Common Medical Abbreviations Australia

Australian Medical Abbreviations:

Please also consult your GP, specialist or medical professional and do your own research.

A
AAA           abdominal aortic aneurysm

A&E           accident and emergency

abdo          abdomen/abdominal
ABG           arterial blood gas

ac               before meals
ACLS         advanced care life support
ACS           acute coronary syndrome
AED           automatic external defibrillator
AF, A/F      atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter
AFlut          atrial flutter
AICD          automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator
ALS            advanced life support
AMI             acute myocardial infarction

angio          angiogram
ART            arterial line (used for invasive pressure monitoring)
ATLS          advanced trauma life support
AV              atrioventricular

AVR           aortic valve replacement

B
BGL            blood glucose level
BLS            basic life supoort
BP              blood pressure

C
Ca              cancer/calcium

CABG         coronary artery bypass graft
CAD           coronary artery disease

Card           cardiac
cap             capsule
CCB           calcium channel blocker
CCF           congestive cardiac failure
CCU           coronary care unit
CF              cystic fibrosis

CHF           congestive heart failure

cm              centimetre
CNS           central nervous system
COAD        chronic obstructive airway disease
CO              carbon monoxide
CO2           carbon dioxide
COPD        chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CPAP         continuous positive airways pressure
CPR           cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CSF            cerebrospinal fluid
CT              computerised tomography
CVA           cerebrovascular accident
CVL            central venous line
CWMS       colour warmth movement sensation
CXR           chest x-ray

D

DCI             decompression illness

DIC             disseminated intravascular coagulation

DKA           diabetic ketoacidosis

DM             diabetes mellitus

DOB           date of birth

Dr               doctor

DVT            deep vein thrombosis

 

E

eARF          electronic ambulance report form

ECG           electrocardiogram

ED              emergency department

EEG           electroencephalograph

EMD           electromechanical dissociation

Emerg        emergency department

ENT            ear, nose and throat

ERYC        erythromycin

ETT            endotracheal tube

 

FAST          focused abdominal sonography for trauma

FBC            full blood count

FiO2           fractional inspired oxygen concentration

FR             first responder

 

G

g                 gram(s)

GA              general anaesthesia

GABA         gamma amino butyric acid

GI               gastrointestinal

GIT             gastrointestinal tract

GORD        gastro-oesophageal reflux disorder

GP              general practioner

GU              gastric ulcer

 

H

Hb              haemoglobin

HI               head injury

HIV             human immunodeficiency virus

hrs              hours

Hx               history

 

I

ID band      patient identification band/bracelet

IBS             irritable bowel syndrome

IDC             indwelling catheter

IDDM          insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

IHD             ischaemic heart disease

IM               intramuscular

IMI              intramuscular injection

IO               intraosseous

ICC             intercostal catheter

ICD             implantable cardioverter defibrillator

ICP             intracranial pressure

ICU             intensive care unit

INH             inhalation

inj               injection

IV                intravenous

IV                inf intravenous infusion

IVABs        intravenous antibiotics

IVI               intravenous injection

IV Morph    intravenous morphine

 

J

JVP            jugular venous pressure

 

K

KCI             potassium chloride

kg               kilogram

Ko’d            knocked out

KSAR         known severe adverse reactions

KVO           keep vein open

 

L

  1. L) left

L                 litre

LA              local anaesthetic

LAD            left anterior descending (coronary artery)

lat               lateral

LBBB          left bundle branch block

LFT            liver function test

LMA           laryngeal mask airway

L/min          litres per min

LMA           laryngeal mask airway

LOC           loss of consciousness

LVF            left ventricular failure

 

M

MAOIs        monoamine oxidase inhibitors

MAP           mean arterial pressure

Max            maximum

mcg            microgram

mg              milligram

MI               myocardial infarction

mL              millimetre(s)

mmHg        millimetres of mercury

mmol          millimole

MO             medical officer (doctor)

MS             multiple sclerosis

MVA           motor vehicle accident

MVR           mitral valve replacement

 

N

n/a              not applicable

NAD           nil abnormality detected

NAS           intranasal

NC              nasal cannulae

NEB           nebulised

NFR           not for resuscitation

NG/NGT              nasogastric tube

NMDA        N-Methyl D-Aspartate

NOF           neck of femur

NOK           next of kin

NSAIDs     non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs

NSTEMI     non-ST elevation myocardial infarct

 

O

Obs            observations / vital signs

OE              on examination

OPD           outpatient’s department

OT              occupational therapy

O2              oxygen

 

P

P                 pulse

PaCO2       partial pressure of carbon dioxide (arterial)

PaO2          partial pressure of oxygen (arterial)

PAC           premature atrial contraction

PCI             percutaneous coronary intervention (coronary angioplasty)

PE              pulmonary embolism

PEA            pulseless electrical activity

PEF           peak expiratory flow

Physio       physiotherapist

PID             pelvic inflammatory disease

PJC            premature junctional contraction

PMHx         past medical history

PO              Per oral

post-op      post-operative

PPE            personal protective equipment

PPH           post-partum haemorrhage

p.r               per rectum

prn              when required

Pt                patient

PV              per vaginal

PVD           peripheral vascular disease

PVC           premature ventricular contraction

 

Q

 

R

  1. R) right

RBBB         right bundle branch block

RLQ           right lower quadrant

ROSC        return of spontaneous circulation

RSI             rapid sequence induction

RUQ           right upper quadrant

RV              right ventricle

RVF            right ventricular failure

 

S

SaO2          oxygen saturation

SB              sinus bradycardia

sc               subcutaneous

SFM           simple face mask

sl                sublingual

SNRI          serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor

SOB           shortness of breath

SR              sinus rhythm

SSRI          selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor

ST              sinus tachycardia

STEMI ST elevation myocardial infarction

SUBCUT    subcutaneous

SUBLING   sublingual

SVT            supraventricular tachycardia

 

T

TCA            tricyclic antidepressant

TCP            transcutaneous pacing

THR           total hip replacement

TIA             transient ischaemic attack

TKR           total knee replacement

TNK            tenecteplase

Tx               transplant

 

U

U/A             urinalysis

UDB           urinary drainage bag

URTI          upper respiratory tract infection

UTI             urinary tract infection

 

V

V/Q             ventilation perfusion (lung scan)

VEB            ventricular ectopic beat

VF              ventricular fibrillation

VT              ventricular tachycardia

WNL           within normal limits

 

W

WBC          white blood cells

 

Y

y/o year old

 

Miscellaneous

#                 fracture

1/60            one minute

1/24            one hour

1/7              one day

1/52            one week

1/12            one month

<                 less than

>                 greater than

≤                 less than or equal to

≥                 greater than or equal to

 

CAN BE PRINTED THROUGH THIS LINK:  Australian Medical Abbreviations

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