Abbreviation

Translation

0

Not Present OR No abnormality

Also in superscript e.g. ………..^o

+/-

Uncertain/equivocal

+

Present or Noted

++

Present Significantly

+++

Present in Excess

=

Equivalent to

3

OK or satisfactory

A

Ankle Jerk/Reflex

Hitting the ankle with a patella hammer to test reflexes

AAA

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Swelling of the main artery in the abdomen

AAL

Anterior Axillary Line

Imaginary line drawn from the front arm pit down the chest wall

ABG

Arterial Blood Gas also "Sats"

Blood test to see how much oxygen there is in the blood (percentage ‘saturation’ with oxygen)

ACL

Anterior Clavicular Line OR Anterior Cruciate Ligament

An imaginary line down the front of the body from the inner end of the collarbone OR a ligament in the knee

A.d

As Directed

A/E

Air Entry to Lungs OR
Accident & Emergency

AF

Atrial Fibrillation

Irregular heart beat

AI/R

Aortic Incompetence/regurgitation

Leaking heart valve.

AoR

Aortic Valve Replacement

AS

Abdominal System OR Aortic Stenosis

Aortic Stenosis is a narrowed heart valve

AXR

Abdominal X-Ray

bd/bid

Twice a Day

B

Biceps Jerk/Reflex

Hitting the arm with a patella hammer to test reflexes

BCC

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Skin Cancer – Very Low Malignancy

BMI

Body Mass Index

A measure of body size relating to height and weight

BNO

Bowels Not Opened

BOR

Bowels Open Regularly

BP

Blood Pressure

BPd

Diastolic Blood Pressure

The lower blood pressure (heart relaxed)

BPs

Systolic Blood Pressure

The higher blood pressure (heart contracted)

CA or Ca (also indicated by "*")

Carcinoma

Cancer

CABG/S or CAG/S

Coronary Artery (Bypass) Graft/Surgery

Heart surgery to bypass blocked blood supply

CFS

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Also called ME

CNS

Central Nervous System

C/o or C.o

Complains of

COAD

Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease

Chronic lung disease

COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic lung disease

CT or CAT

Computerised Axial Tomography

Body Scan

CVA

Cerebrovascular Accident

Stroke

CVS

Cardiovascular System

The heart and blood vessels

CX or Cx

Cervix OR Cervical Spine

Cervix is the neck of the womb
For example, Cx smear = Cervical smear

CXR

Chest X-ray

D&V

Diarrhoea and Vomiting

D/H

Drug History

DIP, PIP

Dorsal/proximal interphalangeal joints

Finger joints

DLE

Disseminated Lupus Erythematosis

A connective tissue disorder

DNA

Did Not Attend

DS

Disseminated (Multiple) Sclerosis

DU

Duodenal Ulcer

DVT

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Blood clot – usually in leg

DXT

Deep X-ray Treatment

Radiotherapy

EAM

External Auditory Meatus

Ear canal opening

ECG

Electrocardiograph

Electrical heart trace

EMU

Early Morning Specimen of Urine

ENG

Head engaged (Baby)

Head of baby low in pelvis (in Womb)

ENT

Ear, Nose & Throat

ESR

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate

A blood test for inflammation

FBC

Full Blood Count

FBG/S

Fasting Blood Glucose/Sugar

FD

Forceps Delivery

F/H or FH

Family History

FHH/R

Foetal Heart Heard/Regular

Baby’s heartbeat in the womb

FROM

Full Range of Movement

FTD

Formal Thought Disorder

Psychiatric disorder

FTND

Full Term Normal Delivery

GCS

Glasgow Coma Scale

Consciousness state; score out of 15

GI or GIT

Gastro Intestinal/Tract

To do with the intestines

GORD

Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease

Back flow of stomach acid into the gullet

GU or GUT or GUS

Genito Urinary/Tract/ System

Relating to kidneys, bladder & genitals

GU

Gastric Ulcer

GUM

Genito-Urinary Medicine

For sexually transmitted diseases/infections

Hb

Haemoglobin

A measure of blood count (eg in Anaemia)

HH

Hiatus Hernia

Part of stomach displaced above diaphragm

HI

Head Injury

HNPU

Has Not Passed Urine

HR

Heart Rate

HS

Heart Sounds

HT

Height

Hx

History (of complaint)

IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IGT or IGTN

In Growing Toenail

IMB

Intermenstrual Bleeding

Vaginal bleeding between periods

ISQ

"In Status Quo" - Nothing has Changed

IVP

Intravenous Pyelogram

X-ray of kidneys using an injected dye

Ix

Investigations

JVP

Jugular Venous Pressure

Neck Vein – back pressure from the heart

K

Knee Jerk/Reflex OR serum potassium

KUB

Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder

X-ray or ultrasound of renal track (IVP)

LFT

Liver Function Test

Blood tests for liver function

LIF

Left Iliac Fossa

LIH

Left Inguinal Hernia

Hernia of left groin

LKKS

Liver, kidney, kidney, spleen

Result of examination

LOC

Loss of Consciousness

LN

Lymph Node

L/R/ IH

Left or Right Inguinal Hernia

Hernia of groins

LS

Lymph System

LSCS or LUSCS

Lower (Uterine) Segment Caesarean section

LUQ

Left Upper Quadrant

Left upper part of abdomen

Mane

Take in the Morning

M&C (S)

Microscopy & Culture Sensitivity of Bacteria

Of a sample e.g. urine

MCL

Mid Clavicular Line

An imaginary line down the body from the middle of the collarbone to the described area

MCV

Mean Corpuscular Volume

A measure of the size of red blood cells

ME

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Also called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

MET/S

Metastases

Cancer spread

MI

Myocardial Infarction OR Mitral Incompetence

Heart attack OR leaking heart valve (sometimes MR)

mitte or mite

Dispense this number of tablets

MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Body/Brain Scan

MS

Multiple Sclerosis OR Mitral Stenosis

Mitral Stenosis is a narrowed heart valve

MSS

Musculo-Skeletal System

MSE

Mental State Examination

MSU or MSSU

Mid-Stream Urine Sample

NAD

Nothing Abnormal Discovered

NBI

No Bone Injury

Nocte

Take at Night

NFR

Not For Resuscitation

N&V

Nausea & Vomiting

OA

Osteoarthritis

‘Wear & Tear’ Arthritis

OC/COC

( Combined) Oral Contracepti ve

OCT

Orthotopic Cardiac Transplant

Heart Transplant

o.d.

Once a Day

O/E or o.e

On Examination

OGD

Oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy

Telescope examination of stomach and gullet

on

At Night

om

In the Morning

OM (R/L)

Otitis Media

Ear infection

ORIF

Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (of fracture)

Operation to set a broken bone

otc

Over the counter (bought medication)

P

Pulse

PCB

Post Coital Bleeding

Vaginal bleeding after intercourse

PCC

Post Coital Contraception

"Morning after" pill

PE

Pulmonary Embolism

Blood clot on the lung

PERLA

Pupils equal and reacting to light and accommodation

On examination of nervous system/eyes

PF(R)

Peak Flow (Rate)

Breathing test – speed of expiration

PID

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease OR
Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc

Gynaecological infection OR
Slipped Disc

PM

Post mortem examination

PMH also PHx

Previous Medical History

PND

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnoea

Short of breath at night

PO

Per Orim

By Mouth

POP

Progesterone Only Pill

Minipill

PPs

Peripheral pulses

Pulses felt for example in the feet, ankles etc…

PR

Per Rectum

Rectal examination

PRN

As Required

PTCA

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Opening up the main arteries of the heart using a balloon inserted usually near the groin

PTSD

Post Traumatic Street Disorder

PU

Peptic Ulcer OR

Passed urine

Peptic Ulcer – Stomach or Duodenal Ulcer

PV

Per Vagina

Vaginal examination

PVD

Peripheral Vascular Disease

Furring up of the blood vessels of the limbs

qds (or) qid

Four times a day

R (R)

Respiration (Rate)

Rate of breathing in breaths per minute

RA

Rheumatoid Arthritis

RDS

Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Difficulty in breathing – usually in premature babies

RFT

Renal (Kidney) Function tests

RIF

Right Iliac Fossa

Right groin

RIH

Right Inguinal Hernia

Hernia in right groin

R/L

Right/Left

R/L HC

Right/Left Hypochordrium

Right/Left upper abdomen

R/LIF

Right/Left Iliacfossa

Right/Left groin

R/LOL or RLOP

Right/Left occipito lateral / posterior

Position of baby’s head in womb

RS

Respiratory System

RSI

Repetitive Strain Injury

Usually of wrist

RTA

Road Traffic Accident

RUQ

Right Upper Quadrant

Right upper abdomen

Rx

Prescription or Treatment

Usually prescription

S

Supinator (jerk /reflex)

Hitting the arm with a patella hammer to test reflexes

SBG

Serum Blood Glucose

Blood Sugar Level

SLR

Straight Leg Raising

SMR

Submucosal Resection

Nasal operation

SOB

Short of Breath

SOL

Space Occupying Lesion

Tumour, usually of head

SOM

Secretary Otitis Media

Middle ear infection/glue ear

SOS

In an Emergency

SR

Sinus rhythm

Normal heart beat

Stat

Immediately

STD

Sexually Transmitted Disease

STI

Sexually Transmitted Infection

SVD

Spontaneous Vertex Delivery

Normal delivery

Sx

Symptoms

SkXR

Skull X-ray

T

Triceps Jerk/Reflex OR Temperature

Hitting the arm with a patella hammer to test reflexes

Tá â

Temperature raised upwards or downwards

T (usually with a circle with a dot in the centre)

Trachea Central

Breathing tube not displaced. If displaced, direction of displacement usually indicated by an arrow

TATT

Tired all the Time

TB

Tuberculosis

TCI

To come in-date or fact that a person is due to be admitted to hospital

tds (or) tid

Three Times a Day

TFTs

Thyroid Function Test

THR

Total Hip Replacement

TIA

Transient Ischaemic Attack

Small, short lived stroke – often recurrent

TKR

Total Knee Replacement

TLC

Tender Loving Care

Treat only with symptom relief and nursing care, usually meaning that this is all that is needed.

TM or Tm

Tympanic Membrane

Ear drum

Ts&As

Tonsilectomy and Adenoidectomy

TShR

Total Shoulder Replacement

TTO/A

To take home/away (medication)

TU(R)P

Transurethral (resection) of Prostate

Operation on the prostate gland carried out through the penis

UC

Ulcerative Colitis

U&Es

Urea and Electrolytes

Blood test for kidney function

USS

Ultra Sound Scan

UTI

Urinary Tract Infection

VF

Ventricular Fibrillation

Rapid uncoordinated heart beat usually leading to collapse, and need for defibrillation (electric heart shock)

V/S/TOP

Vaginal suction termination of pregnancy

VT

Ventricular Tachycardia

Fast heart beat

wbc

White Blood Cell Count

Wt

Weight