Approved Medical Abbreviations

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Approved Medical Abbreviations

The Iredell County EMS System has approved the following medical abbreviation for acceptance on the patient care report. Please limit your use of abbreviation to this list. When using these abbreviations they are to be typed or written as they appear on this page.

A&O x 3 alert and oriented to person, place, and time

A&O x 4 alert and orient to person, place, time, and event

A-FIB atrial fibrillation

AAA abdominal aortic aneurysm

ABC airway, breathing, and circulation

ABD abdomen or abdominal

ACLS advanced cardiac life support

ALS advanced life support

AMA against medical advice

AMT amount

APPROX approx

ASA aspirin

ATF arrive to find

ATLE apparent life threatening event

BG blood glucose

BGL blood glucose level

BILAT bilateral or bilaterally

BLS basic life support

BM bowel movement

BP blood pressure

B/P blood pressure

BS breath sounds

BVM bag valve mask

C-SPINE cervical spine

C/O complaint of, complains of, or complaining of

CA cancer

CABG coronary artery bypass graft

CAD coronary artery disease

CATH catheter

CC chief complaint

CHF congestive heart failure

CNS central nervous system

CO2 carbon dioxide

COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CP chest pain

CPR cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CSF cerebrospinal fluid

CT cat scan

CVA cerebral vascular accident

D5W 5% dextrose in water

DKA diabetic ketoacidosis

DNR do not resuscitate

DOA dead on arrival

DT delirium tremens

Dx diagnosis

ECG electrocardiogram

ET endotracheal

ETOH ethanol alcohol

ETT endotracheal tube

F female

FB foreign body

Fx fracture

g grams

GI gastrointestinal

GSW gunshot wound

gtts drops

GYN gynecology or gynecological

H/A headache

HEENT head, eyes, ears, nose, throat

HR heart rate per minute

HTN hypertension

Hx history

ICP intracranial pressure

ICU intensive care unit

IM intramuscular

IO intraosseous

IV intravenous

JVD jugular venous distension

kg kilogram

KVO keep vein open

LBBB left bundle branch block

L-SPINE lumbar spine

L/S Spine lumbarsacral spine

L&D labor and delivery

LAT lateral

lb pound

LLQ left lower quadrant

LMP last menstrual period

LOC level of consciousness

LR lactated ringers

LUQ left upper quadrant

M male

MAST military anti-shock trousers

mcg micrograms

MED medicine

mg milligram

MI myocardial infarction

min minute or minimum

MS mental status or muscular sclerosis

MS∆ mental status change

MSO4 morphine sulfate

MVC motor vehicle collision

N/V nausea and vomiting

N/V/D nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

NAD no apparent distress

NC nasal cannula

NEB nebulizer

NKDA no known drug allergies

NRB nonrebreather

NS normal saline

NSR normal sinus rhythm

O2 oxygen

OB/GYN obstetrics & gynecology

PALP palpation

PAC premature atrial contraction

PE pulmonary embolus or physical examination

PEARRL pupils equal round reactive to light

PMHx past medical history

PO by mouth

PRN as needed

PT patient

PVC premature ventricular contraction

RBBB right bundle branch block

RLQ right lower quadrant

RUQ right upper quadrant

Rx medicine

S/P status post

SIDS sudden infant death syndrome

SOB shortness of breath

SQ subcutaneous

ST sinus tachycardia

SVT supraventricular tachycardia

Sx symptoms

Sz seizures

T-SPINE thoracic spine

T temperature

TIA transient ischemic attack

TKO to keep open

Tx treatment

UOA upon our arrival

URI upper respiratory infection

UTI urinary tract infection

VF ventricular fibrillation

VS vital signs

VT ventricular tachycardia

WNL within normal limits

YO years old

? questionable

+ positive

- negative

۸ approximately

› greater than

‹ less than

= equal

⇧ higher or increased

⇩ lower or decreased

1° primary

2° secondary

∆ change

♀ female

♂ male

ĉ with

ŝ without

â before

р after