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Medical abbreviations and acronyms are everywhere in healthcare documentation. From EHR systems to handwritten patient notes, understanding common abbreviations is essential for accurate medical coding. This article covers 100+ essential abbreviations you’ll encounter regularly in medical records. Bookmark this page and reference it whenever you encounter an unfamiliar abbreviation.
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| MI |
Myocardial Infarction |
Heart attack; requires code I21.x |
| CAD |
Coronary Artery Disease |
Narrowing of coronary arteries; code I25.10 |
| CHF |
Congestive Heart Failure |
Heart can’t pump effectively; code I50.x |
| AFib |
Atrial Fibrillation |
Irregular heart rhythm; code I48.x |
| HTN |
Hypertension |
High blood pressure; code I10-I13.x |
| BP |
Blood Pressure |
Measurement in mm Hg |
| HR |
Heart Rate |
Beats per minute (bpm) |
| RRR |
Regular Rate and Rhythm |
Normal heart rhythm on exam |
| DVT |
Deep Vein Thrombosis |
Blood clot in deep vein; code I82.x |
| PE |
Pulmonary Embolism |
Blood clot in lung; code I26.x |
| COPD |
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease |
Emphysema + chronic bronchitis; code J44.x |
| ARDS |
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome |
Severe respiratory failure; code J80 |
| SOB |
Shortness of Breath |
Dyspnea; symptom code R06.x |
| O2 Sat |
Oxygen Saturation |
Percentage of oxygen in blood |
Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| GI |
Gastrointestinal |
Stomach, intestines, related organs |
| GERD |
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease |
Acid reflux; code K21.x |
| PUD |
Peptic Ulcer Disease |
Stomach or duodenal ulcer; code K25-K28 |
| H. pylori |
Helicobacter pylori |
Bacterium causing ulcers; code B96.81 |
| IBD |
Inflammatory Bowel Disease |
Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis |
| IBS |
Irritable Bowel Syndrome |
Functional GI disorder; code K58.x |
| N/V |
Nausea/Vomiting |
Symptom; code R11.x |
| NPO |
Nothing by Mouth (Latin: Nil Per Os) |
Patient fasting before procedure |
| HBV |
Hepatitis B Virus |
Liver infection; code B18.1 |
| HCV |
Hepatitis C Virus |
Liver infection; code B18.2 |
| Cirrhosis |
End-stage liver disease |
Advanced liver damage; code K74.x |
| Ascites |
Abdominal fluid accumulation |
Often from liver disease; code R18.8 |
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| DM |
Diabetes Mellitus |
Type 1 (E10), Type 2 (E11), Gestational (O24) |
| T1DM |
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus |
Insulin-dependent; code E10.x |
| T2DM |
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus |
Insulin resistance; code E11.x |
| HbA1c |
Hemoglobin A1c |
3-month average blood glucose |
| FBS |
Fasting Blood Sugar |
Blood glucose after fasting |
| DKA |
Diabetic Ketoacidosis |
Dangerous diabetes complication; code E10.1, E11.1 |
| TSH |
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone |
Test for thyroid function |
| T4 |
Thyroxine |
Thyroid hormone |
| OB |
Obese/Obesity |
BMI ≥ 30; code E66.x |
Renal and Urinary Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| CKD |
Chronic Kidney Disease |
Progressive kidney damage; code N18.1-N18.6 |
| GFR |
Glomerular Filtration Rate |
Measure of kidney function (mL/min) |
| AKI |
Acute Kidney Injury |
Sudden loss of kidney function; code N17.x |
| ESRD |
End-Stage Renal Disease |
Advanced CKD requiring dialysis; code N18.6 |
| UTI |
Urinary Tract Infection |
Cystitis or pyelonephritis; code N39.0 or N10 |
| BPH |
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia |
Enlarged prostate; code N40.x |
| Creatinine |
Kidney function marker |
Waste product; elevated = kidney problems |
| BUN |
Blood Urea Nitrogen |
Kidney function test |
Neurological Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| CVA |
Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke) |
Brain damage from lack of blood flow; code I63.x, I61.x |
| TIA |
Transient Ischemic Attack |
Mini-stroke; temporary symptoms; code G45.x |
| MS |
Multiple Sclerosis |
Autoimmune nerve disease; code G35 |
| ALS |
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s) |
Progressive motor neuron disease; code G12.21 |
| Parkinson’s |
Parkinson’s Disease |
Movement disorder; code G20 |
| Alzheimer’s |
Alzheimer’s Disease |
Dementia; code G30.x |
| MCI |
Mild Cognitive Impairment |
Between normal aging and dementia; code G31.83 |
| Seizure |
Abnormal brain electrical activity |
Single episode; code R56.9 or G40.x |
| LOC |
Loss of Consciousness |
Unconscious state |
| GCS |
Glasgow Coma Scale |
Neurological assessment score (3-15) |
Hematologic and Oncologic Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| CBC |
Complete Blood Count |
Blood test; checks WBC, RBC, platelets |
| WBC |
White Blood Cell |
Infection-fighting cells |
| RBC |
Red Blood Cell |
Oxygen-carrying cells |
| Hgb |
Hemoglobin |
Oxygen-carrying protein in RBCs |
| Hct |
Hematocrit |
Percentage of RBCs in blood |
| Anemia |
Low red blood cells/hemoglobin |
D50-D64 codes |
| Leukemia |
Cancer of white blood cells |
C91-C95 codes |
| Lymphoma |
Cancer of lymph nodes |
C81-C86 codes |
| CA |
Cancer |
Malignant neoplasm; C00-C97 codes |
| TX |
Treatment |
Therapy for condition |
Musculoskeletal Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| OA |
Osteoarthritis |
Degenerative joint disease; code M17-M19 |
| RA |
Rheumatoid Arthritis |
Autoimmune joint disease; code M05-M06 |
| ACL |
Anterior Cruciate Ligament |
Knee ligament; injury code S83.5 |
| MCL |
Medial Collateral Ligament |
Knee ligament; injury code S83.4 |
| ROM |
Range of Motion |
How much a joint can move |
| PT |
Physical Therapy |
Rehabilitation treatment |
| Fx |
Fracture |
Break in bone; S codes |
| fx hx |
Fracture History |
Past broken bones |
Psychiatric and Psychological Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| Depression |
Major Depressive Disorder |
F32 (single episode), F33 (recurrent) |
| Anxiety |
Generalized Anxiety Disorder |
F41.1 |
| PTSD |
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
F43.10 |
| OCD |
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder |
F42 |
| Bipolar |
Bipolar Disorder |
F31 (Type 1), F31.8 (Type 2) |
| Schizo |
Schizophrenia |
F20 |
| SUD |
Substance Use Disorder |
Alcohol, drug addiction; F10-F19 |
Infectious Disease Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| URI |
Upper Respiratory Infection |
Cold, sore throat; code J06-J11 |
| LRI |
Lower Respiratory Infection |
Bronchitis, pneumonia; code J12-J18 |
| COVID |
COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) |
U07.1 |
| Flu |
Influenza |
J09-J11 |
| RSV |
Respiratory Syncytial Virus |
B97.4 |
| HIV |
Human Immunodeficiency Virus |
B20 (AIDS), Z21 (HIV positive) |
| AIDS |
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome |
B20 |
| Sepsis |
Systemic Infection/Bloodstream Infection |
A40, A41 |
| MRSA |
Methicillin-Resistant Staph Aureus |
Antibiotic-resistant infection |
Lab and Test Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| CT |
Computed Tomography |
Imaging test (CAT scan) |
| MRI |
Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
Detailed imaging without radiation |
| X-ray |
Radiograph |
Radiation imaging |
| US |
Ultrasound |
Sound wave imaging |
| ECG/EKG |
Electrocardiogram |
Heart rhythm test |
| EEG |
Electroencephalogram |
Brain activity test |
| BMP |
Basic Metabolic Panel |
Electrolytes, kidney function test |
| CMP |
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel |
BMP + liver function tests |
| LFT |
Liver Function Tests |
AST, ALT, bilirubin |
| Lipid Panel |
Cholesterol Test |
Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides |
⭐ Pro Tip: Keep a list of abbreviations you encounter frequently. The CPC exam will include abbreviations you need to know to interpret clinical notes. Memorizing the most common ones saves time during the exam.
Anatomy and Location Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| RUQ |
Right Upper Quadrant |
Right upper abdomen |
| LUQ |
Left Upper Quadrant |
Left upper abdomen |
| RLQ |
Right Lower Quadrant |
Right lower abdomen |
| LLQ |
Left Lower Quadrant |
Left lower abdomen |
| RUL |
Right Upper Lobe (lung) |
Top of right lung |
| RLL |
Right Lower Lobe (lung) |
Bottom of right lung |
| LUL |
Left Upper Lobe (lung) |
Top of left lung |
| LLL |
Left Lower Lobe (lung) |
Bottom of left lung |
Common Clinical Abbreviations
| Abbreviation |
Meaning |
Context/Use |
| Hx |
History |
“PMH” = Past Medical History |
| Sx |
Symptom or Surgery |
Context determines meaning |
| Dx |
Diagnosis |
What the condition is |
| Tx |
Treatment or Transplant |
Context determines meaning |
| Rx |
Medication/Prescription |
Drug being given |
| STAT |
Immediately |
Latin: “statim” = immediately |
| BID |
Twice Daily |
Two times per day |
| TID |
Three Times Daily |
Three times per day |
| QID |
Four Times Daily |
Four times per day |
| PO |
Orally (By Mouth) |
Route of medication |
| IV |
Intravenous |
Into the vein |
| IM |
Intramuscular |
Into the muscle |
| SC/SQ |
Subcutaneous |
Under the skin |
❌ Abbreviation Caution: Some abbreviations are confusing and have multiple meanings. Always use context to determine the correct meaning. For example, “TX” can mean “treatment” or “transplant.” Ask for clarification if unsure!
Why Medical Abbreviations Matter for Coders
Understanding medical abbreviations helps you:
- Interpret clinical documentation quickly and accurately
- Identify missing information when abbreviations don’t provide enough detail
- Recognize commonly tested abbreviations on the CPC exam
- Communicate effectively with healthcare providers
- Code conditions correctly based on abbreviation meanings
This comprehensive guide covers over 100 essential abbreviations. Bookmark this page and reference it whenever you encounter unfamiliar abbreviations in medical records. The more familiar you become with these abbreviations, the faster and more accurately you’ll be able to code.
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