Common Medical Abbreviations

In medicine, abbreviations are frequently used to simplify complex terms and phrases. However, for those unfamiliar with them, they can seem like a foreign language. Here, a general practitioner, Dr. Anita Iroko, helps us decrypt this coded language by providing an A-Z list of common medical abbreviations.

A

  • ABG – Arterial Blood Gas
  • AC – Before Meals
  • ADL – Activities of Daily Living
  • AED – Automatic External Defibrillator
  • AIDS – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
  • ALS – Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
  • AMA – Against Medical Advice
  • AMI – Acute Myocardial Infarction
  • AP – Anteroposterior
  • ARDS – Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
  • ASAP – As Soon As Possible
  • AV – Atrioventricular
  • ASA – Aspirin
  • ATP – Adenosine Triphosphate
  • AU – Each Ear

B

  • BID – Twice a Day
  • BMI – Body Mass Index
  • BP – Blood Pressure
  • BPM – Beats Per Minute
  • BUN – Blood Urea Nitrogen
  • BS – Blood Sugar
  • BSO – Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy
  • BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate
  • BBB – Bundle Branch Block
  • BCG – Bacille Calmette-Guérin
  • BRCA1/BRCA2 – Breast Cancer 1/2, Early Onset
  • BD – Bipolar Disorder
  • BM – Bone Marrow
  • BF – Breastfeeding
  • BSA – Body Surface Area

C

  • CABG – Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
  • CAD – Coronary Artery Disease
  • CBC – Complete Blood Count
  • COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  • CPR – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
  • CT – Computed Tomography
  • CVA – Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke)
  • CVP – Central Venous Pressure
  • CKD – Chronic Kidney Disease
  • CMV – Cytomegalovirus
  • CNS – Central Nervous System
  • CRP – C-reactive Protein
  • C-Section – Cesarean Section
  • CSF – Cerebrospinal Fluid
  • CTA – Clear To Auscultation

D

  • DM – Diabetes Mellitus
  • DNR – Do Not Resuscitate
  • DOE – Dyspnea On Exertion
  • DVT – Deep Vein Thrombosis
  • Dx – Diagnosis
  • D/C – Discontinue or Discharge
  • DES – Diethylstilbestrol
  • DIP – Distal Interphalangeal Joint
  • DNA – Deoxyribonucleic Acid
  • DTR – Deep Tendon Reflexes
  • DDD – Degenerative Disk Disease
  • DP – Dorsalis Pedis
  • DIC – Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
  • DMARD – Disease-modifying Antirheumatic Drugs
  • DSM – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

E

  • EBV – Epstein-Barr Virus
  • ECG – Electrocardiogram
  • ECT – Electroconvulsive Therapy
  • ED – Emergency Department
  • EEG – Electroencephalogram
  • EENT – Eyes, Ears, Nose, Throat
  • EKG – Electrocardiogram (alternate abbreviation)
  • EMG – Electromyogram
  • ENT – Ear, Nose, Throat (Otolaryngology)
  • ESR – Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
  • ETOH – Ethanol (Alcohol)
  • EVF – Estimated Fetal Weight
  • EVD – External Ventricular Drain
  • ECMO – Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
  • ERCP – Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

F

  • FBS – Fasting Blood Sugar
  • FDA – Food and Drug Administration
  • FHR – Fetal Heart Rate
  • FSH – Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
  • FUO – Fever of Unknown Origin
  • FVC – Forced Vital Capacity
  • FX – Fracture
  • FEV – Forced Expiratory Volume
  • FAS – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
  • FB – Foreign Body
  • FDP – Fibrin Degradation Product
  • FEF – Forced Expiratory Flow
  • FFP – Fresh Frozen Plasma
  • FLAIR – Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery
  • FNAB – Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy

G

  • GAD – Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • GERD – Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
  • GFR – Glomerular Filtration Rate
  • GI – Gastrointestinal
  • GTT – Glucose Tolerance Test
  • GU – Genitourinary
  • GVHD – Graft Versus Host Disease
  • GYN – Gynecology
  • GA – General Anesthesia
  • GB – Gallbladder
  • GCS – Glasgow Coma Scale
  • GDM – Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
  • G6PD – Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase
  • GSW – Gunshot Wound

H

  • HbA1C – Glycated Hemoglobin (used to measure blood glucose control)
  • HBP – High Blood Pressure
  • HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • HPV – Human Papillomavirus
  • Hx – History
  • HDL – High-Density Lipoprotein
  • HRT – Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • HSV – Herpes Simplex Virus
  • Hgb – Hemoglobin
  • HCT – Hematocrit
  • HCG – Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
  • HSM – Hepatosplenomegaly
  • HTN – Hypertension
  • H&H – Hemoglobin and Hematocrit
  • HS – At bedtime

I

  • IBD – Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  • ICU – Intensive Care Unit
  • IM – Intramuscular
  • INR – International Normalized Ratio
  • IV – Intravenous
  • IBS – Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • ICP – Intracranial Pressure
  • ID – Infectious Disease
  • ITP – Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
  • IHD – Ischemic Heart Disease
  • IVP – Intravenous Pyelogram
  • IVC – Inferior Vena Cava
  • IUGR – Intrauterine Growth Restriction
  • IOP – Intraocular Pressure
  • IVF – In Vitro Fertilization

J

  • JVD – Jugular Vein Distension
  • JRA – Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • JVP – Jugular Venous Pressure
  • JCAHO – Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
  • JE – Japanese Encephalitis

K

  • K – Potassium
  • KUB – Kidney, Ureter, Bladder (X-ray)
  • Kg – Kilogram
  • KCL – Potassium Chloride
  • KS – Kaposi Sarcoma
  • KA – Ketoacidosis
  • KO – Keep Open
  • KVO – Keep Vein Open
  • KD – Kawasaki Disease

L

  • L&D – Labor and Delivery
  • LFT – Liver Function Test
  • LP – Lumbar Puncture
  • LV – Left Ventricle
  • LDL – Low-Density Lipoprotein
  • LT – Liver Transplant
  • LLQ – Left Lower Quadrant
  • LUQ – Left Upper Quadrant
  • LMP – Last Menstrual Period
  • LOC – Loss Of Consciousness
  • LVH – Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
  • LAD – Left Anterior Descending (coronary artery)
  • LBBB – Left Bundle Branch Block
  • LMN – Lower Motor Neuron

M

  • MI – Myocardial Infarction (heart attack)
  • MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • MS – Multiple Sclerosis
  • MRSA – Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
  • MMR – Measles, Mumps, Rubella (vaccine)
  • MCV – Mean Corpuscular Volume
  • MCH – Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin
  • MCHC – Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration
  • MD – Doctor of Medicine
  • MPV – Mean Platelet Volume
  • MVP – Mitral Valve Prolapse
  • MRA – Magnetic Resonance Angiography
  • MDS – Myelodysplastic Syndrome
  • MAOIs – Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

N

  • NPO – Nil Per Os (nothing by mouth)
  • NSAID – Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug
  • NG – Nasogastric (tube)
  • NTG – Nitroglycerin
  • NK – Natural Killer (cell)
  • Na – Sodium
  • NVD – Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea
  • NSTEMI – Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction
  • NSR – Normal Sinus Rhythm
  • NIDDM – Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
  • NC – Nasal Cannula
  • NPH – Neutral Protamine Hagedorn (insulin)
  • NICU – Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • NPV – Negative Predictive Value
  • NAC – N-acetylcysteine

O

  • OB – Obstetrics
  • OR – Operating Room
  • OT – Occupational Therapy
  • OPD – Outpatient Department
  • OM – Otitis Media
  • OCD – Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • OGTT – Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
  • OSA – Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  • OTC – Over The Counter
  • OD – Once Daily
  • OPV – Oral Polio Vaccine
  • OP – Osteoporosis
  • OA – Osteoarthritis
  • OG – Oral Glucose
  • O2 – Oxygen

P

  • PCOS – Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
  • PT – Physical Therapy
  • PUD – Peptic Ulcer Disease
  • PVC – Premature Ventricular Contraction
  • PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • PFT – Pulmonary Function Test
  • PSA – Prostate-Specific Antigen
  • PMH – Past Medical History
  • PID – Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
  • PE – Pulmonary Embolism
  • PKU – Phenylketonuria
  • PDA – Patent Ductus Arteriosus
  • PPD – Purified Protein Derivative (Tuberculosis test)
  • PCP – Pneumocystis Pneumonia

Q

  • q.d. – Every Day
  • q.h. – Every Hour
  • q2h – Every 2 Hours
  • q.i.d. – Four Times Daily
  • QS – Quantity Sufficient
  • QT – QT Interval (cardiac)
  • QALY – Quality-Adjusted Life Year
  • QNS – Quantity Not Sufficient

R

  • RA – Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • RBC – Red Blood Cell
  • RT – Respiratory Therapy
  • RNA – Ribonucleic Acid
  • REM – Rapid Eye Movement (sleep)
  • RF – Rheumatoid Factor
  • RHD – Rheumatic Heart Disease
  • ROS – Review of Systems
  • RLL – Right Lower Lobe (lung)
  • RLQ – Right Lower Quadrant (abdomen)
  • R/O – Rule Out
  • RBC – Red Blood Cell Count
  • RR – Respiratory Rate
  • RPR – Rapid Plasma Reagin (syphilis test)

S

  • SOB – Shortness of Breath
  • SLE – Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
  • STD – Sexually Transmitted Disease
  • SC – Subcutaneous
  • SGOT – Serum Glutamic-Oxaloacetic Transaminase (Liver enzyme test)
  • SIADH – Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone
  • SIDS – Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
  • SBP – Systolic Blood Pressure
  • SPF – Sun Protection Factor
  • STI – Sexually Transmitted Infection
  • SSRI – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
  • SAM – S-Adenosyl Methionine
  • SAH – Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
  • SBO – Small Bowel Obstruction

T

  • TIA – Transient Ischemic Attack
  • TSH – Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone
  • TB – Tuberculosis
  • TKA – Total Knee Arthroplasty
  • TPN – Total Parenteral Nutrition
  • TURP – Transurethral Resection of the Prostate
  • TLC – Total Lung Capacity
  • TENS – Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
  • TID – Three Times a Day
  • TTC – Trying To Conceive
  • TTA – To Take Away (medication)
  • THR – Total Hip Replacement
  • TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury

U

  • URI – Upper Respiratory Infection
  • UTI – Urinary Tract Infection
  • U/S – Ultrasound
  • UGI – Upper Gastrointestinal
  • UA – Urinalysis
  • UC – Ulcerative Colitis
  • UPJ – Ureteropelvic Junction
  • UAC – Umbilical Artery Catheter
  • UV – Ultraviolet
  • UGIB – Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding
  • UPPP – Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

V

  • VT – Ventricular Tachycardia
  • VDRL – Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (test for syphilis)
  • VS – Vital Signs
  • VTE – Venous Thromboembolism
  • VSD – Ventricular Septal Defect
  • VZV – Varicella Zoster Virus
  • VF – Ventricular Fibrillation
  • V/Q – Ventilation/Perfusion (scan)
  • VRE – Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci
  • VSS – Vital Signs Stable

W

  • WHO – World Health Organization
  • WBC – White Blood Cell
  • WB – Whole Blood
  • WNL – Within Normal Limits
  • W/C – Wheelchair
  • WDWN – Well-Developed, Well-Nourished
  • WHR – Waist-to-Hip Ratio
  • WLL – Whole Lung Lavage

X

  • XRT – X-ray Therapy
  • XR – X-ray
  • XDP – Xanthine Diphosphate

Y

  • YO – Years Old
  • YTD – Year To Date

Z

  • Zn – Zinc
  • ZDV – Zidovudine (also known as AZT)
  • ZSS – Zinc Stearate Spinning

And there you have it, a comprehensive list of common medical abbreviations from A to Z.

Further Reading: SX Medical Abbreviation Meaning