Medical abbreviations
Medical abbreviations scribes need to know
How does this page help you?
There is a long list of abbreviations that medical scribes encounter and knowing them before you start working will greatly increase your efficacy on the job. We have compiled many of the most common abbreviations into three separate tables below. The tables cover prefixes, suffixes, and common emergency department abbreviations. Hopefully, this will prepare you for the alphabet soup and other lingo you will encounter on the job.
Anatomical location and motion
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Abduction | Movement away from midline |
| Adduction | Movement toward the midline |
| Anterior | Front |
| Caudad | Toward the feet |
| Cephalad | Toward the head |
| Distal | Away, or further from, the origin of an appendage (such as an arm or leg) |
| Fowler / High Fowler | Sitting upright |
| Infero- / Infra- | Below |
| Lateral | Away from the midline (side) |
| Medial | Toward the middle of the body |
| Posterior | Back or behind |
| Prone position | Lying face down |
| Proximal | Closer to the origin of an appendage (such as an arm or leg) |
| Semi-Fowler | Sitting partially up |
| Supine position | Lying on the back |
| Ventral | Front |
Medical prefixes and suffixes
| Prefix/Suffix | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A- / An- | Negative, without, no, or not present |
| Adeno- | Related to a gland |
| Angio- | Blood vessel |
| Ante- | Before, in front of |
| Anti- | Against or opposing |
| Bi- | Double, twice, two or both |
| Brady- | Slow |
| Carcino- | Cancer |
| Chol(e)- | Related to the bile |
| Cholecyst- | Pertaining to the gallbladder |
| Chondro- | Cartilage |
| Co-, con-, com- | Together or with |
| Cutane- | Skin |
| Cyst- | Pertaining to the urinary bladder when used as a prefix |
| De- | Down, or from |
| Di- | Twice or two |
| Dys- | Abnormal, difficult, or painful |
| Endo- | Inside |
| Extra-, extro- | Beyond, outside of or outward |
| Gastro- | Stomach |
| Gnath- | Jaw |
| Hemat- / Hem- | Blood |
| Hemi- / Semi- | Half |
| Hepat- | Liver |
| Hyper- | Over, greater than, above, excessive |
| Hypo- / Hyp- | Under, less than, below, deficient |
| Infra- | Below or beneath |
| Intra- | Within or inside |
| Intro- | Into or within |
| Ipsi- | Same as |
| Macro- | Large |
| Micro- | Tiny or small |
| Myc- | Fungus |
| Nephro- | Pertaining to the kidney |
| Para- | Alongside or beside |
| Peri- | Around |
| Pleuro- | Rib or side, also pertains to the pleura (coating around the lungs) |
| Pneumo- | Having to do with the lungs |
| Poly- | Many |
| Post- | After, behind |
| Pre-, pro- | Before, proceeding |
| Pyelo- | Pelvis |
| Retro- | Behind or backwards |
| Rhin(o)- | Nose |
| Sub- | Beneath |
| Super- / Supra- | Above or in excess |
| Tachy- | Fast |
| Tetan- | Rigid or tense |
| Trans- | Situated across or through |
| Tri- | Three |
| Ultra- | Excessive or beyond |
| Viscer- | Pertaining to the internal organs |
| -ac, -ic, -al, -ous, -tic | Pertaining to or related to |
| -algia | Pain |
| -ate, -ize | Subject to, use |
| -cardia | Having to do with the heart |
| -crine | To secrete |
| -ectomy | Surgical removal |
| -emia | Blood |
| -ent, -er, -ist | Person or agent |
| -genic | Produced or made by |
| -gram | A written record |
| -graph | Instrument used to record something |
| -graphy | To make a recording or picture |
| -iasis | Condition |
| -ism | Condition |
| -itis | Inflammation |
| -lith | Stone |
| -odyn/o | Pain |
| -ologist | One who studies something, a specialist |
| -ology | Study of something |
| -oma | Tumor |
| -osis | Condition |
| -ostomy | Surgical incision - artificial opening |
| -pathy | Disease or disease process |
| -penia | Deficiency |
| -phobia | Strong fear or intolerance |
| -scope | Instrument used to examine something |
| -scopy | The procedure of examining something |
| -uria | Urine (presence or condition of) |
General and emergency abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AA&O | Awake, alert, and oriented |
| AAA | Abdominal aortic aneurysm |
| ABG | Arterial blood gas |
| ABX | Antibiotics |
| ACS | Acute coronary syndrome |
| AICD | Automated internal cardiac defibrillator |
| AKA | Above the knee amputation |
| AMA | Against medical advice |
| AMI | Acute myocardial infarction |
| ANS | Autonomic nervous system |
| Appy | Appendectomy |
| ASA | Aspirin |
| B | Bilateral |
| BID | Twice a day |
| BKA | Below the knee amputation |
| BM | Bowel movement |
| BP | Blood pressure |
| BS | Bowel sounds |
| BUN | Blood urea nitrogen (measurement of kidney function) |
| C/O | Complains of |
| C/W | Consistent with |
| C-spine | Cervical spine |
| CA | Cancer |
| Ca | Calcium |
| CAD | Coronary artery disease |
| CBC | Complete blood count |
| CC | Chief complaint |
| CF | Cystic fibrosis |
| CHF | Congestive heart failure |
| CNS | Central nervous system |
| COPD | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
| CP | Chest pain |
| CSF | Cerebrospinal fluid |
| CTA | Clear to auscultation |
| CVA | Cerebrovascular accident (stroke) |
| CXR | Chest X-ray |
| D/C | Discharge |
| D/T | Due to |
| D&C | Dilation and curettage |
| Ddx | Differential diagnosis |
| DKA | Diabetic ketoacidosis |
| DM | Diabetes mellitus |
| DTR | Deep tendon reflex |
| DTs | Delirium tremens (symptom of alcohol withdrawal) |
| Dx | Diagnosis |
| EBL | Estimated blood loss (from a surgery) |
| ECG / EKG | Electrocardiogram |
| EEG | Electroencephalogram |
| EMS | Emergency medical services |
| ENT | Ear, nose, throat |
| ESRD | End stage renal disease |
| EtOH | Alcohol |
| F/C | Fever and chills |
| FB | Foreign body |
| FFP | Fresh frozen plasma |
| FROM | Full range of motion |
| Fx | Fracture |
| GB | Gallbladder |
| GERD | Gastroesophageal reflux disease |
| GI | Gastrointestinal |
| GSW | Gunshot wound |
| GxPy | Gravida para (pregnancy) followed by the number |
| GYN | Gynecology |
| H/o | History of |
| HA | Headache |
| HEENT | Head, ears, eyes, nose, and throat |
| HR | Heart rate |
| HTN | Hypertension |
| Hx | History |
| IDDM | Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus |
| IM | Intramuscular |
| IUD | Intrauterine device |
| IV | Intravenous |
| IVF | IV fluids |
| JVD | Jugular vein distention |
| K | Potassium |
| L | Left |
| L-Spine | Lumbar spine |
| LAD | Lymphadenopathy |
| LBBB | Left bundle branch block |
| LE | Lower extremity |
| LFT | Liver function test |
| LLL | Left lower lobe (of the lung) |
| LMA | Laryngeal mask airways |
| LMP | Last menstrual period |
| LOC | Level of consciousness |
| LP | Lumbar puncture |
| LQ | Lower quadrant |
| LS-Spine | Lumbosacral spine |
| LUL | Left upper lobe (of the lung) |
| LVH | Left ventricular hypertrophy |
| MI | Myocardial infarction |
| MOI | Mechanism of injury |
| MVC | Motor vehicle crash |
| N/V | Nausea and vomiting |
| NAD | No acute disease, or no acute distress |
| NIDDM | Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus |
| NKA / NKDA | No known allergies / no known drug allergies |
| NPO | Nothing by mouth |
| NS | Normal saline |
| NSR | Normal sinus rhythm |
| NTG | Nitroglycerin |
| O2 | Oxygen |
| OE | Otitis externa |
| OM | Otitis media |
| Ortho | Orthopedics |
| OT | Occupational therapy |
| PAC | Premature atrial contractions |
| PCP | Primary care physician |
| PE | Pulmonary embolism |
| PERRLA | Pupils equal, round and reactive to light and accommodation |
| PEx | Physical examination |
| PID | Pelvic inflammatory disease |
| PND | Post nasal drip, or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea |
| PNS | Peripheral nervous system |
| PO | Per os — by mouth |
| PRN | As needed |
| PT | Physical therapy |
| Pt | Patient |
| PTA | Prior to arrival or prior to admission |
| PVC | Premature ventricular contraction |
| PVD | Peripheral vascular disease |
| Q4H | Every 4 hours |
| QD | Every day |
| QH | Every hour |
| QID | Four times daily |
| R | Right |
| RBBB | Right bundle branch block |
| RBC | Red blood cell |
| ROM | Range of motion |
| ROS | Review of systems |
| RR | Respiratory rate |
| RRR | Regular rate and rhythm |
| RVR | Rapid ventricular rate |
| Rx | Prescription |
| RXN | Reaction |
| S/P | Status post (surgical) |
| SBO | Small bowel obstruction |
| SL | Sublingual |
| SOB | Shortness of breath |
| STAT | Immediately |
| Sub Q | Subcutaneously |
| SVT | Supraventricular tachycardia |
| Sx | Symptoms |
| T-Spine | Thoracic spine |
| TIA | Transient ischemic attack |
| TID | Three times a day |
| TM | Tympanic membrane |
| TMJ | Temporomandibular joint |
| TTP | Tenderness to palpation |
| UA | Urine analysis |
| UTD | Up to date |
| VS | Vital signs |
| VSS | Vital signs stable |
| WBC | White blood count |
| WNL | Within normal limits |
| YO / Y/O | Years old |