Swasthye Medical Abbreviations
A Alpha
ß Beta
Y Gamma
A Administration
Ab(s) Antibody(Ies)
Ace Angiotensin-converting Enzyme
Acth Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
ADHD Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AIIA Angiotensin II Antagonist
AI Aluminium/Aluminum
AML Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Ammon Ammonium
Amp Ampoule(S)
ANA Antinuclear Antibodies
Anaesth/ Anaesthesia/Tic;
Anesth Anesthesia/Tic
Approx Approximately
Aq Aqueous
AR Adverse Reactions
ATP Adenosine Triphosphate
AV Atrio-ventricular
Ave Average
BCG Bacille Calmette-guérin
Bd/Bid Twice Daily
BMI Body Mass Index
BP Blood Pressure
Br Bromide
BSA Body Surface Area
BUN Blood Urea Nitrogen
C Contents
Ca Calcium
CABG Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
CAD Coronary Artery Disease
Cal Calories
Cap Capsule(S)
CHD Coronary Heart Disease
CHF Congestive Heart Failure
Childn Children
CI Contraindications
CI Chloride
CNS Central Nervous System
CO2 Carbon Dioxide
Compd Compound(S)
Conc Concentration
COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
CR Controlled-release
CrCL Creatinine Clearance
CSF Cerebrospinal Fluid
CV Cardiovascular
CVA Cerebrovascular Accident
CVS Cardiovascular System
D Dosage/Direction For Use
d- Dextro
DHA Docosahexaenoic Acid
dihci Dihydrochloride
DM Diabetes Mellitus
DPT Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus
DR Delayed-release
drag Dragee(S)
DVT Deep Vein Thrombosis
E. coli Escherichia Coli
EC Enteric-coated
EEG Electro-encephalogram
ECG Electrocardiogram
ELISA Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay
EC-CR Enteric-coated Controlled-release
ENT Ear, Nose & Throat
EPA Eicosapentaenoic Acid
equiv Equivalent
ER/XL/ Extended-release
XR/ESR Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
exam Examination
extr Extract
FBC Full Blood Count Film-coated
FC Film-coated
FD Fast Disintegrating
Fe Iron
flu Influenza
FSH Follicle-stimulating Hormone
g Gram(S)
G6PD Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase
gal Gallon
GERD Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
GFR Glomerular Filtration Rate
GHRH Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone
GI Gastrointestinal
GIT Gastrointestinal Tract
gm +ve Gram-positive
gm -ve Gram-negative
GUT Genito-urinary Tract
H. Influenzae Haemophilus Influenzae
H. pylori Helicobacter Pylori Hepatitis A Virus
HAV Hepatitis A Virus
Hb Hemoglobin
HbA1c Glycosylated Hemoglobin
HBr Hydrobromide
HBsAg Hepatitis B Surface Antigen
HBV Hepatitis B Virus
HCG Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin
HCI Hydrochloride
HCV Hepatitis C Virus
HDL High-density Lipoprotein
Hg Mercury
HIB Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
hr/hrly Hour(S)/Hourly
HSV Herpes Simplex Virus
HTN Hypertension
HZV Herpes Zoster Virus
I Indications/Uses
IA Intra-articular
IB Intrabursal
ICU Intensive Care Unit
IDDM Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus
Ig Immunoglobulin
IgA Immunoglobulin A
IM Intramuscular
INH Isoniazid (Isonicotine Hydrazine)
inj Inject/Injection
INR International Normalized Ratio
INT Interactions
IOP Intraocular Pressure
IP Intra-peritoneal
Ipecac Ipecacuanha
IR Immediate-release
IS Intrasynovial
IU International Unit(S)
IUD Intrauterine Contraceptive Device
IV Intravenous
K Potassium
kCal Kilocalorie
kg Kilogram
L Liter/Litre
l- Levo
LDL Low-density Lipoprotein
LH Luteinizing Hormone
lipos Liposomal
liqd Liquid
lit Literature
LMWH Low-molecular-weight Heparin
loz Lozenge(S)
lyo Lyophilized
m- Meso
MAOI(S) Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor(s)
max Maximum
mcg Microgram
MDI Metered-dose Inhaler
ME Microencapsulated
ME-EC Microencapsulated Enteric-coated
mEq Milliequivalent(s)
Mg Magnesium
mg Milligram
MI Myocardial Infarction
min Minimum/Minute(s)
MIU Million International Units
mixt Mixture
mL Milliliter/Millilitre
mmHg Millimeter Of Mercury
mmol Millimole
MonoHCL Monohydrochloride
MR Modified-release
MR-FC Modified-release
MRI Magnetic Resonance Imagin
MRSA Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
mth/mthly Month(S)/Monthly
MU Million Units
MUPS Multiple Unit Pellet System
Na Sodium
NIDDM Non-insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus
NNRTI(S) Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor(s)
NRTI(S) Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor(s)
NSAID(S) Nonsteroidal Anti- Inflammatory Drug(s)
O & G Obstetrics & Gynecology
O2 Oxygen
OA Osteoarthritis
obstet Obstetrics
OC(s) Oral Contraceptives/Oral Contraception
OD Orally Disintegrating
oint Ointment
ophth Ophthalmic
P Phosphorous
p- Para
P/P Presentation & Packing
PABA Para-aminobenzoic Acid
paed/ ped Paediatric/Pediatric
pheno- Phenobarbital/
barb Phenobarbitone
PI(s) Protease Inhibitor(s)
PMT Premenstrual Tension
PO Oral Administration/Per Orem/By Mouth
post-op Post-operative
powd Powder
PR Prolonged-release
premed Premedication
PR-FC Prolonged-release Film-coated
pre-op Pre-operative
prep Preparation
PUD Peptic Ulcer Disease
PUVA Psoralen + Ultraviolet A
qds/qid Four Times Daily
QR Quick-release
RA Rheumatoid Arthritis
RBC Red Blood Cells
resp Respiratory
SA Sino-atrial
SC Subcutaneous
sec Second(s)
SGOT or AST- Liver Enzymes: Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic
Transaminase, Aspartate Aminotransferase
Sgpt or ALT- Liver Enzymes: Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase,
Alanine Aminotransferase
SL Sublingual
SLE Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
soln Solution
SP Special Precautions
sp/spp Single Organism/More Than 1 Organism (Species)
SR Slow-release/Sustained-release
SR-FC Slow/Sustained-release Film-coated
SSRI(s) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor(s)
Staph Streptococcus
STD Sexually Transmitted Disease(S)
Strep Streptococcus
supp Suppository
susp Suspension
syr Syrup
t 1/2 Half-life
tab Tablet(s)
TB Tuberculosis
tbsp Tablespoonful (15 Ml)
TCA(S) Tricyclic Antidepressant(s)
tds/tid Three Times/Thrice Daily
temp Temperature
tinct Tincture
TPN Total Parenteral Nutrition
TR Timed-release
TSH Thyroid-stimulating Hormone
tsp Teaspoonful (5 Ml)
u Unit(s)
UTI Urinary Tract Infection
UV Ultraviolet
vag Vaginal
vit Vitamin(s)
VLDL Very Low-density Lipoprotein
vol Volume
w/ With
w/draw Withdraw
w/in Within
w/o Without
w/v Weight-in-volume
w/w Weight-in-weight
WBC White Blood Cells
wk/wkly Week(s)/Weekly
wt Weight
XR-FC Extended-release Film-coated
yr/yrly year(s)yearly
Zn zinc