Medical Terminology & Abbreviations
NOTE: These terms are useful when you want to read medical charts in hospitals or nursing homes. |
Medical Terminology | |
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TERM | EXPLANATION |
AGNOSIA STIMULUS | LOSS OF ABILITY TO INTERPRET SENSORY |
ANEURYSM | A SAC FORMED BY THE DILATION OF THE WALLS OF AN ARTERY |
APHASIA | LOSS OF LANGUAGE |
APRAXIA | LOSS OF MOTOR PLANNING ABILITIES |
ATHEROSCLEROSIS | FATTY DEPOSITS ON ARTERY WALLS |
CAROTID ARTERY | MAJOR ARTERY IN THE FRONT OF THE NECK PROVIDING BLOOD TO THE BRAIN |
DEFICIT | LOSS |
DYSARTHRIA | DIFFICULTY IN SPEAKING DUE TO LOSS OF MUSCLE FUNCTION IN MUSCLES INVOLVED IN SPEECH |
HEMIPARESIS | WEAKNESS OF ONE SIDE OF THE BODY |
HEMIPLEGIA | PARALYSIS OF ONE SIDE OF THE BODY |
MONOPLEGIA | PARALYSIS OF ONE EXTREMITY |
MOTOR DEFICITS | LOSS OF MUSCLE CONTROL |
PARAPLEGIA | PARALYSIS OF THE LOWER HALF OF THE BODY |
QUADRIPLEGIA | PARALYSIS OF ALL FOUR EXTREMITIES |
SENSORY DEFICITS | LOSS IN ONE OR MORE OF THE VARIOUS SENSES (SIGHT, TOUCH, HEARING, TASTE & SMELL) |
SPINAL TAP (LUMBAR FLUID PUNCTURE) |
REMOVAL OF SMALL AMOUNT OF SPINAL FLUID FOR EXAMINATION |
STROKE IN EVOLUTION | STROKE OCCURRING SLOWLY WITH DEFICITS |
THROMBUS | STATIONARY BLOOD CLOT |
MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS | |
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ABBREVIATION | EXPLANATION |
A.B.R. | ABSOLUTE BED REST |
A.C. | BEFORE MEALS |
ACF | ADULT CARE FACILITY |
ADL | ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING |
ALC | ALTERNATIVE LEVEL OF CARE |
AD LIB | AS DESIRED |
B.I.D. | TWICE A DAY |
B.P. | BLOOD PRESSURE |
C.B.C. | COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT |
CHHA | CERTIFIED HOME HEALTH AGENCY |
C.N.S. | CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM |
CPR | CARDIO-PULMONARY RESUSCITATION |
C.V.A. | CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT (STROKE) |
CATH | CATHETERIZED |
DNR | DO NOT RESUSCITATE |
DRG | DIAGNOSTIC RELATED GROUPING |
EEG | ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM |
EKG | ELECTROCARDIOGRAM |
E.N.T. | EAR, NOSE & THROAT |
FX | FRACTURE |
H.S. | BEDTIME |
Hb or Hgb | HEMOGLOBIN |
I & O | INTAKE AND OUTPUT |
I.C.U. | INTENSIVE CARE UNIT |
I.M. | INTRAMUSCULAR |
I.V. | INTRAVENOUS |
LTHHCP | LONG TERM HOME HEALTH CARE PGM |
N.P.O. | NOTHING BY MOUTH |
N.V.D. | NAUSEA, VOMITING AND DIARRHEA |
NG | NASO-GASTRIC FEEDING TUBE |
OD | DAILY |
O.D. | RIGHT EYE |
O.S. | LEFT EYE |
O.U. | BOTH EYES |
OOB | OUT OF BED |
OS | MOUTH |
OT | OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY |
P.C. | AFTER MEALS |
P.O. | BY MOUTH |
P.R.N. | WHENEVER NECESSARY |
PCA | PERSONAL CARE AIDE |
PRI | PATIENT REVIEW INSTRUMENT |
PT | PHYSICAL THERAPY |
q. | EVERY |
q.2h | EVERY TWO HOURS |
q.d. | EVERY DAY |
q.h. | EVERY HOUR |
q.i.d. | FOUR TIMES DAILY |
q.o.d. | EVERY OTHER DAY |
ROM | RANGE OF MOTION |
_ C |
WITH |
_ . _ S, S, S, S |
WITHOUT |
S.O.B. | SHORTNESS OF BREATH |
SNF | SKILLED NURSING FACILITY |
STAT | AT ONCE |
T.I.A. | TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK |
T.I.D. | THREE TIMES A DAY |
T.P.R. | TEMPERATURE, PULSE, RESPIRATION |
UR | UTILIZATION REVIEW |
W.N. | WELL NOURISHED |
WC | WHEEL CHAIR |