensor; external

F- Fahrenheitf female

FA- Fatty acid

F and E- Fluid and electrolyte

FAP- Familial adenomatous polyposis

FBS- Fasting blood sugar

FD- Fatal dose; focal distance

FDA (US)- Food and Drug Administration

Fe- Iron

FEV- Forced expiratory volume

FFP- Fresh frozen plasma

FHT- Fetal heart tone

FISH- fluorescence in situ hybridization

fl.- Flexor

Fld- fluid

FP- Family practice; family practitioner

FSH- Follicle-stimulating hormone

FTT- Failure to thrive

FUO- Fever of unknown origin

G, g, gm- gram

GABA- Gamma-aminobutyric acid



GABA B- Gamma-aminobutyric acid type BGABRB3 

GABA A- Receptor genegarg gargle

GB- Gallbladder; Guillain-Barré

GC- Gonococcus or gonorrheal

GDM- Gestational diabetes mellitus

GDS- Geriatric Depression Scale

GERD- Gastroesophageal reflux disease

GFR- Glomerular filtration rate

GGT- Gamma-glutamyltransferase

GH- Growth hormone

GI- Gastrointestinal

GU- Genitourinary

guttat – Drop by drop

GVHD- Graft-versus-host disease

GYN- Gynecology

H- Hydrogen

(H +)- Hydrogen ionh, 

hr- Hour

H & H- Hematocrit and hemoglobin

H1N1- Hemagglutinin type 1 and neuraminidase type 1

H 2- Histamine 2

HAART Highly active antiretroviral therapy

HAV- Hepatitis A virus

HBV- Hepatitis care professional virus

HCG- Health chorinion

HCP- Hct hematocrit

HCV- Hepatitis C virus

HD- Hearing distance

HDL- High-density lipoprotein

HDV- Hepatitis D

HEENT- Head, eye, ear, nose, and throat

HELLP- Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets

HEPA- High-efficiency particulate air

HER2- Human 



EGF- (epidermal growth factor) Receptor 

2HEV- hepatitis

Hg- mercury; Hemoglobin

HGSIL- High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion

Hib- Haemophilus influenzae type 

BHIDA- Hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (cholescintigraphy) 

HIV- Human immunodeficiency virus

HLA- Human leukocyte antigen

h / o- History of

HOB- Head of bed

H 2 O- Water

H 2 O 2- Hydrogen peroxide

hor. decub. bedtime

hor. som, 

hs- bedtime

HPI- history of present illness

HPV- human papillomavirus

HR- heart rate

HRT- hormone replacement therapy

HSIL- high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion

HSV- herpes simplex virus

HTLV-III human T lymphotropic virus type lll

HTN- Hypertension



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