Medical Abbreviations and Terminology
s/p
Status Post
ESRD
end stage renal diease
Enteral Feeds
alternative means of nutrition such as NG, PEG, G, J tube
Parenteral Feeds
alternative nutrition such as IV, TPN
PEG-Tube
percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (alternative means of
nutrition)
G-tube
gastrostomy tube “
J-tube
jejunostomy tube “
NG tube
nasogastric tube “ (Dobhoff/Flexiflow: type of NG tubes)
DHT
dobhoff tube
TF
tube feeding
HTN
hypertension
OA
osteoarthritis
A fib
Atrial fibrillation
DISH
diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperstosis (can be cause for cervical
osteophytes)
CHF
congestive heart failure
COPD
chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder
CAD
coronary artery diease
A&O
alert and oriented
ICH
intracranial/ intracerebral hemorrhage (hemorrhagic stroke)
SDH
subdural hematoma
TBI
traumatic brain injury
CHI
closed head injury
SCI
spinal cord injury
DM
diabetes mellitus
IDDM
insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
NIDDM
non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
L (with a circle around it)
left
R (with a circle around it)
right
CA
cancer
DAT/CAT
consistency as tolerated
NAS
no added salt
LF
lactose free
Trach
tracheostomy
Vent
ventilator
PT
physical therapy
OT
occupational therapy
CVA
cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
TIA
transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke)
MCA
middle coronary artery (a common location for stroke)
AAA
abdominal aortic artery
Abd
abdomen
Amb
ambulate
ETOH
alcohol
PVD
peripheral vascular disease
ASHD
atherosclerotic heart diease
Bid
twice a day
BKA
below the knee amputation
BP
blood pressure
BPM
beats per minute
C (with a line over it) with
S (with a line over it) without
P (with a line over it) after
CABG
coronary artery bypass graft
CT/CAT
computerized (axial) tomography
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging
CN
cranial nerves
c/o
complains of
cxr
chest x ray
d/c
discharge or discontinue
Dx
diagnosis
DJD
degenerative joint diease
DNR
do not resuscitate
HCP
health care proxy
DVT
deep vein thrombosis
EMG
electromyography
ENT
ears, nose, throat/ otolaryngologist
f/u
follow up
fx
fracture (functional)
GI
gastrointestinal
UGI
Upper GI
GSW
gunshot wound
Hx or h/o
history of
HOB
head of bed
HR
heart rate
IV
intravenous
TPN
total parental nutrition
LLL/LML/LUL
left lower lobe/ left middle lobe/ left upper lobe
RLL/RML/RUL
right lower lobe/right middle lobe/right upper lobe
LOC
loss of consciousness
MRSA
methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (requires contact
precautions)
C-diff
clostridium difficile
VRE
vancomycin resistant enterococcus
MVA/MVC
motor vehicle accident/crash
NPO
no food by mouth
PO
food by mouth
OOB
out of bed
C-PAP
continuous positive airway pressure (often used for snorers—only
proven treatment to improve velopharyngeal sufficiency)
PMH
past medical history
PRN
as needed
ROM
range of motion
Rx
treatment
SAR
subacute rehab
SNF
skilled nursing facility
LTC
long term care
MRU
medical rehab unit
SOB
short of breath
STAT
immediately
TB
tuberculosis (negative pressure room/airborne precautions)
TMJ
tempomandibular joint disorder
UTI
urinary tract infection (confusion, dehydration, unresponsiveness)
WF/WM
white female, white male
AAF/AAM
African American female, African American male
w/u
work up
y/o
years old
MBS
Modified Barium Swallow*
MBSS
Modified Barium Swallow Study*
VFG
Videofluorographic Swallow Study*
VFSS
Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study*

These are all the same thing (AKA: Cookie Swallow, Video Function Test,
Marshmallow Swallow)
BS/Ba Swallow
Barium Swallow (NOT an MBS)
Yankauer
suction tip at end of suction tubing to clear saliva or bolus from
mouth
Laryngeal penetration
bolus remains above level of true vocal folds
Aspiration
bolus has entered below level of True Vocal Folds
Prandial aspiration
aspiration from bolus (food)
Non-prandial aspiration
aspiration of digesta from stromach or from oral secretions
(at risk even when NPO and on feeding tube)
Candidasis
yeast infection