With the increasing list of large and sometimes difficult to pronounce medical terms being used in global healthcare today, it’s easy to understand the need for medical abbreviations. Medical abbreviations are a great choice for anyone in a hurry that works in or is studying the medical field. If you work as a healthcare professional already, you’re likely used to using medical abbreviations with prescriptions, and with pre-op and post-op care instructions daily to boost efficiency.
List of Common Medical Abbreviations
| AKA | Above Knee Amputation |
|---|---|
| a.c. | before meals |
| A.Fib. | Arterial Fibrillation |
| A/P | Anterior - Posterior |
| b.i.d. | twice a day |
| bm | bowel movement |
| BM | bone marrow |
| BP | blood pressure |
| bx | biopsy |
| d | day |
| d/c | discontinue |
| DNR | do not resuscitate |
| DOA | dead on arrival |
| dx | diagnosis |
| EKG | electrocardiogram |
| ENT | ear, nose, throat |
| ER | emergency room |
| ext | external, exterior |
| FH | family history |
| fib | fibrillation |
| f/u | follow up |
| Fx | fracture |
| ICU | intensive care unit |
| K | potassium |
| L2, L3 | second, third vertebrae |
| lab | laboratory |
| liq. | liquid |
| LOS | length of stay |
| LPN | licensed practical nurse |
| Lx | larynx |
| MD | muscular dystrophy |
| med. | medicine |
| MG | myasthenia gravis |
| mod | moderate |
| Na | sodium |
| NAD | no apparent distress |
| NIC | neonatal intensive care |
| NKA | no known allergies |
| NPO | nothing by mouth |
| NVD | nausea, vomiting, diarrhea |
| O | oral |
| OB/GYN | Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Op. | operation |
| OTC | over the counter |
| OT | occupational therapy |
| OR | operating room |
| PA | physician's assistant |
| Path | pathology |
| p.c. | after meals |
| pdr. | powder |
| PE | physical exam |
| PH | past history |
| PA view | posterior-anterior view on x-ray |
| PI | present illness |
| plts. | platelets |
| P.M. | afternoon |
| PMH | past medical history |
| PN | poorly nourished |
| p.o. | by mouth |
| POSTOP. | post-operative |
| p.r.m. | according to circumstances |
| Px | physical examination |
| q | every |
| q.h. | every hour |
| q.i.d. | four times a day |
| RA | rheumatoid arthritis |
| r.a.m. | rapid alternating movements |
| RCA | right coronary artery |
| reg. | regular |
| RN | registered nurse |
| ROM | range of motion |
| RT | radiation therapy |
| Rx | therapy, prescription |
| s | without |
| Sa. | saline |
| SCU | special care unit |
| SIDS | sudden infant death syndrome |
| SL | under the tongue |
| SOB | shortness of breath |
| sp. cd. | spinal cord |
| spec. | specimen |
| stat., STAT | immediately |
| STD | sexually transmitted disease |
| sup. | superior |
| Sx | symptoms |
| T | temperature |
| T&A | tonsils and adenoids |
| tab. | tablet |
| TB | tuberculosis |
| tbsp. | tablespoon |
| THR | total hip replacement |
| tsp. | teaspoon |
| Tx | treatment |
| TIA | transient ischemic attack |
| tr | trace |
| U/A | urinalysis |
| UCD | usual childhood diseases |
If you have any medical conditions or commonly work with persons with conditions which require constant medical attention such as Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Kidney failure, it’s a good idea to get comfortable with this list of common medical abbreviations. This list is great for anyone who reads or write prescriptions and interacts in a medical setting with doctors, patients and nurses.
At StickyJ Medical ID, we value the medical community and appreciate references just like the one we’ve created in this article. We ask that you please review, share and save this guide as a quick reference. This is merely the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to medical terminology and abbreviations.
To learn more about StickyJ Medical ID – please feel free to read through some of our past articles and visit our online website to view our full collection of medical alert jewelry for women, men and children to assist with safety for persons with Diabetes, Epilepsy, Lymphedema, Asthma, Autism and more!
