Abbreviation |
Meaning |
# |
broken bone (fracture) |
A&E |
accident and emergency |
a.c. |
before meals |
a.m., am, AM |
morning |
AF |
|
AMHP |
approved mental health professional |
APTT |
activated partial thromboplastin time (a measure of how long it takes your blood to clot) |
ASQ |
Ages and Stages Questionnaire (a set of questions about children's development) |
b.d.s, bds, BDS |
2 times a day |
b.i.d., bid, bd |
twice a day / twice daily / 2 times daily |
BMI |
|
BNO |
bowels not open |
BO |
bowels open |
BP |
|
c/c |
chief complaint |
CMHN |
community mental health nurse |
CPN |
community psychiatric nurse |
CSF |
cerebrospinal fluid |
CSU |
catheter stream urine sample |
CT scan |
|
CVP |
central venous pressure |
CXR |
|
DNACPR |
|
DNAR |
do not attempt resuscitation |
DNR |
do not resuscitate |
DOAC |
Direct oral anticoagulants |
Dr |
doctor |
DVT |
|
Dx |
diagnosis |
ECG |
|
ED |
emergency department |
EEG |
|
EMU |
early morning urine sample |
ESR |
|
EUA |
examination under anaesthetic |
FBC |
|
FY1 FY2 |
foundation doctor |
GA |
|
gtt., gtt |
drop(s) |
h., h |
hour |
h/o |
history of |
Hb |
haemoglobin (a substance in red blood cells that moves oxygen around the body) |
HCA |
healthcare assistant |
HCSW |
healthcare support worker |
HDL |
|
HRT |
|
Ht |
height |
Hx |
history |
i |
1 tablet |
ii |
2 tablets |
iii |
3 tablets |
i.m., IM |
injection into a muscle |
i.v., IV |
injection directly to a vein |
INR |
international normalised ratio (a measure of how long blood takes to clot) |
IVI |
intravenous infusion |
IVP |
intravenous pyelogram (an X-ray of your urinary tract) |
Ix |
investigations |
LA |
|
LDL |
|
LFT |
liver function test (a type of blood test measuring enzymes and proteins in your liver) |
LMP |
last menstrual period |
M/R |
modified release |
MRI |
|
MRSA |
|
MSU |
|
n.p.o., npo, NPO |
nothing by mouth / not by oral administration |
NAD |
nothing abnormal discovered |
NAI |
non-accidental injury |
NBM |
nil by mouth |
NG |
nasogastric (running between your nose and stomach) |
nocte |
every night |
NoF |
neck of femur |
NSAID |
|
o.d., od, OD |
once a day |
o/e |
on examination |
OT |
|
p.c. |
after food |
p.m., pm, PM |
afternoon or evening |
p.o., po, PO |
orally / by mouth / oral administration |
p.r., pr, PR |
rectally |
p.r.n., prn, PRN |
as needed |
p/c |
presenting complaint |
physio |
|
POP |
plaster of paris |
PTT |
partial thromboplastin time (a measure of how quickly your blood clots) |
PU |
passed urine |
q. |
every |
q.1.d., q1d |
every day |
q.1.h., q1h |
every hour |
q.2.h., q2h |
every 2 hours |
q.4.h., q4h |
every 4 hours |
q.6.h., q6h |
every 6 hours |
q.8.h., q8h |
every 8 hours |
q.d., qd |
every day / daily |
q.d.s, qds, QDS |
4 times a day |
q.h., qh |
every hour, hourly |
q.i.d, qid |
4 times a day |
q.o.d., qod |
every other day / alternate days |
q.s., qs |
a sufficient quantity (enough) |
RN |
registered nurse |
RNLD |
learning disability nurse |
ROSC |
return of spontaneous circulation |
RTA |
road traffic accident |
Rx |
treatment |
s.c., SC |
subcutaneous (injection under the skin) |
S/R |
sustained release |
SLT |
speech and language therapist |
SOB |
shortness of breath |
SpR |
specialist registrar |
stat. |
immediately, with no delay, now |
STEMI |
|
t.d.s, tds, TDS |
3 times a day |
t.i.d., tid |
3 times a day |
TCI |
to come in |
TFT |
|
TPN |
total parenteral nutrition |
TPR |
temperature, pulse and respiration |
TTA |
to take away |
TTO |
to take out |
U&E |
|
u.d., ud |
as directed |
UCC |
urgent care centre |
UTI |
|
VLDL |
|
VTE |
venous thromboembolism (a blood clot that forms in a vein) |
Wt |
weight |
Medical Abbreviations
- Details