Revision as of 15:26, 14 January 2015

Original Editor - Ruairi O'Donohoe

Top Contributors - Garima Gedamkar, Ruairi O'Donohoe, Rewan Elsayed Elkanafany, Karen Wilson, Kim Jackson, Scott Buxton, Ewa Jaraczewska, Lauren Heydenrych, Venkata Nagaraj Mummadisetty, Leana Louw, Lucinda hampton and Aminat Abolade

Description
[edit | edit source]

Abbreviations assist healthcare professionals to make effective use of their time. These abbreviations should be recognised and agreed upon in order to ensure best practice.

The following Abbreviations are taken from the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) Code of Practice for Healthcare Records Management Version 2. ^[1] and from wikipedia ^[2].

Abbreviations:[edit | edit source]

Units:[edit | edit source]

Centimeter	cm
Gram	g
Kilocalorie	kcal
Kilogram	Kg
Litre	L
Milligram	mg
Millilitre	ml
Millimetre	mm
Millimole	Mmol

Frequency and time:[edit | edit source]

b.d./b.i.d.	Twice daily
Mane	In the morning
Nocte	At night
p.r.n.	When required
q.d.s./q.i.d.	Four times daily
STAT	Immediately
Tarde	In the evening
t.d.s./t.i.d.	Three times daily
h	Hour
Mins.	Minute
s	Second	x/52	x weeks
x/12	x Months

Routes of Administration[edit | edit source]

IV	Intravenously
IM	Intramuscularly
NG	Nasogastric
PEG	Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrotomy
PO	Per Oral (oral by mouth)
PV	Per vaginal
SC	Subcutaneously
PR	Per Rectum
SL	Sublingually

Never abbreviate[edit | edit source]

Patient's resuscitation status
Drug names
Right OR Left	Except when used as part of an approved abbreviation
+++, >, <	Avoided unless used as part of an official grading system
+ve, -ve	Can use Pos. and Neg. instead
Patient/Service users name

No abbreviations on a consent form
No abbreviations on an incident report

#[edit | edit source]

5Ds	Dizziness, diplopia, drop attacks, dysorthria, dysphagia
9HPT	Nine Hole

A[edit | edit source]

ABBREVIATION	DEFINITION
A&A	Aids and Appliances
AAA	Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

ABG- Arterial blood gas
ACL – anterior cruciate ligament
ACTH – adrenocorticotropic hormone
ADL – activities of daily living
AFO – ankle foot orthosis
AIDS – acquired immune deficiency syndrome
ASIS- Anterior superior iliacspine
AJ – ankle jerk
AK – above knee
ALS – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

ANS – autonomic nervous system
AMA – against medical advice
Ant. – anterior
AP – anterior-posterior
AAV AIDS-associated virus
AAL Anterior axillary line
Ab Antibody
AB Apex beat
ACE Angiotensin converting enzyme
Add Adduction (physio)
Abd Abduction (physio)
ACS Acute coronary syndrome
ADH Anti-diuretic hormone
ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
AF Atrial fibrillation
AFB Acid fast bacilli

B[edit | edit source]

BE – below elbow

BK – below knee
BOS – base of support
BP – blood pressure
bpm – beats per minute

C[edit | edit source]

C1-7 - Cervical vertebrae 1-7
CABG -Coronary artery bypass graft
CAD -Coronary artery disease
Cal. -Calorie
CBC -Complete blood count
CCA -Common carotid artery
CCU -Coronary care unit
CES -Cauda equina syndrome
CFS -Chronic fatigue syndrome
CHB -Complete heart block
CHD -Congenital heart disease
Chol. -Cholesterol
CHF -Congestive heart failure
CMV -Cytomegalovirus

c/o -Complains of
CO -Cardiac output
CO2- Carbon dioxide
COAD -Chronic ostructive airways disease
COB -Chronic obstructive bronchitis
CO/C1- Atlanto-axial joint
COPD- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPAP- Continuous positive airway pressure
CPB/CPBP -Cardiopulmonary bypass
CPD -Cephalopelvic disproportion
CPR -Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
creps.- Crepitations
CREST(syndrome) -abbreviation for calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysfunction, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasis
CRF -Chronic renal failure
CRHD- Chronic rheumatic heart disease
CSF- Cerebrospinal fluid
CT -Computerised tomography
CTS- Carpal tunnel syndrome
CVP- Central venous pressure
CVS -Cardiovascular system

D[edit | edit source]

DASH -Disability of arm, shoulder, hand
D/C- Discharge
DDx -Differential diagnosis
DD -Dangerous drugs
DDD -Degenerative disc disorder
Dec. -Decreased
DF -Dorsiflexion (physio)
DHS -Dynamic hip screw
DI -Diabetes Insipidus
DIU -Death in-utero
DJD --Degenerative joint disease
DM -Diabetes mellitus
DOB --Date of birth
DOE --Dyspnoea on exertion

E
[edit | edit source]

ECG Electrocardiogram
EEG – electroencephalogram, electroencephalograph
EMG – electromyogram, electromyography
Ex's – exercises
EOR End of range
Exp. Expiratory
Ext. Extension

F[edit | edit source]

FBS – fasting blood sugar
FH – family history
FES -Functional electrical stimulation
FET -Forced expiratory technique (physio)
FEV -Forced expiratory volume (physio)
FEV1 -Forced expiratory volume in one second
FFA -Free fatty acids
FHR -Foetal heart rate
FHS- Foetal heart sounds
FIM -Functional independence measure
Flex. -Flexion
FRC- Functional residual capacity
FSH -Follicle stimulating hormone
FTD -Full term delivery
F/U- Follow up
FVC -Forced vital capacity
FWB -Full weight bearing
Fx -Fracture

G[edit | edit source]

GA -General anaesthetic
GCS-Glasgow coma scale
GDM -Gestational diabetes mellitus
GFR -Glomerular filtration rate
GFSH -Growth factor stimulating hormone
GH -Growth hormone
GIT -Gastrointestinal tract
GMFCS -Gross Motor Function Classification Scale
GRF -Ground reaction force
GRH -Growth releasing hormone
GTT -Glucose tolerance test
GSW – gunshot wound

H[edit | edit source]

Hb -Haemoglobin
HAD -Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
HBB- Hand behind back
HBH -Hand behind head
HBV- Hepatitis B Virus
H&C -Huff and cough
HCV -Hepatitis C virus
HCVD -Hypertensive cardiovascular disease
HDL -High density lipoprotein
HEP -Home exercise program (physio)
Hep A, B, C -Hepatitis A, B, C etc..
HGH -Human growth hormone
HI -Head injury
HIV -Human immunodeficiency virus
HIVD -Herniated intervertebral disc
HMD -Hyaline membrane disease
H/O, HO -History of
HR -Heart rate
HPV- Human papilloma virus
HRT-Hormone replacement therapy
HS -Heart sounds
H Sit. -High sitting
HSV -Herpes simplex virus
Ht -Height
HTLV -Human T-cell lymphotropic virus
HTN- Hypertension
Hx- History

I[edit | edit source]

IC— Informed consent
ICA -Internal carotid artery
ICD -ntercostal drain
ICP -Intracranial pressure
ICS -Intercostal space
ICU- Intensive Care Unit
IE -Inspiratory:expiratory (ratio)
IFT -Interferential therapy
Ig -Immunoglobulin
IHD -Ischaemic heart disease
IMT -Isometric muscle testing
IMV -Intermittent mandatory ventilation
Inf. -Inferior
Insp. -Inspiratory
Int. -Internal
Inv. -Inversion
IOP -Intraocular pressure
IPPB -Intermittent positive pressure breathing
IPPR -Intermittent positive pressure respiration
IPPV -Intermittent positive pressure ventilation
IQ -Intelligence quotient
IR -Internal rotation
IRDS -Infant respiratory distress syndrome
IRQ -Inner range quadriceps
IRV -Inspiratory reserve volume
ISC -Intermittent self catheterisation
IST -Infraspinatus tendon
ISWT -Incremental Shuttle Walk Test
I/T -Intermittent
I/T C Tx -Intermittent cervical traction
I/T L Tx -Intermittent lumbar traction
IUCD -Intrauterine contraceptive device
IUD -Intrauterine death
IUFD -Intrauterine foetal death
IUGR -Intrauterine growth retardation
IVC -Inferior vena cava
IVD -Intervertebral disc
IVSD -Interventricular septal defect
IFC – interferential current