| Medical Term | Parts/ Definition |
|---|---|
| a | no, away, negative |
| A & P | anatomy and physiology |
| a.c. | before meals |
| Ab | away, negative, absent |
| Abdomin/o | abdomen |
| ac,al,ar,ary,eal,ical,ial,ic | pertaining to |
| Ad | to, toward, near |
| AD | right ear |
| ad lib | as desired |
| Aden/o | gland |
| Adipose Tissue | Fat cells |
| ADL | activities of daily living |
| ago,esis,ia,iasis,osis | abnormal condition |
| algia | pain, painful |
| alt dieb | alternate days (every other day) |
| am | morning |
| amb | ambulate, walk |
| ant | anterior |
| Aphagia | Inability to swallow |
| Append/o | appendix |
| Arthralgia | Pain of joints |
| Arthrocentesis | A procedure in which synovial fluid is removed for analysis |
| AS | aspirin |
| as tol | as tolerated |
| asap/ASAP | as soon as possible |
| Ateri/o | artery |
| AU | both ears |
| bl | blood |
| bl wk | blood work |
| BR | bed rest |
| Brady- | Prefix for slow |
| BRP | bathroom privileges |
| c | with |
| c/o | complain of |
| CC | chief complaint |
| centesis | surgical puncture |
| Cephalic | Head |
| check P and BP qh, DC BR ad lib | check pulse and blood pressure ever hour, discontinue bed rest as desired |
| cl liq | clear liquid |
| Colporrhaphy | repair of the vagina |
| Corpus | Body |
| Cost/o | artery |
| CXR | chest x-ray |
| DAT | diet as tolerated |
| DC | discontinue |
| DNR | do not resuscitate |
| dynia | pain |
| Dys | bad, difficult |
| Dysmenorrhea | Painful menstrual periods |
| E, ex | out, away from |
| ectomy | surgical removal |
| Endo | within |
| Eti/o | cause |
| exam | examination |
| exam AU PRN qd | examination of both ears as needed every day |
| Exo- | The prefix meaning outside or outer |
| FF | force fluids |
| Function/o | perform, function |
| Gastr/o | stomach |
| Gynecomastia | Abnormally large breasts in men |
| Hem/o | blood |
| Hepatologist | Physician specializing in treating patients with diseases of the liver |
| Hidradenitis | Inflammation of a sweat gland |
| hr (h) | hour |
| Hx | history |
| Hyper | over, above |
| Hypo | under, below |
| Hysteroplexy | Surgical fixation of the uterus in a suspended position |
| IM | intramuscular |
| ine,ior,ory,ous,tic | pertaining to |
| Infarct | An area of dead myocardial tissue |
| Infra | below |
| Inter | between |
| Intra | into, within |
| ion,ism | condition |
| itis | inflammation |
| IV am pp and bl wk | intravenous in the morning after eating and blood work |
| Laryng/o | throat, larynx |
| Leukopenia | Abnormally low white blood cell count |
| Lith/o | stone |
| Lithiasis | Abnormal condition of stones |
| LOC | level of consciousness |
| malacia | abnormal softening |
| Mastopexy | A pendulous breast is lifted and fixed to the chest wall |
| Meatotomy | Incision made to enlarge the opening of the external urethra |
| Menarche | Beginning of menstruation |
| move pt qid to chair | move patient four times a day to the chair |
| Nat/i | birth |
| neg | negative |
| Neur/o | nerve |
| Norm/o | normal |
| NPO | nothing by mouth |
| NPO, DAT am | nothing by mouth, diet as tolerated in the morning |
| Oculus Sinister | Abbreviation for OS (left eye) |
| ology | study of |
| Onych | The prefix pertaining to fingernail |
| Orthopedics | Branch of medicine specializes in the study of the musculoskeletal system |
| Orthopnea | The ability to breathe comfortably only when in an upright position |
| Oste/o | bone |
| Ot/o | ear |
| P | pulse |
| palp | palpation |
| Path/o | disease |
| pc | after meals |
| Phagia | Refers to "eating" |
| plasty | surgical repair |
| po | by mouth |
| Post | after, behind |
| post | posterior |
| Post cibum | Medication "pc" means |
| pp | after eating |
| Pre | before, infront |
| pt | patient |
| pt ASA PRN am til exam | give the patient aspirin as needed in the morning until examination |
| pyloromyotomy | performed in Gastrointestinal |
| q | every |
| q2h | every 2 hours |
| qd | every day |
| qh | every hour |
| qid | 4 times a day |
| Rhin/o | nose |
| Rhinorrhea | Drainage from the nose |
| rrhage, rrhagia | bleeding, excessive discharge |
| sclerosis | abnormal hardening |
| stenosis | abnormal narrowing |
| Sub | under |
| Supra | above, upper |
| temp (T) | temperature |
| Tens | tension |
| Thoraces | Plural form of the medical term that means chest |
| tid | 3 times a day |
| tion | process, state, quality of |
| tol | tolerated |
| tomy | "incision into" |
| Tonsil/o | tonsil |
| Tympanoplasty | Reconstruction of the eardrum |
| Ur/o | vein |
| V/S | vital signs |
| V/S q4h ASA ad lib | Take vital signs every 4 hours, aspirin as desired |
| y/o | years old |
A Future Doctor
