Medical abbreviations & acronyms

• ALS: advanced life support
• BI wk: blood work
• BMI: body mass index, a measure of body fat based on height and weight
• BP: blood pressure, a measurement of the pressure exerted by the flow of blood upon vessel walls. This measurement is expressed using two numbers, the systolic, or highest pressure and the diastolic, or lowest pressure
• CPR: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a life-saving technique that's also called mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
• C-spine: cervical spine
• DNR: do not resuscitate, a medical order indicating providers should not perform CPR
• ED/ER: emergency department or emergency room
• ECG or EKG: Electrocardiogram, a way of monitoring the heart and the testing for problems
• HDL-C: high density lipoprotein cholesterol, often called "good" cholesterol
• HR: heart rate, expressed as beats per minute
• LDL-C: low density lipoprotein cholesterol, often called "bad" cholesterol
• Lytes: electrolytes
• NICU: neonatal intensive care unit, a specialized unit that cares for premature infants
• OR: operating room where surgeries are performed
• Pre-op: refers to psychiatry or psychiatric ward
• PT: physical therapy, a type of treatment to help patients move and feel better
• Rx: prescription, usually for medication but can also signify another treatment
• Stat: immediately
• AC: ante cibum, or "before meals" indicating when a patient should take medication
• ADR: adverse drug reaction
• ALOC: acute loss of consciousness
• CHF: congestive heart failure
• EMS: emergency medical services
• FX: bone fracture
• LFT: liver functions test
• MRI: magnetic resonance imaging, diagnostic imaging that uses magnetism and radio waves to produce images or internal organs
• UTI: urinary tract infection