Health Services 2016
Medical Abbreviations and Symbols List
α(line above) before
ABO/TAO antibiotic ointment
ac before meals
abd abdomen
ADD attention deficit disorder
ADHD attention deficit hyperactive disorder
ADL activities of daily living
ad lib as desired
AED automated external defibrillator
appt appointment
ARD admission Review Dismissal
AROM active range of motion
ASAP as soon as possible
A&O alert and oriented
BG blood glucose
BID bid twice in the day
BM bowel movement
BP blood pressure
BR bath room
BS blood sugar
bil/B(circled) bilateral
c (line above) with
c/o complaints of
caps capsule
cath catheter (a tube used to drain out body
fluid)
CDC Center for Disease Control
CDI Clean Dry & Intact
CHF congestive heart failure
cm centimeter
cont. continued
COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CO2 carbon dioxide
CP cerebral palsy
CPR cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CXR chest x-ray
/d per day
dc discontinue
DM diabetes mellitus (diabetes)
DOB date of birth
DTP,DTaP, Tdap diphtheria tetanus and Pertusis
Dx diagnosis
ECH Early Child Hood
ECI Early Child Intervention
ED emotionally disturbed
e.g. for example
ENT ears, nose, throat
ER emergency room
eval evaluation
ft foot
F/U FU follow up
Fx,fx fracture
G tube gastric tube (a tube in the stomach)
GERD gastroesophageal reflux disease
GU genitourinary
gtts drops
gyn gynecology
H2O water
H202 hydrogen peroxide
HHN hand held nebulizer
hosp hospital
hr hour
HS, hs hour of sleep, or at bedtime
ht height
Hx hx history
I & O intake and output
IHP Individual Health Care Plan
IM intramuscular
INH Inhaler
inj injection
IPV inactivated polio vaccine
IV intravenous
L, lft left
L1, L2, L3 refers to the lumbar section of the spine
lab laboratory
lb pound
LLQ left lower quadrant
LMP last menstrual period
LRQ lower right quadrant
LUQ left upper quadrant
LVN licensed vocational nurse
MD medical doctor
med medication
min minute
mg milligram
mm millimeter
MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella
mod moderate
MS Multiple Sclerosis
N/A not applicable
neg negative
N/C no complaints
NG, NGT nasogastric (tube)
NIDDM non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
NIP no information patient
norm normal
NPO nothing by mouth
NSAID nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
N/V nausea, vomiting
N/V/D nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
NWB non weight bearing
OHI other health impaired
OOB out of bed
OPV oral polio vaccine
ortho orthopedic
OTC over the counter
