|
AAL
|
Anterior axillary line
|
|
|
ABG
|
Arterial Blood Gas (also ‘SATs)
|
Blood test to see how much oxygen there is in the blood (percentage saturation with oxygen)
|
|
ACTH
|
Adrenocorticotropic hormone
|
|
|
AE
|
Air entry
|
|
|
AF
|
Atrial Fibrillation
|
Irregular heartbeat
|
|
AFB
|
Acid fast bacillus 9tbO
|
|
|
AFP
|
Alpha-fetoprotein
|
Maternal serum and occasionally amniotic fluid levels tested in pregnancy to screen for neural tube defect in fetus
|
|
AJ
|
Ankle jerk
|
Reflex; see also BJ, KJ, SJ, TJ
|
|
Anti-D
|
Type of gamma globulin
|
Must be given by injection to Rhesus negative mother who delivers/aborts Rhesus positive baby to prevent mother developing antibodies which could damage a subsequent Rhesus positive baby.
|
|
Apgar
|
Apgar score
|
Means of recording baby's condition at birth by observing and scoring (0, 1 or 2) 5 parameters
|
|
A/V
|
Anteverted
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bd / bid
|
Twice a day
|
|
|
BJ
|
Biceps jerk
|
Hitting the arm with a patella hammer to test reflexes
|
|
BNF
|
British National Formulary
|
Prescriber's bible supplied free to all NHS doctors. New edition each year.
|
|
BO
|
Bowels open
|
|
|
BNO
|
Bowels not opened
|
|
|
BOR
|
Bowels opened regularly
|
|
|
BP + date
|
British Pharmacopoeia
|
|
|
BP
|
Blood pressure
|
|
|
BPd
|
Diastolic Blood Pressure
|
The lower blood pressure (heart relaxed)
|
|
BPs
|
Systolic Blood Pressure
|
The higher blood pressure (heart contracted)
|
|
BS
|
Breath sounds
|
|
|
|
Bowel sounds
|
|
|
|
Blood sugar
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C
|
With (Latin, cum)
|
|
|
C2H5OH
|
Alcohol
|
|
|
Ca
|
(a) Carcinoma / cancer
|
|
|
|
(b) Calcium
|
|
|
Caps
|
Capsules
|
|
|
CAT scan
|
Computed axial tomograph
|
|
|
CNS
|
Central nervous system
|
|
|
CFS
|
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
|
Also called ME
|
|
CO
|
Complaining of
|
|
|
CO2
|
Carbon Dioxide
|
|
|
COETT
|
Cuffed oral endotracheal tube (see COT & ETT)
|
|
|
COT
|
Cuffed oral tube
|
Endotracheal tube used for ventilating a patient who cannot breath unaided
|
|
CPD
|
Cephalo-pelvic disproportion
|
Baby too big to fit through pelvis
|
|
CRP
|
C-reactive protein
|
|
|
CSF
|
Cerebro-spinal fluid
|
|
|
CT or CAT
|
Computerised Axial Tomography
|
Body Scan
|
|
CTG
|
Cardiotacograph
|
Trace during labour of baby's heart and mum's contractions
|
|
CVA
|
Cardio-vascular accident
|
Stroke
|
|
CVS
|
Cardio-vascular system
|
|
|
Cx
|
Cervix or cervical spine
|
|
|
CXR
|
Chest X-ray
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DH
|
Drug history
|
|
|
DNA
|
(a) Did not attend
|
|
|
|
(b) Deoxyribonucleic acid
|
|
|
DNR
|
Do not resuscitate
|
|
|
D & V
|
Diarrhoea and vomiting
|
|
|
DOA
|
Dead on arrival
|
|
|
DVT
|
Deep vein thrombosis
|
|
|
Dx
|
Diagnosis
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EGG
|
Electro-cardiogram
|
Electric heart recording
|
|
ECT
|
Electro-convulsive therapy
|
|
|
EDC
|
Expected date of confinement
|
|
|
EDO
|
Expected date of delivery
|
|
|
EEC
|
Electroencephalogram
|
Brain scan
|
|
ENT
|
Ear, nose & throat
|
|
|
ERCP
|
Endoscopic retrograde choledochopancreatico/graphy/scopy
|
|
|
ERPC
|
Evacuation of retained products of conception
|
|
|
ESR
|
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (blood)
|
|
|
EtOH
|
Another code for alcohol
|
|
|
ETT
|
Endotracheal tube
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FBC
|
Full blood count
|
|
|
FBS
|
Full blood sampling (carried out during labour to check baby's condition)
|
|
|
FH
|
Family history
|
|
|
FHH
|
Fetal heart heard
|
|
|
FHHR
|
Fetal heart heard regular
|
|
|
FHR
|
Fetal heart rate
|
|
|
FLK
|
Funny looking kid
|
|
|
FMF
|
Fetal movements felt
|
|
|
FROM
|
Full range of movement
|
|
|
FSE
|
Fetal scalp electrode
|
|
|
FSH
|
(a) Family and social history
(b) Follicle stimulating hormone
|
(a) Family and social history
|
|
FTT
|
Failure to thrive
|
|
|
Fx
|
Fracture
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GA
|
General anaesthetic
|
|
|
GCS
|
Glasgow Coma Scale
|
|
|
GFR
|
Glomerular filtration rate
|
|
|
GIT
|
Gastro-intestinal tract
|
|
|
GTT
|
Glucose tolerance test
|
|
|
GUT
|
Genito-urinary tract
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hb
|
Haemoglobin
|
|
|
HBP
|
High Blood Pressure
|
|
|
HNPU
|
Has not passed urine
|
|
|
HPC
|
History of presenting complaint
|
|
|
HR
|
Heart rate
|
|
|
HS
|
Heart sounds
|
|
|
HVS
|
High vaginal swab
|
|
|
Hx
|
History
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ICS
|
Intercostal space
|
Usually as xICS, where x= a number from 1 to 11
|
|
|
|
|
|
IJ
|
Internal jugular vein
|
|
|
IM
|
Intramuscular
|
|
|
IVI
|
Intravenous infusion (drip)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JVP
|
Jugular vein pressure
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
K
|
Potassium
|
|
|
KJ
|
Knee jerk
|
|
|
kPa
|
Kilopascal, approximately 7.5mmHg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
L
|
Litre
|
|
|
LA
|
Local anaesthetic
|
|
|
LFTs
|
Liver function tests
|
Blood tests for liver function
|
|
LIH
|
Left inguinal hernia
|
|
|
LMP
|
Last menstrual period
|
|
|
LN
|
Lymph node
|
|
|
LOA
|
Left occiput anterior
|
Position of baby's head at delivery; see also LOP, ROA, ROP
|
|
LOC
|
Loss of consciousness
|
|
|
LOL
|
Left occipitolateral
|
|
|
LOP
|
Left occiput posterior
|
|
|
LSCS
|
Lower segment caesarian section
|
The "normal" type of caesarian
|
|
LSKK
|
Liver, spleen and kidneys
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mcg
|
Microgram
|
|
|
MCL
|
Midclavicular line
|
An imaginary line down the body from the middle of the collarbone to the described area
|
|
MCV
|
Mean corpuscular volume
|
A measure of the size of red blood cells
|
|
ME
|
Myalgic Encephalomyletis
|
Also called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
|
|
Μg
|
Microgram
|
|
|
mg
|
Milligram
|
|
|
MI
|
Myocardial Infarction
|
|
|
mist
|
Mixture
|
|
|
ml
|
Millilitre
|
|
|
mmHg
|
Millimetres of mercury (pressure)
|
|
|
mMol
|
Millimole
|
|
|
MRI
|
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
|
Body / Brain scan
|
|
|
|
|
|
N & V
|
Nausea and vomiting
|
|
|
Na
|
Sodium
|
|
|
NaCHO3
|
Sodium bicarbonate
|
Alkaline substance; inter alia given to counteract metabolic acidosis following oxygen deprivation
|
|
NAD
|
Nothing abnormal diagnosed / detected
|
|
|
NAI
|
Non-accidental Injury
|
|
|
NBM
|
Nil by mouth
|
|
|
NBI
|
No bone injury
|
|
|
NFR
|
Not for resuscitation
|
|
|
ng
|
Nanogram
|
|
|
NG
|
Carcinoma (neoplastic growth)
|
|
|
NLM
|
Nice looking mother
|
|
|
NMCS
|
No malignant cells seen
|
|
|
NOF
|
Neck of femur
|
|
|
N/S
|
Normal size
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
O2
|
Oxygen
|
|
|
OA
|
Occipito-anterior
|
|
|
o.d
|
Once a day
|
|
|
OE
|
On examination
|
|
|
Om
|
In the morning
|
|
|
On
|
At night
|
|
|
OP
|
Occipito-posterior
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P
|
Pulse
|
|
|
Π
|
Period
|
|
|
Pco2
|
Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (normally in blood)
|
|
|
PERLA
|
Pupils are equal and react to light and accommodation
|
|
|
PE
|
- (a) pulmonary embolism
- (b) Pre eclampsia
|
|
|
PET
|
Pre-eclamptic toxaemia
|
|
|
PFR
|
Peak Flow Rate
|
Breathing test - speed of expiration
|
|
pg
|
Picogram
|
|
|
pH
|
Negative low of hydrogen ion activity:
|
Acidity and alkalinity scale. Low is acidic, high is alkaline. pH7 is about neutral.
|
|
PH
|
Past/previous history
|
|
|
PID
|
- (a) Pelvic inflammatory disease
- (b) Prolapsed invertebral disc
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PMH or PHx
|
Past medical history
|
|
|
PN (R)
|
percussio note (resonant)
|
|
|
PO2
|
Partial pressure of oxygen (normally in blood)
|
|
|
POH
|
Past obstetric history
|
|
|
po
|
per os (by mouth)
|
|
|
pr
|
per rectum
|
|
|
prn
|
As required, of eg, pain killers
|
|
|
pv
|
per vaginam
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RBC
|
Red blood cell (erythrocyte)
|
|
|
Rh
|
Rhesus blood type
|
Can cause problems in pregnancy if mother is Rhesus negative and father is Rhesus positive
|
|
RIH
|
Right inguinal hernia
|
|
|
ROA
|
Right occiput anterior
|
|
|
ROL
|
Right occiput lateral
|
|
|
ROM
|
Range of movement
|
|
|
ROP
|
Right occiput posterior
|
|
|
RS
|
Respiratory system
|
|
|
RTI
|
Respiratory tract infection
|
|
|
Rx
|
Prescription or treatment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Without (latin sine)
|
|
|
S/B
|
Seen by
|
|
|
S/D
|
Systolic/diastolic (heart & circulation)
|
|
|
SH
|
Social history
|
|
|
SJ
|
Supinator jerk
|
|
|
SOA
|
Swelling of ankles
|
|
|
SOB (OE)
|
Short of breath (on exertion)
|
|
|
SOS
|
- (a) si opus sit (if necessary)
- (b) see other sheet
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SROM
|
Spontaneous rupture of membranes (labour)
|
|
|
SVC
|
Superior vena cava
|
|
|
SVD
|
Spontaneous vaginal delivery
|
|
|
SVT
|
Supraventricular tachycardia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TCI 2/52
|
To come in, in 2 weeks time
|
|
|
TGH
|
To go home
|
|
|
THR
|
Total hip replacement
|
|
|
TIA
|
Transient ischaemic attack
|
|
|
TJ
|
Triceps jerk
|
|
|
TVF
|
Tactile vocal fremitus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U & E
|
Urea and electrolytes (biochemical tests)
|
|
|
URTI
|
Upper respiratory tract infection
|
|
|
USS
|
Ultrasound Scan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
VE
|
Vaginal examination
|
|
|
VF
|
Ventricular fibrillation
|
|
|
VT
|
Ventricular tachycardia
|
|
|
V/V
|
Vulva and vagina
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WBC
|
White blood corpuscle / white blood cell count
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
XR
|
X-ray
|
|
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