Common Medical Abbreviations

A comprehensive list of common medical abbreviations categorized into different sections such as charting, vital signs, labs, imaging, pharmacy, medications, diagnoses, anatomy, and treatments. This guide aids in understanding commonly used medical shorthand.

Charting Abbreviations

• AMA - Against Medical Advice
• DC - Discharge or Discontinue
• DNR - Do Not Resuscitate
• H&P - History and Physical
• HPI - History of Present Illness
• HO - History Of
• NKDA - No Known Drug Allergies
• PCP - Primary Care Physician
• A&O - Alert and Oriented
• WNL - Within Normal Limits
• RF - Risk Factors
• SX - Symptoms
• DX - Diagnosis
• TX - Treatment
• NAD - No Acute Distress
• UOP - Urine Output
• I&O - Intake and Output
• C/O - Complaint Of
• CC - Chief Complaint
• ROS - Review of Systems

Additional Charting Abbreviations

• DDX - Differential Diagnosis
• MDM - Medical Decision Making
• IBW - Ideal Body Weight
• DOB - Date of Birth
• ICU - Intensive Care Unit
• MVA - Motor Vehicle Accident
• GSW - Gunshot Wound
• FX - Fracture
• EBL - Estimated Blood Loss
• BM - Bowel Movement
• CP - Chest Pain
• SOB - Shortness of Breath
• DOE - Dyspnea on Exertion
• STAT - Immediately
• CV - Cardiovascular
• GI - Gastrointestinal
• ID - Infectious Disease
• S/P - Status Post
• FB - Foreign Body
• ALS/BLS - Advanced/Basic Life Support

Vital Signs Abbreviations

• VS - Vital Signs
• VSS - Vital Signs Stable
• BP - Blood Pressure
• HR - Heart Rate
• P - Pulse
• RR - Respiratory Rate
• T - Temperature
• SpO2/SAO2 - Oxygen Saturation
• Ht/Wt - Height and Weight
• BMI - Body Mass Index

Lab Abbreviations

• CBC - Complete Blood Count
• WBC - White Blood Cells
• RBC - Red Blood Cells
• PLT - Platelets
• BMP - Basic Metabolic Panel
• CMP - Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
• LFT - Liver Function Test
• H/H - Hemoglobin and Hematocrit
• Hb/HGB - Hemoglobin
• HCT - Hematocrit
• Na - Sodium
• K - Potassium
• Ca - Calcium
• UA - Urinalysis
• ABG - Arterial Blood Gas
• PT - Prothrombin Time
• PTT - Partial Thromboplastin Time
• INR - International Normalized Ratio
• T&S - Type and Screen
• T&C - Type and Cross

Imaging and Other Tests

• CXR - Chest X-Ray
• AXR - Abdominal X-Ray
• US - Ultrasound
• MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• CT - Computed Tomography
• EKG/ECG - Electrocardiogram
• EEG - Electroencephalogram
• KUB - Kidney, Ureter, and Bladder X-Ray
• PFT - Pulmonary Function Test

Pharmacy Abbreviations

• AC - Before Meals
• PC - After Meals
• QD - Once Daily
• BID - Twice Daily
• TID - Three Times Daily
• QID - Four Times Daily
• QHS - At Bedtime
• QAM - Every Morning
• QPM - Every Evening
• QOD - Every Other Day
• QH - Every Hour
• Q2H - Every Two Hours
• Q3H - Every Three Hours
• PRN - As Needed
• PO - By Mouth
• NPO - Nothing By Mouth
• SC/SQ - Subcutaneous
• IM - Intramuscular
• IV - Intravenous
• OTC - Over The Counter

Medication Abbreviations

• BB - Beta Blocker
• CCB - Calcium Channel Blocker
• ARB - Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker
• ACEI - ACE Inhibitor
• NTG - Nitroglycerin
• ASA - Aspirin
• ABX - Antibiotics
• PCN - Penicillin
• TPA - Tissue Plasminogen Activator
• APAP - Acetaminophen
• NS - Normal Saline
• D5W - Dextrose 5% in Water
• LR - Lactated Ringers
• ETOH - Alcohol
• HCTZ - Hydrochlorothiazide
• MTX - Methotrexate
• OCP - Oral Contraceptive Pill
• TMP-SMX - Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
• MOM - Milk of Magnesia
• PPI - Proton Pump Inhibitor

Diagnoses/Conditions Abbreviations

• CAD - Coronary Artery Disease
• HTN - Hypertension
• DM - Diabetes Mellitus
• CHF - Congestive Heart Failure
• COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• MI - Myocardial Infarction
• PE - Pulmonary Embolism
• PNA - Pneumonia
• TIA - Transient Ischemic Attack
• CVA - Cerebrovascular Accident
• ARDS - Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome
• CKD - Chronic Kidney Disease
• AKI - Acute Kidney Injury
• ARF - Acute Renal Failure
• ESRD - End Stage Renal Disease
• CF - Cystic Fibrosis
• CP - Cerebral Palsy
• IBD - Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• UC - Ulcerative Colitis
• PUD - Peptic Ulcer Disease
• GERD - Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
• ICP - Intracranial Pressure
• TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury
• TGA - Transient Global Amnesia
• UTI - Urinary Tract Infection
• URI - Upper Respiratory Infection
• RAD - Reactive Airway Disease
• SBO - Small Bowel Obstruction
• DVT - Deep Venous Thrombosis
• RSV - Respiratory Syncytial Virus
• VF - Ventricular Fibrillation
• VT - Ventricular Tachycardia
• AFIB/AF - Atrial Fibrillation
• PVC - Premature Ventricular Contraction
• MS - Multiple Sclerosis
• PD - Parkinson's Disease
• BPH - Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
• RA - Rheumatoid Arthritis
• OSA - Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Anatomy Abbreviations

• RUQ - Right Upper Quadrant
• LUQ - Left Upper Quadrant
• RLQ - Right Lower Quadrant
• LLQ - Left Lower Quadrant
• RA - Right Atrium
• LA - Left Atrium
• RV - Right Ventricle
• LV - Left Ventricle
• RUE - Right Upper Extremity
• LUE - Left Upper Extremity
• RLE - Right Lower Extremity
• LLE - Left Lower Extremity
• ABD - Abdomen
• LUL/LLL - Left Upper/Lower Lobe
• RUL/RML/RLL - Right Upper/Middle/Lower Lobe
• CBD - Common Bile Duct
• OD - Right Eye
• OS - Left Eye
• OU - Both Eyes
• HC - Head Circumference

Treatment/Care Abbreviations

• BX - Biopsy
• ECMO - Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
• FNA - Fine Needle Aspiration
• I&D - Incision and Drainage
• PT - Physical Therapy
• OT - Occupational Therapy
• PEEP - Positive End-Expiratory Pressure
• CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
• BiPAP - Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure
• CABG - Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
• IVIG - Intravenous Immune Globulin
• ORIF - Open Reduction Internal Fixation
• NGT - Nasogastric Tube
• Pre-op - Preoperative
• Post-op - Postoperative
• POC - Point of Care
• AKA - Above the Knee Amputation
• BKA - Below the Knee Amputation
• PPE - Personal Protective Equipment
• IUP - Intrauterine Pregnancy

This detailed list of medical abbreviations serves as a valuable reference for students and professionals in the healthcare field.