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| {| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" | {| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" | ||
| | style="width: 6em;" | q || each, every, {''from ], quaque''} | | style="width: 6em;" | q || each, every, {''from ], quaque''} | ||
| |- | |||
| | q.a.d.|| every other day, (''from ], quaque altera die'') | |||
| |- | |||
| ⚫ | | QALY || ] | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | q.AM || every AM, (''from ], quaque ante meridiem'') | | q.AM || every AM, (''from ], quaque ante meridiem'') | ||
| Line 1,483: | Line 1,487: | ||
| | q.i.d.|| four times each day, {''from ], quater in die''} | | q.i.d.|| four times each day, {''from ], quater in die''} | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | q. |
| q.m.t.|| every month | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | q.w.k.|| weekly | |||
| ⚫ | | QALY || ] | ||
| |- | |||
| | q.o.d || every other day | |||
| |} | |} | ||
Revision as of 12:50, 26 July 2007
This is a list of medical acronyms and abbreviations.
The US-based Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) requires its members to follow a "do not use list":
| Do Not Use | Potential Problem | Use Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Official "Do Not Use" List: | ||
| U (unit) | Mistaken for “0” (zero), the number “4” (four) or “cc” | "unit" |
| IU (International Unit) | Mistaken for IV (intravenous) or the number 10 (ten) | "International Unit" |
| Q.D., QD, q.d., qd (daily) Q.O.D., QOD, q.o.d, qod (every other day) |
Mistaken for each other. Period after the Q mistaken for "I" and the "O" mistaken for "I" (q.i.d. is four times a day dosing) |
"daily" "every other day" |
| Trailing zero (X.0 mg) Lack of leading zero (.X mg) |
Decimal point is missed | X mg 0.X mg |
| MS | Can mean morphine sulfate or magnesium sulfate | "morphine sulfate" |
| MSO4 and MgSO4 | Confused for one another | "magnesium sulfate" |
| For possible future inclusion in the Official List: | ||
| > (greater than) < (less than) |
Misinterpreted as the number "7" (seven) or the letter "L". Confused for one another |
"greater than" "less than" |
| Abbreviations for drug names | Misinterpreted due to similar abbreviations for multiple drugs | Write drug names in full |
| Apothecary units | Unfamiliar to many practitioners. Confused with metric units | metric units |
| @ | Mistaken for the number "2" (two) | "at" |
| cc | Mistaken for U (units) when poorly written | "mL" or "milliliters" |
| µg | Mistaken for mg (milligrams) resulting in one thousandfold overdose | "mcg" or "micrograms" |
0–9
| Abbrv. | Meaning |
| Δ | Diagnosis; Also can mean "change" |
| ΔΔ | Differential diagnosis, i.e. the list of possible diagnoses |
| # | Fracture |
| #NOF | Fracture to the neck of the femur |
| Ψ | Psychiatry |
| Σ | Sigmoidoscopy |
| x/12 | x number of months |
| x/40 | x number of weeks of pregnancy |
| x/52 | x number of weeks |
| x/7 | x number of days |
| 5-HT | Serotonin, 5-Hydroxytryptamine |
A
B
C
D
| DA | Dopamine |
| DBP | Diastolic blood pressure |
| D&C | Dilatation and curettage |
| DCBE | Double Contrast Barium Enema |
| DCM | Dilated cardiomyopathy |
| DDD | Daily Defined Doses |
| DDx | Differential diagnosis |
| DEXA | Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry |
| DHE | Dihydoergotamine |
| DHEA-S | Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate |
| DIB | Dead in Bed |
| DIC | Disseminated intravascular coagulation |
| DIP | Distal interphalangeal joint |
| DiPerTe | Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus |
| DiTe | Diphtheria Tetanus |
| DJD | Degenerative Joint Disease |
| DKA | Diabetic Keto-Acidosis |
| DPT | Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus |
| DM | Diabetes Mellitus |
| DNA | Deoxyribonucleic acid |
| DNI | Do Not Intubate |
| DNR | Do Not Resuscitate |
| DNAR | Do Not Attempt Resusciatation |
| DOA | Dead on arrival |
| DOB | Date of birth |
| DOE | Dyspnea on exertion |
| DOSS | Docusate sodium; from the chemical name dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate |
| DT | Diphtheria Tetanus |
| DTP | Diphtheria Tetanus Pertussis |
| DUB | Dysfunctional uterine bleeding |
| DVT | Deep vein thrombosis |
| Dx | Diagnosis |
E
| E | Erythrocytes |
| E | Electrolytes |
| EACA | Epsilon-aminocaproic acid |
| EBM | Evidence-based medicine |
| EBM | Expressed Breast Milk |
| EBV | Epstein-Barr virus |
| EC | Enterically Coated |
| ECG | Electrocardiogram |
| ECMO | Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation |
| ED | Emergency department |
| ED | Erectile Dysfunction |
| ED | Ectodermal dysplasia |
| EDC | Estimated Date of Confinement (at 40/40 weeks of pregnancy) |
| EDD | Estimated Date of Delivery (at 40/40 weeks of pregnancy) |
| EDD | Estimated date of discharge |
| EDRF | Endothelium-derived relaxing factor aka Nitric oxide |
| EEG | Electroencephalogram |
| EF | Ejection Fraction |
| EGF | Epidermal Growth Factor |
| EKG | Electrocardiogram |
| ELLSCS | Elective Lower Segment Caesarian Section |
| ELISA | Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay |
| EMC | Encephalomyocarditis |
| EMD | Early Morning Discovery |
| EMD | ElectroMechanical Dissociation |
| EMF | Endomyocardial fibrosis |
| EMG | Electromyography |
| EMLSCS | Emergency Lower Segment Caesarian Section |
| EMU | Early Morning Urine sample (being the most concentrated generally used for pregnancy testing) |
| ENT | Ear Nose and Throat. (Otolaryngology) |
| EENT | eyes, ears, nose, throat |
| EOM | Extra ocular muscles |
| EOMI | Extra ocular movements intact |
| EPH | Edema Proteinuria Hypertension |
| EPO | Erythropoietin |
| ERCP | Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography |
| ESL | Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (also ESWL) - see lithotriptor |
| ESBL | Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase gram negative bacteria |
| ESR | Erythrocyte sedimentation rate |
| ESRD | End-stage renal disease |
| ESWL | Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (also ESL) - see lithotriptor |
| ET | Endothelin |
| ETT | Endotracheal tube |
| ETOH | ethanol or ethyl alcohol |
| EUS | Endoscopic Ultrasonography |
F
| FBC | Full blood count |
| FBE | Full blood exam |
| FBG | Fasting blood glucose |
| F/C | Fevers or Chills |
| FDIU | Foetal Demise In Utero |
| FDP | Fibrinogen Degradation Products |
| FEV1 | Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second |
| Fe | Iron |
| FF | Free Fluids (non-thickened fluids) |
| FFA | Free fatty acids |
| FFP | Fresh frozen plasma |
| FHR | Fetal heart rate |
| FHT | Fetal heart tones |
| FHx | Family History |
| FIBD | Found in Bed Dead |
| FLK | Funny Looking Kid (suggesting an unspecified syndrome, should now be termed "dysmorphic features") |
| FNA | Fine Needle Aspirate |
| FNC | Full nursing care |
| FOF | Found on Floor (Patient fell out of bed) |
| FOS | Full of Stool |
| FPG | Fasting plasma glucose |
| FSE | Fetal Scalp Electrode |
| FSH | Follicle stimulating hormone |
| FTA-ABS | Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorption |
| FTA | Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody |
| FUBAR | F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition, originally used to refer to corpses after horrendous (typically battlefield) trauma, but "FUBAR" is now sometimes used to describe very ill patients with little hope of recovery, including those that have not necessarily suffered trauma. Not very politically correct! |
| FVC | Forced Vital Capacity (Spirometry test value used in assessment of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) |
| FWB | Full weight bearing |
| FWD | Full ward diet |
| Fx | Fracture of a bone |
G
| G | Gravida (total number of pregnancies, successful or not) |
| G6PD | Glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase |
| GA | General anaesthesia |
| GABA | gamma-aminobutyric acid |
| GCA | Giant cell arteritis |
| GCS | Glasgow Coma Scale |
| GDLH | Glutamate dehydrogenase |
| GERD | Gastroesophageal reflux disease |
| GFR | Glomerular filtration rate |
| GGTP | Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase |
| GH | Growth hormone |
| GHRF | Growth hormone releasing factor |
| GITS | Gastrointestinal therapeutic system |
| GIFT | Gamete intrafallopian transfer |
| GOA | Gone on Arrival (i.e., DOA) |
| GOMER | Get Outta My E.R. i.e. patient who frequently presents at the ER near death but manages to pull through each and every time. |
| GOK | God only knows |
| GORD | Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease |
| GOT | glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase |
| GPT | glutamic-pyruvic transaminase |
| GSW | gunshot wound see HVLT |
| GTN | Glyceryl trinitrate |
| GU | Genitourinary |
| GUM | Genitourinary medicine (often used more restrictively as alternative to sexually transmitted disease clinic) |
| GvH | Graft-versus-host |
| GvHD | Graft-versus-host disease |
H
I
J
| JMS | "Junior Medical Student" AKA "MS-3" Also see "TOBASH" |
| JVD | Jugular vein distension |
K
| K | Potassium (in German, Kalium) |
| Kcal | Kilocalorie, Calorie |
| kg | Kilogram |
| KIV | Keep in view |
| KUB | kidney, ureter, bladder (x-ray) |
L
M
N
O
| O2 | Oxygen |
| OA | osteoarthritis |
| OB-GYN | Obstetrics and gynecology |
| OCD | Obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| OD | right eye from Latin, oculus dexter |
| OD | overdose |
| od | every day, usually regarded as once daily, from the Latin, omni die. Generally written in lower case. |
| O/E | on examination |
| OGTT | Oral glucose tolerance test |
| om | every morning, from the Latin, omni mane. Generally written in lower case. |
| on | every night, from the Latin, omni nocte. Generally written in lower case. |
| OP | outpatient department |
| OPPT | Oriented to Person Place and Time |
| OS | left eye from Latin, oculus sinister |
| OS | Orthopedic surgery |
| OSA | Obstructive Sleep Apnea |
| OSH | outside hospital |
| OTC | Over-the-counter drug |
| OTD | Out the Door (discharged) |
| OTPP | Oriented to Time Place and Person |
| OU | Both eyes, from Latin, oculi uterque |
P
Q
| q | each, every, {from Latin, quaque} |
| q.a.d. | every other day, (from Latin, quaque altera die) |
| QALY | Quality-adjusted life years |
| q.AM | every AM, (from Latin, quaque ante meridiem) |
| q.d. | each day, {from Latin, quaque die} |
| q.d.s. | four times each day, {from Latin, quater die sumendus} |
| q.h. | each hour, {from Latin, quaque hora} |
| q.h.s. | every bedtime, {from Latin, quaque hora somni} |
| q.i.d. | four times each day, {from Latin, quater in die} |
| q.m.t. | every month |
| q.w.k. | weekly |
| q.o.d | every other day |
R
| RA | Refractory anaemia |
| RA | Rheumatoid arthritis |
| RAI | Radioactive Iodine |
| RAPD | Relative afferent pupillary defect |
| RBBB | Right bundle branch block |
| RBC | Red blood cells |
| RCA | Right coronary artery |
| RCT | Randomized controlled trial |
| REM | Rapid eye movement |
| RF | Rheumatoid factor |
| RFLP | Restriction fragment length polymorphism |
| RFT | Renal function test |
| Rh | Rhesus factor |
| RhF | Rheumatoid factor |
| RIA | Radioimmune assay |
| RIBA | Radioimmunoblotting assay |
| RIMA | Reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A |
| RIND | Reversible ischemic neurologic deficit |
| RLQ | Right lower quadrant |
| RNA | Ribonucleic acid |
| RNV | Radionuclear Ventriculography |
| ROM | Range of motion |
| RR | Respiratory rate |
| ROS | Review of systems |
| RUQ | Right upper quadrant |
| RPR | Rapid Plasma Reagin test |
| RSV | Respiratory Syncytial Virus |
| RV | Residual volume |
| RV | Right ventricle |
| RVF | Right ventricular failure |
| RVSP | Right ventricular systolic pressure |
| Rx | medical prescription or Prescription drug |
S
T
U
| UBT | Urea Breath Test | |
| U & E | urea and electrolytes (sodium and potassium) blood test, often including | creatinine |
| UC | Ulcerative colitis | |
| UD | As Directed, from Latin, Ut Dictum | |
| URI | Upper Respiratory Infection | |
| URTI | Upper Respiratory Tract Infection | |
| US | Ultrasound | |
| USG | Ultrasonography | |
| USR | Unheated Serum Reagin | |
| USS | Ultrasound scan | |
| UTI | Urinary Tract Infection | |
| UVAL | Ultraviolet Argon Laser |
V
| VA | visual acuity |
| VAD | vincristine adriblastine dexamethasone |
| VAMP | vincristine adriblastine methylprednisone |
| V-BAC | Vaginal Birth After Caesarian |
| VC | Vital capacity |
| vCJD | Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease |
| VD | Vaginal Delivery |
| VDRL | Venereal Diseases Research Laboratory (old test for syphilis} |
| VE | vaginal examination (manual examination) |
| VEB | Ventricular ectopic beat |
| VRE | Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci |
| VF | Ventricular fibrillation |
| VIP | Vasoactive intestinal peptide |
| VLDL | Very low density lipoprotein |
| VMA | Vanillylmandelic acid |
| VOD | Volume of distribution |
| VPA | Valproic acid |
| VSD | Ventricular septal defect |
| VT | Ventricular tachycardia |
W
| WAT | White adipose tissue |
| WBC | White blood cells |
| WDWN | Well developed, well Nourished |
| WNL | Within Normal Limits (Also: We Never Looked) |
| WPW | Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome |
| WWI | Walking While Intoxicated |
X
| x | times/for |
Y
| YOYO | "You're on your own" |
Z
| ZIFT | Zygote intrafallopian transfer |
Latin abbreviations
Some of the following list are considered non-standardized abbreviations because their meanings could be easily misunderstood.
| Abbrev. | Meaning | Latin origin |
| a.c. | Before food | ante cibum |
| a.d. | Right ear | auris dexter |
| ad. | Freely as wanted | ad libitum |
| a.l. | Left ear | aurix laevus |
| alt. die | Every other day | alternus die |
| alt. h. | Every other hour | alternus horis |
| a.m. | Morning | ante meridiem |
| a.n. | Before the night | ante noctum |
| aq. | Water | aqua |
| a.s. | Left ear | auris sinister |
| a.u. | Each ear | auris utro |
| aurist. | Ear drops | auristillae |
| b.d. or bd | Twice a day | bis die |
| b.i.d. or bid | Twice a day | bis in die |
| gtt. | Drop | gutta |
| h. | Hour | hora |
| h.s. | At bedtime | hora somni |
| i.d. | during the day | |
| i.d. | the same | idem |
| I.D. | Infectious Disease | |
| i.d. | intradermal, between layers of the skin | |
| mane | In the morning | mane |
| narist. | Nasal drops | naristillae |
| Nocte | At night | nocte |
| o.c. | Eye ointment | oculentum |
| o.d. or od | Daily | omni die |
| o.d. | Right eye | oculus dexter |
| o.l. | Left eye | oculus laevus |
| o.m. | In the morning | omni mane |
| o.n. | At night | omni nocte |
| o.s. | Left eye | oculus sinister |
| o.u. | Each eye | oculus utro |
| p.c. | After food | post cibum |
| p.m. | Afternoon | post meridiem |
| p.o. or po | Orally | per os |
| p.r. | Rectally | per rectum |
| p.r.n. | As occasion requires (as needed) | pro re nata |
| p.v. | Vaginally | per vaginum |
| q. | every | quaque |
| q.2.h. | Every two hours | quaque 2 hora |
| q.4.h. | Every four hours | quaque 4 hora |
| q.6.h. | Every six hours | quaque 6 hora |
| q.8.h. | Every eight hours | quaque 8 hora |
| q.d. or qd | Every day | quaque die |
| q.d.s. | Four times a day | quater die sumendus |
| q.h. | Every hour, hourly | quaque hora |
| q.i.d. or qid | Four times a day | quater in die |
| q.q.h. | Every four hours | quarta quaque hora |
| q.s. | A sufficient quantity | quantum sufficiat |
| s.i.d. or sid | Once a day | semel in die |
| Sig. or S. | Write on the label | signa |
| SL. | Sublingual, under the tongue | sub linguam |
| Stat. | Immediately, with no delay | statim |
| t.d.s. | Three times a day | ter die sumendus |
| t.i.d. or tid | Three times a day | ter in die |
| top. | Topically, applied to the skin | |
| ut dict. or u.d. | As directed | ut dictum |
| ung. | Ointment | unguentum |
See also
- Acronym
- List of abbreviations for medical organisations and personnel
- Medical Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms
- Medical dictionary