List of A-Z Abbreviations

Abbreviations you may find in your health records

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/nhs-app-help-and-support/health-records-in-the-nhs-app/abbreviations-commonly-found-in-medical-records/

List of abbreviations

Abbreviation

Meaning

broken bone (fracture)

A&E

accident and emergency

a.c.

before meals

a.m., am, AM

morning

AF

atrial fibrillation

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

body mass index

BNO

bowels not open

BO

bowels open

BP

blood pressure

c/c

chief complaint

CMHN

community mental health nurse

CPN

community psychiatric nurse

CSF

cerebrospinal fluid

CSU

catheter stream urine sample

CT scan

computerised tomography scan

CVP

central venous pressure

CXR

chest X-ray

DNACPR

do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation

DNAR

do not attempt resuscitation

DNR

do not resuscitate

Dr

doctor

DVT

deep vein thrombosis

Dx

diagnosis

ECG

electrocardiogram

ED

emergency department

EEG

electroencephalogram

EMU

early morning urine sample

ESR

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (a type of blood test used to help diagnose conditions associated with inflammation)

EUA

examination under anaesthetic

FBC

full blood count (a type of blood test)

FY1 FY2

foundation doctor

GA

general anaesthetic

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

high-density lipoprotein (a type of cholesterol)

HRT

hormone replacement therapy

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

local anaesthetic

LDL

low-density lipoprotein (a type of cholesterol)

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

magnetic resonance imaging

MRSA

methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

MSU

mid-stream urine sample

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

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug

o.d., od, OD

once a day

o/e

on examination

OT

occupational therapist

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

physiotherapist

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

injection under the skin

S/R

sustained release

SLT

speech and language therapist

SpR

specialist registrar

stat.

immediately, with no delay, now

STEMI

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

t.d.s, tds, TDS

3 times a day

t.i.d., tid

3 times a day

TCI

to come in

TFT

thyroid function test

TPN

total parenteral nutrition

TPR

temperature, pulse and respiration

TTA

to take away

TTO

to take out

U&E

urea and electrolytes

u.d., ud

as directed

UCC

urgent care centre

UTI

urinary tract infection

VLDL

very-low density lipoprotein (a type of cholesterol)

VTE

venous thromboembolism (a blood clot that forms in a vein)

Wt

weight