Abbreviations in physiotherapy
Original Editor - Ruairi O'Donohoe
Top Contributors - Garima Gedamkar, Ruairi O'Donohoe, Rewan Elsayed Elkanafany, Karen Wilson, Kim Jackson, Ewa Jaraczewska, Lauren Heydenrych, Scott Buxton, Aminat Abolade, Venkata Nagaraj Mummadisetty, Leana Louw and Lucinda hampton
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
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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
J[edit | edit source]
JCA -Juvenile chronic arthritis
JDM -Juvenile diabetes mellitus
JRA -Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Jt. -Joint
JVP -Jugular venous pressure
K[edit | edit source]
KJ -knee jerk
K -Wire Kirschner wire
KAFO – knee ankle foot orthosis
L[edit | edit source]
L 1-5 -Lumbar vertebrae 1-5
LA -Local anaesthetic
Lat – lateral
LBE -Lateral basal expansion (physio)
LBP -Low back pain (physio)
LBW -Low birth weight
LCA -Left coronary artery
LCCS -Low cervical caesarean section
LCL -Lateral collateral ligament
LCM -Left costal margin
LCx -Left circumflex
LDDD -Lumbar degenerative disc disorder
LDL -Low-Density-Lipoprotein type
LFA -Left femoral artery
LFTs -Liver function tests
LGA -Large for gestational age
LH -Luteinising hormone
LHF -Left heart failure
LICS -Left intercostal space
LIF -Left iliac fossa
ligs. -Ligaments
LOC -Loss of consciousness
LOW -Loss of weight
LP -Lumbar puncture
LRTI -Lower respiratory tract infection
LS -Lumbosacral
LTHR -Left total hip replacement
LMN – lower motor neuron
LMNL – lower motor neuron lesion
LOS – length of stay
LTG – long term goal
M[edit | edit source]
MAP – mean arterial pressure
MED – minimal erythemal dose
MAS -Motor assessment scale
Max. -Maximum
MCA -Middle cerebral artery
MCP -Metacarpophalangeal
MD -Muscular dystrophy
MI – myocardial infarction
MDI -Metered dose inhaler
Meds -Medications
Med. -Medial
MGTT -Modified glucose tolerance test
MHI -Manual hyperinflation
Mhz -Megahertz
MMSE -Mini mental state examination
MMT -Manual muscle testing (physio)
MND -Motor neurone disease
MRI -Magnetic resonance imaging
MRP -Motor relearning programme
MTP -Metatarsophalangea
MVA -Motor vehicle accident
MVD -Mitral valve disease
movt. -Movement
Mx -Management
MS – multiple sclerosis
N[edit | edit source]
| NBM | Nil By Mouth |
O[edit | edit source]
P[edit | edit source]
Q[edit | edit source]
R[edit | edit source]
| ROM | Range Of Movement |
S[edit | edit source]
| SA Node | Sinoatrial Node |
T[edit | edit source]
U[edit | edit source]
V[edit | edit source]
| VAS | Visual Analogue Scale |
W[edit | edit source]
| WZF | Wheeled Zimmer Frame |
X[edit | edit source]
Y[edit | edit source]
Z[edit | edit source]
| ZF | Zimmer Frame |
References[edit | edit source]
