Basic Medical Abbreviations

Which are procedures used to generate images? Select all that apply.

A. CAT C. MRI D. PET

How is a test of electrical activity in the heart abbreviated?

A. ECG

A patient takes home his prescription and sees the abbreviation "tab" on the bottle. This means that the medication is in what form?

A. solid

Heart attack is the common term for a(n) ________.

AMI

Abbreviated medical terminology is useful because it

B. D. speeds up written communication.

This is a legal order that does not allow a patient to receive life-saving procedures.

B. DNR

A patient is at risk of developing diabetes, so the doctor wants a measure of the patient's blood sugar after several hours of not eating. How is this abbreviated on the patient's chart?

B. FBS

Which two abbreviations are most commonly used in a pharmacy setting?

B. Rx C. PO

What does it mean to take a medication "prn"?

B. as needed

FAS is the abbreviation for

B. fetal alcohol syndrome.

Medical terminology is important because it

B. makes communication easier. C. reduces confusion.

The frequency "every" is abbreviated by what letter(s)?

B. q

Abbreviations are important because they

B. simplify writing. C. enable quick communication of thoughts.

If a doctor is measuring how strongly the heart is pumping blood throughout the body, the medical chart might include the abbreviation ______________.

B/P

________________ is a measure of how strongly the heart is beating.

B/P

What is the medical abbreviation for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

C. ADHD

If a patient has diabetes, how would a doctor abbreviate this on a medical chart?

C. DM

This abbreviation is used to measure electrical activity in the brain.

C. EEG

Which is an abbreviation of a viral disease?

C. HPV

Healthcare workers use which abbreviation to describe patients' ability to move their joints?

C. ROM

If you have to write the abbreviation for an infant who suddenly dies from unknown causes, you would write

C. SIDS.

A doctor writes a prescription that contains the abbreviation PO. How should the patient use the medication?

C. The patient should take it by mouth.

Medical terminology is important in the health sciences because

C. it standardizes communication.

If your prescription bottle tells you to "take medicine tid," how often should you take it?

C. three times a day

________ refers to a procedure that can be given to an unconscious person whose heart has stopped beating.

CPR

If a pharmacist has been ordered not to substitute a generic drug, the doctor will write _______ on the prescription.

D. A. W.

If a doctor writes STI as a patient's diagnosis, what condition does the patient have?

D. sexually transmitted infection

A/an ___________ is an important legal order that prevents a patient from receiving life-saving support if his heart stops beating or he stops breathing.

DNR

You would find __________ written in a medical chart to refer to a patient's blood sugar level after not eating for several hours.

FBS

____________ measures the number of heartbeats in a minute.

HR/BPM

If a patient has a condition that affects his bowels, you might find _____ abbreviated in his medical chart as his diagnosis.

IBD

________________ is used to abbreviate a set of disabilities that affect a person's capacity to learn certain skills.

LD

_______ is a disease in which the body cannot properly send electrical messages to various parts, thereby limiting functionality.

MS

One of your new patients has a condition in which she demonstrates obsessive behaviors. You would therefore find ________ written as her medical diagnosis.

OCD

A patient is told to take her medicine "ac," meaning she should take it ____________.

before meals

A ____________, abbreviated Dx, is the identification of a particular disorder or disease.

diagnosis

If __________ is written on the prescription, the patient is to take the medication as directed.

e. m. p.

________ is used to tell patients to take a medication as directed.

e.m.p

______ is an example of a volume or dosage measurement.

mg

After surgery, a patient may have a lot of pain or a little, so his doctor recommends that he take the medicine only when he needs it. Therefore, his prescription should say _______.

prn