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
-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

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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

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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
-aminobutyric Acid
gall bladder
gonococcal, gonococcus
glasgow coma scale
granulocyte colony-stimulating factor
gastroenterology
glomerular filtration rate
-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

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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
ZollingerEllison syndrome

Page 11 of 11