Medical Terminology Abbreviations
A
ac
B
before meals
ADL activities of daily living
ax
asa
ad
as
au
axillary
aspirin
right ear
left ear
both ears
C
c
CAT
CBC
CC
blood pressure
bed rest
blood sugar,
bowel sounds
D
with
computerized axial tomography
complete blood count
chief complaint, cardiac output
cdc
calculated date of confinement
c/o
cpr
complains of
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
E
ECG/EKG
EEG
ENT
er
ESR
dat
DC, D/C
diet as tolerated
discontinue,
discharge
dob
d/w
dx
date of birth
dextrose in water
diagnosis
F
electrocardiogram
electroencephalgraphy
ears, nose and throat
emergency room
erythrocyte sedimentation rate
G
GI
GTT
GU
GYN
bp, b/p
br, BR
bs
fbs
fx
fasting blood sugar
fracture
H
gastrointestinal
glucose tolerance test
genitourinary
gynecology
hob
hoh
h+p, h/p
hr
hs
ht
hx
head of bed
hard of hearing
history and physical
hour
hour of sleep
height
history
I
I+O
IV
K
intake and output
intravenous
K
potassium
L
L&D
llq
luq
L&W
labor and delivery
left lower quadrant
left upper quadrant
living and well
N
O
nka
NPO
no known allergies
nothing by mouth
Noc
night
ob
OD
OOB
obstetrics
overdose, right eye
out of bed
OS
left eye
OU
each eye
P
p
pc
po
prn
PT
pt
px
post
after meals
by mouth
as needed
physical therapy
patient
prognosis
R
RLQ
ROM
RUQ
rx
Q
q
qd
qhs
qid
qns
qod
qs
every
every day
every hour
four times a day
quantity not sufficient
every other day
quantity sufficient
S
right lower quadrant
range of motion
right upper quadrant
prescription
ss
sob
sp gr, spec
s/s, s+s
stat
sx
one half
shortness of breath
specific gravity
signs and symptoms
immediately
symptoms
T
Tid
TKO
three times a day
to keep open
U
UA
UR
UTI
urinalysis
upper respiratory
urinary tract infection
V
vo
VS
verbal order
vital signs
W
WBC
wc, w/c
wnl
wt
white blood count, white blood cell
wheel chair
within normal limits
weight