a - before
A&O - Alert and Oriented
A&P - Anterior and posterior
AAA - abdominal aortic aneurysm
ABC - Airway, Breathing, Circulation
Abd - Abdomen/abdominal
ABGs - Arterial Blood Gases
ABO - A system of classifying blood groups
AC - Acromioclavicular (joint)
ac - Before meals
ACE - Angiotensin Converting Enzyme
ACLS - Advanced Cardiac Life Support
ACth - Adrenocorticotropic hormone, corticotropin
AD - Right ear
ad lib - As desired
ADH - Antidiuretic hormone
ADL - Activities of daily living
adm - Admission
ADT - Automated defibrillator technician
AED - Automatic External Defibrillator
A-fib - Atrial Fibrillation
AFL - Atrial flutter
AFP - Alpha-fetoprotein
AHA - American Heart Association
AIDS - Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
AKA - Above Knee Amputation
ALS - Advanced Life Support
ALT - Alanine aminotransferase (formerly SGPT)
am - Morning
amb - Ambulation
AMI - Acute myocardial infarction
amp - Ampoule
AMPLE - Allergies, Medication, Previous illnesses, Last meal, Events preceding incident.
amt - Amount
ANA - Antinuclear antibody
ant - Anterior
AP - Anteroposterior
AQ - Water
ARDS - Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome
AS - Left ear
ASA - Aspirin
ASAP - As Soon As Possible
ASHD - Atherosclerotic Heart Disease
ASO - Antistreptolysin-O
AST - Aspartate aminotransferase (formerly SGOT)
ATF - Arrived To Find
AU - Both ears
AV - Arteriovenous, atrioventricular
ax - Axillary
D&C - Dilatation and curettage
D/C - discontinue
d/t - due to
D/W - Dextrose in water
D50W - Dextrose 50% in water
D5W - Dextrose 5% in water
decub - decubitus ulcer
DIB - difficulty in breathing
DIC - Disseminated intravascular coagulation
DIFF, diff - Differential blood count
DIP - distal interphalangeal (joint)
DKA - diabetic ketoacidosis
dl - Decliter (100 ml)
DM - Diabetes mellitus
DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNR - do not resuscitate
DO - Doctor of osteopathy
DOA - dead on arrival
DOS - dead on scene
DP - Dorsalis pedis
DPT - diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus
drsg - dressing
DSA - Digital subtraction angiography
DTs - delirium tremens
DVT - deep vein thrombosis
DX, Dx, dx - Diagnosis
F - Fahrenheit
F/U - follow-up
FA - forearm
FB - foreign body
FBS - Fasting blood sugar
FD - Fire Department
FDA - Food and Drug Administration
FDGB - Fall down - Go boom
Fe - iron
flex - flexion
FSH - Follicle-stimulating hormone
ft - Foot, feet, (measure)
FUO - Fever of undetermined origin
Fx - fracture
K+ - potassium
kcal - Kilocalorie (food calorie)
kg - kilogram
KIB836 - Monroe County EMS call letters/numbers
KO - Keep open
KUB - Kidneys, ureters, and bladder
KVO - keep vein open
L - left
l - Liter
L/min - liters per minute
L1...L5 - lumbar nerve 1 through 5; lumbar vertebrae 1 through 5
lab - laboratory
LAD - Left anterior descending (coronary artery)
lat - lateral
lb - Pound
LBBB - Left bundle branch block
LDH - Lactate dyhdrogenase
LDL - Low-density lopoprotein
LE - Lupus erythematosus
lg - large
LH - Luteinizing hormone
lido - lidocaine
liq - liquid
LLL - left lower lobe
LLQ - left lower quadrant
LMP - last menstrual period
LMR - Lambertville/Maybee/Raisinville
LOC - loss of consciousness/level of consciousness
LR - Lactated Ringers Solution
LS - lumbosacral
lt - left
LUL - left upper lobe
LUQ - Left upper quadrant
LV - Left ventricle
LVH - left ventricular hypertrophy
lytes - electrolytes
m - meter
M - Molar
m g - Microgram
m l - Microliter
m m - Micrometer, micron
m mol - Micromole
m Osm - Micro-osmole
MAL - mid-axillary line
MAST - medical antishock trousers
Max - maximum
MCA - Medical Control Authority
mcg - microgram
MCH - Mean corpuscular hemoglobin
MCHC - Meancorpuscular hemoglobin concentration
MCI - Mass casualty Incident
MCL - mid-clavicular line
MCV - Mean corpuscular volume
MD - Medical doctor, muscular dystrophy
MDI - metered dose inhaler
ME - Medical Examiner
meds - medications
mEq - Millequivalent
MF - middle finger
MFR - Medical First Responder
Mg - Magnesium
mg - Milligram
MI - Myocardial infarction (Heart Attack)
Min - minimal
min - minute
ml/mL - milliliter
mm - Millimeter
mM - Millimole
mmHg - millimeters of mercury
MMR - measles, mumps, and rubella
mo - Month
Mod - moderate
mol wt - Molecular weight
mOsm - Milliosmole
MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MRSA - methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MRSE - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermis
MS - Multiple sclerosis, morphine sulfate
MSH - Melanocyte-stimulating hormone
MSP - Motor, sensory, pulse
MUGA - Multigated acquisition (scanning)
MVA - Motor vehicle accident
MVP - mitral valve prolaps
N - Nitrogen, normal (strength of solution)
N/V - nausea / vomiting
NA - not applicable
Na - Sodium
NaCl - Sodium chloride
NAHCO3 - sodium bicarbonate
NC - nasal cannula
ng - Nanogram (millimmicron)
NG - nasogastric
NGT - Nasogastric tube
NH - nursing home
NIDDM - non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
NKA - no known allergies
NKDA - No known drug allergies
NPO - Nothing by mouth
NRM - non-rebreather mask
NS - normal saline
NSR - normal sinus rhythm
NTG - nitroglycerin
O&T - Operations and training
O/P - outpatient
O2 - oxygen
O2Sat - oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter
OB - obstetrics
Ob-GYN - Obstetrics and gynecology
OBS - organic brain syndrome
oC - centigrade/Celsius
OD - Overdose
OD - right eye
oF - Fahrenheit
OR - operating room
OS - left eye
OTC - Over the counter (a drug that can be obtained without a prescription)
OU - both eyes
oz - Ounce
p - after
P - Phosphorus, pressure, pulse
P - pulse
P, W & D - Pink, Warm and Dry
p.c. - After meals
P.O. - By mouth
p.r.n. - As needed, whenever necessary
PAC - premature atrial contraction
PaCO2 - Partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood
PaO2 - Partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood
Pap - Papanicolaou smear
PAT - paroxysmal atrial tachycardia
Path - pathology
Pb - lead
PCN - Penicillin
PCO2 - Partial pressure of carbon dioxide
PD - Police Department
PE - pulmonary embolism
PEA - pulseless electrical activity
PEARL - Pupils equal and reactive to light
peds - Pediatrics
per - by or through
PERRLA - Pupils equal, round, react to light and accommodation
pg - Picogram (micromicrogram)
pH - Hydrogen ion concentration
PI - personal injury
PID - Pelvic inflammatory disease
PIP - proximal interphalangeal (joint)
PJC - premature junctional contraction
PKU - Phenylketonuria
pm - afternoon
PMH - past medical history
PMS - Premenstrual syndrome
po - by mouth
PO2 - Partial pressure of oxygen
POP - Pain on palpation
post - posterior
post op - postoperative
POV - Privately owned vehicle
PPD - Purified protein derivative (of tuberculin)
ppm - Parts per million
pre op - preoperative
prn - whenever necessary
Pro time - Prothrombin time
PSH - past surgical history
psi - Pounds persquare inch
PSVT - paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
Pt - patient
PT - Physical therapy
PTCA - percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
Pth - Parathyroid horomone
PUD - peptic ulcer disease
PVC - Premature ventricular contraction
S&S - Signs and symptoms
s* - Without
s/p - status post
S/S - signs and symptoms
S1...S5 - sacral nerves 1 through 5; sacral vertebrae 1 through 5
SA - sinoatrial (node)
SaO2 - Systemic arterial oxygen saturation (%) (Oxygen in the blood)
SBE - Subacute bacterial endocarditis
SC - subclavian
sec - second
SGOT - Serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (see AST)
SGPT - Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (see ALT)
SI - sacroiliac (joint)
SIADH - Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone
SIDS - Sudden infant death syndrome
SL - sublingual
SLE - Systemic lupus erythmatosus
sm - small
SOB - short of breath
SOB - Short of breath
SOP - Standard Operating Procedure
sp gr - Specific gravity
spec - Specimin
SpO2 - oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter
SRFD - South Rockwood Fire Department
ss* - One-half
STAT - at once
stat - Immediately
Std - Sexually transmitted disease
subq - Subcutaneous
SVT - supraventricular tachycardia
sx - Symptom
SYNCOPAL - Fainting spell
T - Temperature; thoracic, to be followed by number designating specific thoracic vertebra
T&A - Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
T&C - Type and crossmatch
T1...T12 - thoracic nerves 1 through 12; thoracic vertebrae 1 through 12
tab - tablet
Tabs - Tablets
TB - Tuberculosis
tbsp - tablespoon
TCP - transcutaneous pacing
td - tetanus-diphtheria toxoid
Tele - telemetry
temp. - Temperature
TIA - transient ischemic attach (Stroke)
TIBS - Total iorn-binding capacity
tid - three times a day
TKO - to keep open
TMJ - Temporo mandibular joint
TPA - Tissue plasminogen activator
TPN - Total parenteral nutrition
TPR - Temperature, pulse, respirations
trach - tracheal/tracheostomy
TSH - thyroid-stimulating hormone
tsp - Teaspoon
Tx - treatment
UA - Urinalysis
UGI - upper gastrointestinal
ung - Ointment
URI - Upper respiratory infection
US - ultrasound
USPHS - United States Public Health Service
UTI - Urinary tract infection
UTL - unable to locate
