Slang And Jargon

Front 1

a-fib, A-fib, or AFib

Back 1

Atrial fibrillation (a severe cardiac arrhythmia

Front 2

alk phos

Back 2

Alkaline phosphatase (a lab value for a chemical in the blood).

Front 3

appy

Back 3

Appendectomy or appendicitis

Front 4

bicarb

Back 4

Bicarbonate (one of the electrolytes, with sodium, potassium, and chloride).

Front 5

bili

Back 5

Bilirubin (a lab value for liver function testing).

Front 6

CBC with diff

Back 6

CBC (complete blood count) with differential (the percentages of different types of white cells in the blood).

Front 7

caps

Back 7

Capsules (a form of medications).

Front 8

cath

Back 8

Catheter or catheterization (a tube or the placement of tubes in the body).

Front 9

chemo

Back 9

Chemotherapy (treatment with chemical compounds, usually referring to cancer regimens).

Front 10

chole

Back 10

cholecystectomy (excision of the gallbladder)

Front 11

crit

Back 11

Hematocrit (test for packed red cells in the blood).

Front 12

DC

Back 12

Discontinue or discharge, past tense DC'd, sometimes dc/dc'd (acceptable in a clinic or nurse's note but not in a formal document).

Front 13

detox

Back 13

Detoxification

Front 14

dig

Back 14

Digoxin or digitalis

Front 15

dip sesta

Back 15

Dipyridamole sestamibi (a nuclear x-ray exam).

Front 16

double J stent

Back 16

JJ stent (a surgical device for keeping tubes in place).

Front 17

echo

Back 17

Echocardiogram (recording of heart function by analyzing sound waves).

Front 18

eos

Back 18

Eosinophils (white blood cells that are part of the CBC with differential).

Front 19

exam

Back 19

Examination (evaluation, as in physical examination or Mental Status Examination).

Front 20

flex sig

Back 20

Flexible sigmoidoscopy (inspection of the sigmoid, the S-shaped lower portion of the colon, with a flexible endoscopic instrument).

Front 21

Foley

Back 21

Foley catheter (a catheter commonly used during surgical procedures for draining urine from the bladder).

Front 22

HCTZ

Back 22

Hydrochlorothiazide (a medication for the control of hypertension and edema).

Front 23

hem/onc

Back 23

Hematology/oncology (the medical specialty that deals with cancer and blood problems).

Front 24

hep C (A, B)

Back 24

Hepatitis C (A, B)

Front 25

K

Back 25

Potassium (the chemical symbol for the element potassium. This is an acceptable usage.)

Front 26

KCl

Back 26

Potassium chloride (the chemical formula for potassium chloride)

Front 27

lac

Back 27

Laceration (a cut produced by trauma).

Front 28

lymphs

Back 28

Lymphocytes (another type of white blood cell included in the CBC with differential).

Front 29

lytes

Back 29

Electrolytes (usually sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate; they are blood chemistries evaluated in laboratory studies).

Front 30

mag

Back 30

Magnesium (a chemical in the blood, also a medication given for some medical conditions, such as alcohol overdose).

Front 31

perf

Back 31

Perforation

Front 32

preop

Back 32

Preoperative (before an operation).

Front 33

postop

Back 33

Postoperative

Front 34

prepped

Back 34

Prepared

Front 35

psych

Back 35

Psychiatry, psychology

Front 36

pulse ox

Back 36

Pulse oximetry

Front 37

regurg

Back 37

Regurgitation

Front 38

rehab

Back 38

Rehabilitation

Front 39

sat

Back 39

Saturation

Front 40

sed rate

Back 40

Sedimentation rate

Front 41

segs

Back 41

Segmented neutrophils

Front 42

t. bili

Back 42

Total bilirubin

Front 43

tabs

Back 43

Tablets

Front 44

triple A

Back 44

Abdominal aortic aneurysm

Front 45

V-tach

Back 45

Ventricular tachycardia (an increased ventricular heart rate).

Front 46

voc rehab

Back 46

Vocational rehabilitation