, NINTH EDITION
.'5&Lsmm &&&&
MOSBY'S
D
(
POCKET
DICTIONARY
\
OF MEDICINE, NURSING
& HEALTH PROFESSIONS [
mmm&.y mmmmmw i wiwniiinwiirr
ELSEVIER
,Commonly Used Abbreviations and Initialisms
NOTE: Abbreviations in common use can vary widely from place to place. Each institution's list
acceptable abbreviations is the best authority for its records.
ACLS Advanced cardiac life support
ADD Attention deficit disorder
ADH Antidiuretic hormone
ADL Activities of daily living
AE Above the elbow
AFB Acid-fast bacillus
AICD Automatic implantable
cardiac defibrillator
AIDS Acquired immunodefi-
ciency syndrome
AK Above the knee
ALS Advanced life support;
amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis
ALT Alanine aminotransferase
AM Morning
AMI Acute myocardial infarction
A-P; AP; A/P Anterior-posterior
ASD Atrial septal defect
ASHD Arteriosclerotic heart
disease
AST Aspartate aminotransferase
(formerly SGOT)
A-V; AV; A/V Arteriovenous; atrioventricular
Ba Barium
BBB Blood-brain barrier
BCLS Basic cardiac life support
BE Barium enema; below the
elbow
bid; b.i.d. Twice a day (bis in die)
BK Below the knee
BM Bowel movement
BMR Basal metabolic rate
BP Blood pressure;
buccopulpal
, BPH Benign prostatic
hypertrophy
bpm Beats per minute
BRP Bathroom privileges
BSA Body surface area
BSE Breast self-examination
BUN Blood urea nitrogen
Bx Biopsy
With
Ca Calcium
CABG Coronary artery bypass
graft
CAD Coronary artery disease
C&S Culture and sensitivity
CAT Computerized (axial)
tomography scan
CBC; cbc Complete blood count
CC Chief complaint
CCU Coronary care unit; critical care unit
CF Cystic fibrosis
CHD Congenital heart disease;
coronary heart disease
CHF Congestive heart failure
CK Creatinine kinase
CMV Cytomegalovirus
CNS Central nervous system
c/o Complaints of
CO Carbon monoxide; cardiac
output
CO 2 Carbon dioxide
COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CP Cerebral palsy; cleft palate
CPAP Continuous positive airway pressure
CPK Creatine phosphokinase
CPR Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation
CSF Cerebrospinal fluid
CT Computed tomography
CVA Cerebrovascular accident;
costovertebral angle
CVP Central venous pressure
D&C Dilation (dilatation) and
.'5&Lsmm &&&&
MOSBY'S
D
(
DICTIONARY
\
OF MEDICINE, NURSING
& HEALTH PROFESSIONS [
mmm&.y mmmmmw i wiwniiinwiirr
ELSEVIER
,Commonly Used Abbreviations and Initialisms
NOTE: Abbreviations in common use can vary widely from place to place. Each institution's list
acceptable abbreviations is the best authority for its records.
ACLS Advanced cardiac life support
ADD Attention deficit disorder
ADH Antidiuretic hormone
ADL Activities of daily living
AE Above the elbow
AFB Acid-fast bacillus
AICD Automatic implantable
cardiac defibrillator
AIDS Acquired immunodefi-
ciency syndrome
AK Above the knee
ALS Advanced life support;
amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis
ALT Alanine aminotransferase
AM Morning
AMI Acute myocardial infarction
A-P; AP; A/P Anterior-posterior
ASD Atrial septal defect
ASHD Arteriosclerotic heart
disease
AST Aspartate aminotransferase
(formerly SGOT)
A-V; AV; A/V Arteriovenous; atrioventricular
Ba Barium
BBB Blood-brain barrier
BCLS Basic cardiac life support
BE Barium enema; below the
elbow
bid; b.i.d. Twice a day (bis in die)
BK Below the knee
BM Bowel movement
BMR Basal metabolic rate
BP Blood pressure;
buccopulpal
, BPH Benign prostatic
hypertrophy
bpm Beats per minute
BRP Bathroom privileges
BSA Body surface area
BSE Breast self-examination
BUN Blood urea nitrogen
Bx Biopsy
With
Ca Calcium
CABG Coronary artery bypass
graft
CAD Coronary artery disease
C&S Culture and sensitivity
CAT Computerized (axial)
tomography scan
CBC; cbc Complete blood count
CC Chief complaint
CCU Coronary care unit; critical care unit
CF Cystic fibrosis
CHD Congenital heart disease;
coronary heart disease
CHF Congestive heart failure
CK Creatinine kinase
CMV Cytomegalovirus
CNS Central nervous system
c/o Complaints of
CO Carbon monoxide; cardiac
output
CO 2 Carbon dioxide
COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CP Cerebral palsy; cleft palate
CPAP Continuous positive airway pressure
CPK Creatine phosphokinase
CPR Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation
CSF Cerebrospinal fluid
CT Computed tomography
CVA Cerebrovascular accident;
costovertebral angle
CVP Central venous pressure
D&C Dilation (dilatation) and
