A-Z list of common medical abbreviations
What are commonly used medical abbreviations?
Here is a list of commonly used medical abbreviations (and acronyms) for people working in healthcare.
1min, 2h, 3/7, 4/52, 5/12, 6yr – 1 minute, 2 hours, 3 days, 4 weeks, 5 months, 6 years
111 – NHS111 – NHS helpline and website, especially when you need care today
999 – emergency care line (and way of requesting an ambulance)
1948 – when the NHS started – part of the dream of a compassionate post-war welfare state
# – broken bone (fracture)
A
AAA – abdominal aortic aneurysm
A&E – accident and emergency
ABG – arterial blood gas
ABO – blood types
ACE – angiotensin converting enzyme
ACS – acute coronary syndrome
ACP – advanced clinical practitioner (like PA)
ACR/PCR – albumin-protein/creatinine ratio
ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
ADL – activity of daily living
AE – adverse event
AF – atrial fibrillation
AFB – acid-fast bacilli (for TB)
AIDS – acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
alk phos – alkaline phosphatase
ALT/AST – alanine/aspartate transferase
AKA – above-knee amputation
AKI – acute kidney injury
AMHP – approved mental health professional
angio – angiogram/plasty +/ stent
ANP – advanced nurse practitioner (like CNS)
APD – automated peritoneal dialysis
APA/APS – anti-phospholipid antibody/syndrome
ARDS – acute respiratory distress syndrome
APTT – activated partial thromboplastin time (a measure of how long it takes your blood to clot)
ARB – angiotensin receptor blocker
ATN/D – acute tubular necrosis/damage
AVM – arteriovenous malformation
AVN – avascular necrosis (e.g. of femoral head)
AXR – abdominal x-ray
B
BC – blood culture
BCG – Bacille Calmette Guerin
BD – 2 times a day
bili – bilirubin
BKA – below-knee amputation
BMI – body mass index
BMT – bone marrow transplant
BNO – bowels not open
BNP – B-type natriuretic peptide
BO – bowels open
Bone – bone biochemistry
BP – blood pressure
BPH – benign prostatic hyperplasia
BSO – bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy
Bx – biopsy
C
Ca – cancer
CABG – coronary artery bypass graft
CAE – clinical adverse event
CAP/HAP – community/hospital acquired pneumonia
CAPD – continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
Cath lab – cardiac catheter laboratory
CCU – coronary care unit
C diff – clostridium difficile
CHF/CCF – chronic heart/congestive cardiac failure
Chol – cholesterol
CIN – cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
CK/CPK – creatine kinase/creatine phosphokinase
CKD – chronic kidney disease
CMHN – community mental health nurse
CMV – cytomegalovirus
CNS – central nervous system
CNS – clinical nurse specialist (like ANP)
COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
cons – consultant
CPAP – continuous positive airway pressure
CPN – community psychiatric nurse
CQC – Care Quality Commission (health and social care inspector)
Cr/Creat – creatinine
CRP – C reactive protein (similar to ESR)
CSF – cerebrospinal fluid
CSU – catheter specimen of urine
CT scan – computerised tomography scan
CTPA – CT pulmonary angiogram
CVA – cerebrovascular accident
CVP – central venous pressure
CVVHF – continuous veno-venous haemofiltration
CXR – chest x-ray
CYA – ciclosporin
D
D&C – dilatation and curettage
DIC – disseminated intravascular coagulation
dip – urinary dipstick
DHSC – Department of Health and Social Care (in UK government; also known as DoH, and ‘DH’)
DKA – diabetic ketoacidosis
DM – diabetes (DM1, DM2)
DMARD – disease-modulating antirheumatic drug
DN – district nurse
DNA – did not attend
DNA-CPR – do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation
DNAR – do not attempt resuscitation
DNR – do not resuscitate
Dr – doctor
DR – diabetic retinopathy
DRE – digital rectal examination
DTs – delirium tremens
DVT – deep vein thrombosis
Dx/DDx – diagnosis/differential diagnosis
DXT – deep x-ray therapy
E
EBV – Epstein Barr Virus
ECG – electrocardiogram
ECHO – echocardiogram
ECT – electroconvulsive therapy
ED/ER – emergency department/room
e-DS – e discharge summary
EEG – electroencephalogram
EMG – electromyography
EMSU – early morning sample urine
ENT – ear, nose and throat
EPO – erythropoeitin
ERCP – endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography
ESR – erythrocyte sedimentation rate (a type of blood test used to help diagnose conditions associated with inflammation)
ESRF/D – end-stage renal failure/disease
ETOH – alcohol
ETT – endotracheal tube
EUA – examination under anaesthetic
execs – they who should be obeyed
F
FBC – full blood count
FH – family history
FTND – full term normal delivery
FY1/FY2 – foundation year doctor 1/2 (or F1/2s = year 1 and 2; i.e. first two years after qualification)
G
G&S – group and save
GA – general anaesthetic
GCS – Glasgow Coma Scale
(e)GFR – (estimated) glomerular filtration rate
GGT – Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase
gluc – glucose
GORD – gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
GMC – General Medical Council (doctors’ regulator)
GN – glomerulonephritis
GP – general practitioner (or practice)
GTT – glucose tolerance test
GVHD – graft-versus-host disease
H
HAART – highly active antiretroviral therapy (f0r HIV/AIDS)
H/O – history of
Hb – haemoglobin
HCA – healthcare assistant
HCO3 – bicarbonate (or ‘bicarb’)
HCSW – healthcare support worker
HD – haemodialysis
HDL – high-density lipoprotein
HDU – high dependency unit
Hep A, B, C, D, E – hepatitis A, B, C, D, E
HHS – hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (previously known as HONK)
HIV – human immunodeficiency virus
House – old phrase for change of junior doctors in August, Dec, April (as in ‘the new house’)
HPC – history of present complaint
HR – heart rate (beats/minute)
HPV – human papillomavirus
HSV – herpes simplex virus
HRT – hormone replacement therapy
Ht – height
HV – health visitor
HVS – high vaginal swab
Hx – history
hyper/hypo – above or high; below or low
I
ICB – integrated care board (subregional local(ish) level of financial administration, below NHS Region; 42 in England)
IBD – inflammatory bowel disease
ICD – implantable cardioverter defibrillator
ICH – intracranial haemorrhage
ICU – intensive care unit
ICP – intracranial pressure
ID – infectious disease
IHD – ischaemic heart disease
IM – intramuscular
INR – international normalised ratio
IP – inpatient
LRTI – lower respiratory tract infection
IU – international unit
IV – intravenous
IVDU – intravenous drug use
IVI – intravenous infusion
IVU/IVP – intravenous urogram/pyelogram
Ix – investigations
J
JD – junior doctor (we need a better phrase)
JVP – jugular venous pressure
K
K – potassium
KUB – kidneys/ureters/bladder
L
LA – local anaesthetic
LDH – lactate dehydrogenase
LDL – low-density lipoprotein
LFT – liver function test
LMP – last menstrual period
LOC – level of consciousness
LOS – length of stay
LLOS – long length of stay
LP – lumbar puncture
LVH – left ventricular hypertrophy
M
Majors – part of A&E where people with major (more severe) illnesses are looked after
Max-fax – maxillofacial (oral) surgery
M,C&S – microscopy, culture and sensitivity
Med school – medical school (also to be obeyed)
meds – medicines
MB – microbiology
mcg – microgram
mg – milligram
MI – myocardial infarction
Minors – part of A&E where people with minor (less severe) illnesses are looked after
MIU – minor injury/illness unit
M&M – morbidity and mortality
mmHg – millimeters of mercury
MMR – measles-mumps-rubella (vaccine)
M/R – modified release
MRI – magnetic resonance imaging
MRSA – methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MRCP – magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography
MSE – mental state examination
MSU – mid-stream specimen of urine
N
NEB – nebulised
NEWS – national early warning score
N&V – nausea and vomiting
Na – sodium
NAD – no abnormality detected
NAI – non-accidental injury
NBM – nil by mouth
NG – nasogastric (running between your nose and stomach)
NHSE – NHS England (national level of NHS administration; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have own ‘NHSs’)
NHS Region – regional level of NHS administration (7 in England, between ICB and NHSE)
NICE – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (guidelines and cost-efficacy)
NICU – neonatal intensive care unit
Nocte – every night
NoF – neck of femur
NSAID – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
NSTEMI – non ST elevation myocardial infarction
O
O&G – obstetrics and gynaecology (‘obs and gynae’, for short)
obs – observations
OC – oral contraceptive
OD – once a day
OD – overdose
ODP – operating department practitioner
O/E – on examination
OLT – orthoptic liver transplant
Op – operation
OP – outpatient
OPD – outpatient department
OSA – obstructive sleep apnoea
OT – occupational therapist
P
PA – physician associate (like ACP)
paeds – paediatrics
PAF – paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
P/C – presenting complaint
pcg – picogram
PCR – polymerase chain reaction
PCI – percutaneous coronary intervention (e.g. for a STEMI)
PD – peritoneal dialysis
PE – pulmonary embolus
PEG – percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy
PERLA – pupils equal, reactive to light and accommodation
PET – positron emission tomography
PFT – pulmonary function test
pH – potential hydrogen
PICU – paediatric intensive care unit
PO – orally / by mouth
PPI – proton pump inhibitor
PR – rectally
preop – preoperative
PRN – as required
physio – physiotherapist
PMH – past medical history
PNS – peripheral nervous system
postop – postoperative
POP – plaster of paris
PPE – personal protective equipment
PPM – permanent pacemaker
PSA – prostate specific antigen
PSH – past surgical history
Pt – patient
PTH – parathyroid hormone
PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder
PTT – partial thromboplastin time
PU – passed urine
PU – peptic ulcer
PV – per vagina
PVD – peripheral vascular disease
Q
QDS – 4 times a day
R
RAT – rapid assessment (and) treatment (part of A&E)
RBBB/LBBB – right/left bundle branch block
RBG – random blood glucose
reg – registrar
resus – resuscitation (part of A&E where people with most severe illnesses are looked after)
RF – rheumatoid factor
Rh – rhesus factor
RHD – rheumatic heart disease
RLQ/RUQ/LLQ/LUQ – right lower/upper quadrant; left lower/upper quadrant
RN – registered nurse
RNLD – learning disability nurse
ROM – range of movement
ROSC – return of spontaneous circulation
RRT – renal replacement therapy (dialysis or renal transplant)
RTA – road traffic accident
RVD/RAS – renovascular disease/renal artery stenosis
RVH – right ventricular hypertrophy
Rx – treatment
S
SAH – sub-arachnoid haemorrhage
SARS-CoV-2 – severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19)
sats – 02 saturation
SC – subcutaneous (‘subcut’ for short)
SCBU – special care baby unit
SFL – serum free light chain
SH – social history
SHO – senior house officer (between F1/2 and registrar)
SL – sublingual
SLE – systemic lupus erythematosus (‘lupus’ for short)
SLR – straight leg raise
SOAP – subjective, objective, assessment plan (problem oriented medical record)
SOB – shortness of breath
SPE – serum electrophoresis
SR – systems review
S/R – sustained release
SSRI – selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
SLT/SALT – speech and language therapist
ST – specialty registrar
stat – immediately, with no delay, now
STD/I – sexually transmitted disease/infection
STEMI – ST elevation myocardial infarction
STM – short-term memory
strep – streptococcus
supp – suppository
SUI – serious untoward event
SVT – supraventricular tachycardia
SW – social worker
T
TAC – tacrolimus
T3 – triiodothyronine
T4 – thyroxine
TAH – total abdominal hysterectomy
TB – tuberculosis
TCI – to come in
TDS – 3 times a day
temp – temperature
TENS – transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
TFT – thyroid function test
TG – triglyceride
‘the Trust’ – i.e. hospital. Avoid this phrase. YOU are the Trust
THR – total hip replacement
TIA – transient ischaemic attack
TIPS – transvenous intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt
TKR – total knee replacement
TPN – total parenteral nutrition
TOP – termination of pregnancy
TPR – temperature, pulse and respiration
TSH – thyroid stimulating hormone
TTA – to take away (tablets)
TTO – to take out (tablets)
TURBT – transurethral resection of bladder tumour
TURP – transurethral resection of prostate gland
Tx – transplant (LURTx – living unrelated transplant; LRTx – living related transplant)
U
U – unit
UCO – under care of
U&E – urea and electrolytes (sodium, potassium, urea, creatinine)
UCC – urgent care centre
Ur – urea
URTI – upper respiratory tract infection
US – ultrasound
UTA – unable to attend
UTI – urinary tract infection
UTC – urgent treatment centre
V
V&P – vagotomy and pyloroplasty
VBG – venous blood gas
VF/VT – ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia
VLDL – very-low density lipoprotein
VZV – varicella zoster virus
VQ – ventilation perfusion (scan)
VTE – venous thromboembolism (DVT or PE)
W
WC – white count
W/C – wheel chair
WHO – World Health Organization (the boss bosses)
Wt – weight
Symbols
↑ Increasing/increased
↓ Decreasing/decreased
> Greater than
< Less than
≤ Less than or equal to
≥ Greater than or equal to
–ve Negative
+ve Positive
± Plus or minus
+ Plus
= Equal to
~ About/approximately.
Summary
We have listed medical abbreviations and acronyms. We hope you have found it helpful.
