Glossary of Terms / Abbreviations

BMI	Body Mass Index
BMR	Basic Metabolic Rate
C/O	Complaining of
C2H5OH	Alcohol
CHD	Coronary Heart Disease
CN 2-12	Cranial nerves 2-12 - a way of describing nerves in the head and neck
COPD	Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
DP	Dorsalis Pedis- one of the pulses in your feet
ECG	Electrocardiogram
eGFR	Estimated Gloerular Filtration Rate - an estimate of kidney function
ENT	Ear, Nose and Throat
FBC	Full blood count - blood test checking haemoglobin levels, white cells and platelets
FROM	Full range of movement
FU	Follow up
IHD	Ischaemic Heart Disease
LBP	Low Back Pain
LFTs	Liver function tests - an indication of how your liver is doing
LIGs	Ligaments
MAP	Morning after pill (emergency contraception) or Mean Arterial Pressure
Med 3	A fit (sick) note from the date of the signature - should state cause and how long it lasts
Med 4	Another type of sick note
Med 5	A sick note that has been backdated
MI	Myocardial Infarction or "heart attack"
MSSU	Mid stream specimen of urine
MVA	Motor vehicle accident
NAD	Nothing Abnormal Detected
NSAID	Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug e.g. ibuprofen, aspirin
O/E	On examination
PRN	As required
PT	Posterior Tibial pulse - another pulse in your feet
Pt	Patient
R/V	Review
R/V 1/12	Review in 1 month
R/V 1/52	Review in 1 week
R/V 3/7	Review in 3 days
Rx	Prescription / Treatment
Sn	Sick note - same as Med 3
SOB	Shortness of Breath
Sx	Symptoms - what the patient has been complaining of
TAAT	Tired all the time
TFTs	Thyroid function blood tests
TIA	Transient ischaemic attack - often referred to as a mini stroke
TOP	Termination of pregnancy
U&Es	Urea and elctrolytes - blood test checking the salt and kidney function in your blood
USS or U/S	Ultrasound scan
UTI	Urinary Tract Infection

If you come across any abbreviations that you do not understand please contact Dr Hannan by e-mailing him on htmcpatient@nhs.net who will explain them to you and also add to this list for others to benefit from it too.