Appendix M – Medical Abbreviations And Symbols List Part 1

Front 1

a

Back 1

before

Front 2

ac

Back 2

before meals

Front 3

abd

Back 3

abdomen

Front 4

AD

Back 4

Alzheimer’s disease; right ear

Front 5

ADL

Back 5

activities of daily living

Front 6

ad lib

Back 6

as desired

Front 7

amb

Back 7

ambulation (walk)

Front 8

ama, AMA

Back 8

against medical advice, American Medical Assoc.

Front 9

AMI

Back 9

acute myocardial infarction

Front 10

ANS

Back 10

autonomic nervous system

Front 11

appt

Back 11

appointment

Front 12

ARDS

Back 12

adult respiratory distress

Front 13

AROM

Back 13

active range of motion

Front 14

AS

Back 14

left ear; aortic stenosis

Front 15

AVR

Back 15

aortic valve replacement

Front 16

AV

Back 16

atrioventricular (heart)

Front 17

ASAP

Back 17

as soon as possible

Front 18

ASHD

Back 18

arterisosclerotic heart disease

Front 19

BID, bid

Back 19

twice in the day

Front 20

BM

Back 20

bowel movement

Front 21

BP

Back 21

blood pressure

Front 22

BPH

Back 22

benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate gland)

Front 23

BR or br

Back 23

bath room

Front 24

BSC

Back 24

bed side commode, a “portable potty chair”

Front 25

BUN

Back 25

blood urea nitrogen (a lab test)

Front 26

Bx or BX

Back 26

biopsy

Front 27

c

Back 27

with

Front 28

c/o

Back 28

complaints of

Front 29

C1 , C2

Back 29

refers to cervical vertebra #1, #2, a location in the spine

Front 30

Ca, CA

Back 30

cancer

Front 31

caps

Back 31

capsule with medication in it

Front 32

CAD

Back 32

coronary artery disease (heart disease)

Front 33

CAT or CT scan

Back 33

computerized axial tomography ( CAT scan of the body)

Front 34

cath

Back 34

catheter (a tube used to drain out body fluid)

Front 35

CABG

Back 35

coronary arterial bypass graft

Front 36

CBC

Back 36

complete blood count ( a blood test)

Front 37

CC

Back 37

chief complaint; cardiac catheterization

Front 38

CCU

Back 38

coronary care unit

Front 39

CHD

Back 39

coronary heart disease

Front 40

CHF

Back 40

congestive heart failure

Front 41

cont.

Back 41

continued

Front 42

CO2

Back 42

carbon dioxide

Front 43

CPR

Back 43

cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Front 44

CXR

Back 44

chest xray

Front 45

CRF

Back 45

chronic renal failure (kidney failure)

Front 46

cysto

Back 46

cystoscopy

Front 47

/d

Back 47

per day

Front 48

DC or D/C

Back 48

discharge

Front 49

dc

Back 49

discontinue

Front 50

decub

Back 50

decubitus ulcer (pressure sore, bedsore)

Front 51

DJD

Back 51

degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis)

Front 52

DOA

Back 52

date of admission; dead on arrival

Front 53

DOB

Back 53

date of birth

Front 54

drsg

Back 54

dressing

Front 55

DSD

Back 55

dry sterile dressing

Front 56

DT, DTs

Back 56

delirium tremens (“the shakes” from alcohol withdrawal)

Front 57

e.g.

Back 57

example

Front 58

ERT

Back 58

estrogen replacement therapy

Front 59

est, EST

Back 59

estimate; electroshock therapy

Front 60

ETOH

Back 60

ethanol (alcohol)

Front 61

FBS

Back 61

fasting blood sugar (a lab test)

Front 62

FUO

Back 62

fever of unknown origin

Front 63

G tube

Back 63

gastric tube (a tube in the stomach)

Front 64

GB

Back 64

gall bladder

Front 65

GBS

Back 65

gall bladder series (a type of xray of the gut)