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Medical Terminology & Abbreviations

NOTE:  These terms are useful when you want to read medical charts in hospitals or nursing homes.

Medical Terminology
TERM  EXPLANATION
AGNOSIA STIMULUS LOSS OF ABILITY TO INTERPRET SENSORY
ANEURYSM A SAC FORMED BY THE DILATION OF THE WALLS OF
AN ARTERY
APHASIA LOSS OF LANGUAGE
APRAXIA LOSS OF MOTOR PLANNING ABILITIES
ATHEROSCLEROSIS FATTY DEPOSITS ON ARTERY WALLS
CAROTID ARTERY MAJOR ARTERY IN THE FRONT OF THE NECK
PROVIDING BLOOD TO THE BRAIN
DEFICIT  LOSS
DYSARTHRIA DIFFICULTY IN SPEAKING DUE TO LOSS OF MUSCLE
FUNCTION IN MUSCLES INVOLVED IN SPEECH
HEMIPARESIS WEAKNESS OF ONE SIDE OF THE BODY
HEMIPLEGIA PARALYSIS OF ONE SIDE OF THE BODY
MONOPLEGIA PARALYSIS OF ONE EXTREMITY
MOTOR DEFICITS LOSS OF MUSCLE CONTROL
PARAPLEGIA PARALYSIS OF THE LOWER HALF OF THE BODY
QUADRIPLEGIA PARALYSIS OF ALL FOUR EXTREMITIES
SENSORY DEFICITS LOSS IN ONE OR MORE OF THE VARIOUS SENSES
(SIGHT, TOUCH, HEARING, TASTE & SMELL)
SPINAL TAP
(LUMBAR FLUID PUNCTURE)
REMOVAL OF SMALL AMOUNT OF SPINAL FLUID FOR EXAMINATION
STROKE IN EVOLUTION STROKE OCCURRING SLOWLY WITH DEFICITS
THROMBUS STATIONARY BLOOD CLOT

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MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS
ABBREVIATION EXPLANATION
A.B.R. ABSOLUTE BED REST
A.C.  BEFORE MEALS
ACF ADULT CARE FACILITY
ADL ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING
ALC ALTERNATIVE LEVEL OF CARE
AD LIB  AS DESIRED
B.I.D. TWICE A DAY
B.P. BLOOD PRESSURE
C.B.C. COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT
CHHA  CERTIFIED HOME HEALTH AGENCY
C.N.S. CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CPR CARDIO-PULMONARY RESUSCITATION
C.V.A.  CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT (STROKE)
CATH CATHETERIZED
DNR  DO NOT RESUSCITATE
DRG   DIAGNOSTIC RELATED GROUPING
EEG  ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM
EKG ELECTROCARDIOGRAM
E.N.T.    EAR, NOSE & THROAT
FX FRACTURE
H.S. BEDTIME
Hb or Hgb HEMOGLOBIN
I & O   INTAKE AND OUTPUT
I.C.U.   INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
I.M.  INTRAMUSCULAR
I.V.  INTRAVENOUS
LTHHCP  LONG TERM HOME HEALTH CARE PGM
N.P.O.  NOTHING BY MOUTH
N.V.D.      NAUSEA, VOMITING AND DIARRHEA
NG NASO-GASTRIC FEEDING TUBE
OD    DAILY
O.D.  RIGHT EYE
O.S. LEFT EYE
O.U.  BOTH EYES
OOB     OUT OF BED
OS     MOUTH
OT  OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
P.C.    AFTER MEALS
P.O. BY MOUTH
P.R.N. WHENEVER NECESSARY
PCA PERSONAL CARE AIDE
PRI     PATIENT REVIEW INSTRUMENT
PT    PHYSICAL THERAPY
q.        EVERY
q.2h  EVERY TWO HOURS
q.d.   EVERY DAY
q.h. EVERY HOUR
q.i.d. FOUR TIMES DAILY
q.o.d. EVERY OTHER DAY
ROM RANGE OF MOTION
_
C     
WITH
_  .  _
S, S, S, S 
WITHOUT
S.O.B. SHORTNESS OF BREATH
SNF SKILLED NURSING FACILITY
STAT AT ONCE
T.I.A. TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK
T.I.D.  THREE TIMES A DAY
T.P.R. TEMPERATURE, PULSE, RESPIRATION
UR  UTILIZATION REVIEW
W.N.  WELL NOURISHED
WC  WHEEL CHAIR

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