Medical Abbreviations

• they represent shortened forms of words

• they are an efficient way of communicating quickly and concisely with other healthcare workers

• healthcare workers use abbreviations to convey information about their patients

• they help save time and space on medical documents

Examples of medical Abbreviations

• C/o: Complains of

  • Symptoms: Patient complains in the patient’s words and expressions.

    • usually, the patient is complaining of pain, fever, bleeding, swelling, difficulty to do usual acts, abnormal features…

    • usually said in non-medical terms

  • Signs: what doctors see and find and usually written in medical terms

• Temp: Temperature

  • Normal Temperature around 37°C

  • A high temperature is called a fever

• P: Pulse

  • Pulse is counting the heart rate (HR) and looking for its regularity

  • Normal around 72/min, regular

  • Increased HR is called Tachycardia

  • Slow HR is called Bradycardia

• BP: Blood Pressure

  • Normal - around 120/80

  • Increased BP (120/110) is called Hypertension HTN

  • Decreased BP (70/50) is called Hypotension

  • Severe hypotension (50/30) is called Shock

Abbreviations of Disease Names

• AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

• CHF: Congestive Heart Failure

• DVT: Deep Venous Thrombosis

• DM: Diabetes Mellitus

• RF: Renal Failure

• TB: Tuberculosis

Abbreviations of Pathogens

• HAV: Hepatitis A Virus

• HBV: Hepatitis B Virus

• HCV: Hepatitis C Virus

• HDV: Hepatitis D Virus

• HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Abbreviations for Laboratory Investigations

• CBC: Complete Blood Count (CBP)

• Hb: Hemoglobin

• WBC: White Blood cell

• RBC: Red Blood Corpuscles

• ESR: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate

• BT: Bleeding Time

• CT: Clotting Time

• PT: Prothrombin Time

• C&S: Culture and Sensitivity

• GTT: Glucose Tolerance Test (Curve)

Abbreviations for Medical Imaging

• CT: Computed Tomography

• MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging

• ECG: Electrocardiogram

• EEG: Electroencephalogram

• EMG: Electromyogram

• CXR: Chest X-Ray

Abbreviations for Drug usage

• q.i.d. : 4 times a day

• t.i.d. : 3 times a day

• b.i.d. : twice a day

• IM: Intramuscular

• IV: Intravenous, Intravenously

Abbreviations for Hospital Rooms

• ER: Emergency Room

• ICU: Intensive Care Unit

• NICU: Neonates Intensive Care Unit

• IDU: Intensive Diseases Unit

• OR: Operation Room (Theater)

Abbreviations for Medical Process

• ALS: Advanced Life Supporter

• CPR: Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation

• Post-op: Postoperative (after surgery)

• Pre-op: Preoperative (before surgery)

Other common abbreviations

• Wt: Weight

• ~ : approximately

• % : percent

• # : pound or number

• ✓ : check or checked

• ↑ : increase or increasing

• ↓ : decrease or decreasing

• → : to the right

• ← : to the left

• △ : change or changed

• ° : degree

• ♂ : male

• ♀ : female

• cc: cubic centimeter (same as ml)