MUST-KNOW

MEDICAL TERMS,
ABBREVIATIONS, AND
ACRONYMS
 PATIENT STATUS
Acute: Patient with a sudden flare-up or
potentially severe issue who needs immediate care.
Critical: Patient’s vital signs are out of the
normal range and patient may be unconscious.
Inpatient: Status of a patient who requires
hospital admission.
Observation: A temporary status that allows
patients to continue receiving care for a set
amount of time in the hospital while the physician
determines whether admission or discharge is best.
Outpatient: Status of a patient who is not
admitted to a hospital for overnight care. This
can include clinic visits, same-day surgeries, and
one-day emergency room visits.
 MEDICAL TERMS FOR
CONDITIONS AND DISEASES
Abrasion: A scrape that typically only affects the
skin and can usually be treated at home.
Abscess: A tender, pus-filled pocket usually due to
infection.
Acute: Signifies a condition that begins abruptly
and is sometimes severe, but usually short.
Aneurysm: A bulge in the wall of an artery that
weakens the artery and can lead to rupture.
Aortic dissection: A tear in the inner layer of the
aorta.
Bradycardia: A slowing of the heart rate—
typically less than 60 beats per minute for adults.
Benign: Usually in reference to tumors or growth,
meaning not cancerous or malignant.
Biopsy: A small sample of tissue that’s taken for
testing to discover the cause or extent of a disease.
Chronic: Signifies a recurring, persistent condition,
usually more than three months.
Contusion: A bruise typically from impact or force.
Cyanosis: Condition resulting bluish skin, stems
from lack of oxygen in the blood.
Diagnosis: Identification of a condition, disease or
disorder by evaluation of symptoms, tests and other
factors.
Thrombosis: A blood clot within a blood vessel that
affects normal blood flow.
Edema: Swelling caused by fluid accumulation.
Embolus: A blood clot, air bubble or other
obstruction blocking blood flow in the affected
blood vessel.
Fracture: Broken bone ranging from a crack to a
complete break.
Atrial fibrillation: An uncoordinated, quivering
movement of the heart muscle resulting in an irregular
pulse and poor blood flow.
Hypertension: Abnormally high blood pressure.
Hypotension: Abnormally low blood pressure.
Ischemia: Characterized by a lack of blood flow to an
organ or part of the body. Often refers to the heart-
cardiac ischemia.
Malignant: In reference to tumors or growths—
indicating the presence of cancerous cells.
Cancer: Collection of related diseases where some of
the body’s cells multiply out of control spreading into
surrounding tissues and interfering with normal body
function.
Normal sinus rhythm: A normal heartbeat pattern,
usually is between 60 and 80 beats per minute in an
adult.
Tumor: A swelling or mass, often used in relation to cancer.
Tension pneumothorax: A collapsed lung that occurs when
air leaks into the space between the lungs and the chest
wall.
Pericardial effusion: Blood or fluid leaking into the
pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart.
Myocardial infarction: When an arterial blockage or slow
blood flow deprives the heart of blood. Known more
commonly as a heart attack.
Angina: A disease in which narrowing of the arteries
supplying the heart results in reduced blood flow and chest
pain. Usually a symptom of coronary artery disease.
Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA): Commonly called a stroke.
Occurs when the brain is deprived of blood and oxygen by
either a blockage or the rupture of a blood vessel.
Sepsis: A serious condition caused the body’s response to
severe infection. Occurs when the body’s infection-fighting
response gets out of balance and can lead to severe issues
like organ failure.
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT, AND
MEDICATION TERMS
Endoscope: A long flexible tube with its own special
lighting and camera used to look into the body. There are
many specific kinds of endoscopes.
Foley: An indwelling catheter. A thin flexible tube inserted
into the urethra to drain the bladder.
Fluoroscope: An X-ray machine—can be used for still
images or in motion, like an animation created by x-ray
images.
Stethoscope: A small instrument used for listening to a
patient’s breathing and heartbeat.
Intravenous (IV): Indicates medication or fluid given
through the vein.
Epidural: An injection of a local anesthetic to the lumbar
level of the spin often used to relieve pain during labor.
Sublingual: Meaning “below the tongue,” typically seen
with medication that is administered by dissolving it under
the patients’ tongue.
Nocte: Latin for at night, typically in reference to when
medication should be administered.
Mane: Latin for in the morning, typically in reference to
when medication should be administered.
OD: When referring to medication instructions, “once
daily.”
BDS/BID: Latin, “bis die sumendum” meaning take two times
per day.
TDS/TID: Latin, “ter die sumendum” meaning take three times
per day.
QDS/QID: Latin, “quarter die sumendum” meaning take 4
times per day.
PRN: Latin, “pro re nata” or take as needed.
PR: Latin, “per rectum” to be taken rectally.
PO: Latin, “per orem” to be taken by mouth or orally.
IV push: A direct, rapid injection of medication delivered
intravenously.
NS: Normal saline—a mixture of salt and water similar to
what’s produced by the body.
MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND TESTS
Blood culture: A test used to find any unusual bacteria
or fungi in a patient’s blood.
Blood gas: A test to show the gas-phase components of
blood including oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH balance, etc.
Blood pressure: Measure of how well the blood is
circulating. Normal blood pressure measure about 120/80
for adults.
Blood swab: A blood sample taken with a cotton-tipped
stick.
Bowel disimpaction: Manual removal of hardened fecal
matter from a patient's rectum.
Central line: Catheter placed in a large vein that allows
multiple IV fluids to be given and blood to be drawn more
easily.
C-section: Shorthand for cesarean section the surgical
delivery of a baby through the abdominal wall.
Puls/ox: Pulse oximetry, a measure of oxygen saturation
in blood.
Dialysis: Procedure to filter blood for patients with
kidney failure.
Pulse: Measure of a pulsating artery.
Intubation: Insertion of an endotracheal tube to assist
patient breathing.
Laparotomy: Any surgery involving an incision in the
abdominal wall.
Lumbar puncture: Withdrawal of cerebrospinal fluid
through a hollow needle inserted into the lumbar
region. Also referred to as a spinal tap.
Sternotomy: Surgical opening of the breast bone.
Thoracotomy: Surgery on the chest cavity.
Tox screen: Toxicological analysis of the blood.
Ordered when a drug overdose is suspected and the
drugs need to be identified.
Ultrasound: A form of diagnostic imaging that uses
high-frequency sound waves.
Venipuncture: The drawing of blood from a vein.
 ABBREVIATIONS
ALOC: Acute Loss of Consciousness
ASA: The abbreviation for acetylsalicylic acid,
commonly known as aspirin.
BMI: Body mass index, a measure of body fat
based on height and weight.
BP: Blood pressure.
BLS: Basic life support includes CPR and removal
of foreign body airway obstruction.
CAT scan: Computerized axial tomography—
another form of diagnostic imaging.
CHF: Congestive heart failure.
CPR: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a life-
saving technique that’s also called mouth-to-
mouth resuscitation.
DNR: Do not resuscitate. A medical order indicating
providers should not perform CPR or other life-
saving measures on a patient.
DOA: Dead on arrival.
ED/ER: Emergency department or emergency room.
EEG: Measures brain activity.
EKG/ECG: Electrocardiogram. Records the electrical
signals in the heart.
EMS: Emergency medical services.
HR: Heart rate, expressed as beats per minute.
KUB: Kidney, ureter, and bladder x-ray, commonly
used for diagnosing abdominal pain.
LFT: Liver function test.
MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging, a form of
diagnostic imaging that uses a large magnet and radio
waves to view organs inside of the body.
NICU: Neonatal intensive care unit, a specialized unit
for premature infants.
NSAID: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
(ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen).
OR: Operating room where surgeries are performed.
OT: Occupational therapy.
Psych: Refers to psychiatry practice or the
psychiatric ward.
PT: Physical therapy—rehabilitative exercises used to
rebuild strength and flexibility after injury.
Rx: Shorthand for prescription, usually for
medication but can also signify another treatment.
U/A: Urinalysis–the process of testing patient urine
for signs of kidney failure, dehydration, diabetes,
undernourishment, or bladder, kidney infection and
more.