A - fib
Atrial Fibrillation

A&Ox3
Alert & Oriented To Person, Place and Time

A&Ox4
Alert & Oriented To Person, Place, Time and Event

A&P
Anterior and Posterior

A.sat
Arterial Saturation

A/C
Assist/Control

A/V
Artery/Vein Ratio (Retinal)

A/V BG
Arteriovenous Blood Gas

A2
Aortic 2nd Heart Sound is Less Than Pulmonic 2nd Sound

A2>P2
Aortic 2nd Heart Sound is Greater Than Pulmonic 2nd Sound

aa
Of Each

AAROM
Active Assisted Range of Motion

Ab
Antibody

ABBREVIATION
DEFINITION

ABC
Automated Blood Counts

Abd
Abdominal

Abd.Poll.
Abductor Pollicis

Abduction (Valgus stress) test
A test designed to identify medial instability of the knee. The examiner applies a valgus stress to the patient's knee while the patient's ankle is stabilized in a slight lateral rotation. The test is...Full Definition

ABG
Arterial Blood Gases

ABI
Ankle Brachial Index

ABO
Blood Types A, B & O (generic term)

ac
Ante Cibum - Before Meals

AC Joint
Acromioclavicular Joint

ACD
Anticoagulant Citrate Dextrose Solution

ACDA
Acid Citrate Dextrose A

Acidosis
Too much acid in the body, a distinctly abnormal condition resulting from the accumulation of acid or from the depletion of alkaline reserves. In acidosis, the pH of the blood is abnormally low. Acido...Full Definition

Acquired immunodeficiency disease
Acquired immunodeficiency disease: Disease caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

ACT
Activated Clotting Time

ActH
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

ACU
Acute Care Unit

Acute myocardial infarction
An acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a heart attack.

The term "myocardial infarction" focuses on the heart muscle (the myocardium) and the changes that occur in it due to sudden (acute) depr...Full Definition

ad lib
Ad Libitum = at Pleasure; at Discretion

ADA
Adult Diabetes Association (Diet)

Add
Bifocal Addition (Ophth)

Adduction (Varus Stress) test
A test designed to identify lateral instability of the knee. The examiner applies a varus stress to the patient's knee while the ankle is stabilized. The test is done with the patient's knee in full e...Full Definition

ADH
Antidiuretic Hormone

ADL
Activities for Daily Living

Adson Maneuver
A test designed to determine the presence of thoracic outlet syndrome. The patient turns his or her head toward the shoulder on the side being tested. The examiner externally rotates and extends the s...Full Definition

AFDC
Aid to Families with Dependant Children

AGA
Appropriate for Gestational Age

AGL
Acute Granulocytic Leukemia

AHA
American Heart Association

AIDS
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Alk Phos
Alkaline Phosphatase

ALL
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

Allen Maneuver
A test designed to identify the presence of thoracic outlet syndrome. With the patient seated, the examiner flexes the patient's elbow to 90 degrees while the patient's shoulder is abducted 90 degrees...Full Definition

Allen test
A test designed to determine the patency of the vascular communication in the hand. The examiner first palpates and occludes the radial and ulnar arteries. The patient is then asked to open and close ...Full Definition

ALS
Advanced Life Support

ALT
Alanine Aminotransferase

am
Ante Meridiem = Before Noon

AMA
Against Medical Advise

Amb
Ambulance

amb
ambulate

AMI
Acute (or Anterior) Myocardial Infarction

AMP
Amplitude

ANC
Absolute Neutrophil Count

Anes
Anesthesia

Ant. Tib.
Anterior Tibial

Ante
Ante = Before

Anterior Drawer Sign
A test designed to identify anterior ankle instability. The patient sits with the leg dangling over the table. The examiner stabilizes the distal tibia and fibula with one hand while the examiner's ot...Full Definition

Anterior/Posterior Drawer (Sign) Test
A test designed to detect anterior and posterior instability of the knee (Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Posterior Cruciate Ligament). The patient lies supine with the knee flexed 90 degrees. The examin...Full Definition

AODM
Adult Onset Diabetes Mellitus

Apley Grind/Distraction Test
A test designed to detect meniscal lesions. The patient lies prone with the knee flexed to 90 degrees. The examiner applies a compressive force on the heel and rotates the tibia back and forth while p...Full Definition

Apprehension Test for Anterior Shoulder Dislocation
A test designed to determine whether a patient has a history of anterior dislocations. With the patient supine, the examiner slowly abducts and externally rotates the patient's arm. The test is positi...Full Definition

Apprehension Test for Posterior Shoulder Dislocation
A test designed to determine whether a patient has a history of posterior dislocations. With the patient supine, the examiner slowly flexes the patient's arm to 90 degrees and the patient's elbow to 9...Full Definition

APTT
Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time

AROM
Active Range of Motion

asa
Aspirin

ASAP
As Soon As Possible

ASCVD
Arteriosclerotic Cardiovasular Disease

ASD
Atrial Septal Defect

ASO
Anti-Streptolysin O Titer

ASPVD
Atherosclerotic Peripheral Vascular Disease

AST
Aspartate Aminotransferase

AVO2
Arteriovenous Oxygen

AVO2 diff
Arterial Venous Oxygen Difference

Axial Loading
This test is completed by the doctor pressing down on the standing patient's head. This maneuver should not produce low back pain.