Approved Medical Abbreviations
The following is a list of approved medical abbreviations. Providers should use only these
abbreviations in medical documentation or other agency specific approved abbreviations.
A:
AAA Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
AAL Anterior Axillary Line
ABC Airway, Breathing, Circulation
ABD Abdomen or Abdominal
ABCH Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Hemorrhage
AC Antecubital fossa
ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support
ACV Assist-Control Volume
ACP Assist-Control Pressure
A/O x 3 Alert and oriented to person, place, and time
A/O x 4 Alert and oriented to person, place, time, and situation
AED Automated External Defibrillator
AEMT Advanced Emergency Medical Technician
AFIB Atrial Fibrillation
AFLT Atrial Flutter
AFIBRVR Atrial Fibrillation with Rapid Ventricular Response
AFLTRVR Atrial Flutter with Rapid Ventricular Response
AI Adrenal Insufficiency
AICD Automated Internal Cardioverter – Defibrillator
AIDS Acquired Immunodeficient Syndrome
AIVR Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm
AKA Above Knee Amputation
ALS Advanced Life Support
AOSTF Arrived on scene to find
AM Morning
AMA Against Medical Advice
AMB Ambulance
AMI Anterior Myocardial Infarction
AMS Altered Mental Status
AMT Amount
APGAR Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiratory
APPROX or ~ Approximately
Appendix: G
Revised
10/15/2023 Any local EMS System changes to this document must follow the NC OEMS Protocol Change Policy and be approved by OEMS 2
, Approved Medical Abbreviations
The following is a list of approved medical abbreviations. Providers should use only these
abbreviations in medical documentation or other agency specific approved abbreviations.
A:
ASA Aspirin
ASSOC Associated or Association
AVB AV Block / Atrioventricular Block
AVPU Alert, Responsive to Verbal, Responsive to Pain, Unresponsive
B:
BB Beta-blockers
BBS Bilateral Breath Sounds
BILAT or B/L Bilateral
BIAD Blind Insertion Airway Device
BI-VAD Bi-Ventricular Assist Device
BG or BGL Blood Glucose
BKA Below Knee Amputation
BL Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure
BLS Basic Life Support
BM Bowel Movement
BP Blood Pressure
BPM Breaths per Minute or Beats per Minute
BS Breath Sounds
BSI Body Substance Isolation
BVM Bag-Valve-Mask
C:
CA CANCER
CABG Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
CAD Coronary Artery Disease
CATH Catheter
Cap refill Capillary refill
CBG Capillary Blood Glucose
CC or C/C Chief Complaint
Appendix: G
Revised
10/15/2023 Any local EMS System changes to this document must follow the NC OEMS Protocol Change Policy and be approved by OEMS 3
The following is a list of approved medical abbreviations. Providers should use only these
abbreviations in medical documentation or other agency specific approved abbreviations.
A:
AAA Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
AAL Anterior Axillary Line
ABC Airway, Breathing, Circulation
ABD Abdomen or Abdominal
ABCH Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Hemorrhage
AC Antecubital fossa
ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support
ACV Assist-Control Volume
ACP Assist-Control Pressure
A/O x 3 Alert and oriented to person, place, and time
A/O x 4 Alert and oriented to person, place, time, and situation
AED Automated External Defibrillator
AEMT Advanced Emergency Medical Technician
AFIB Atrial Fibrillation
AFLT Atrial Flutter
AFIBRVR Atrial Fibrillation with Rapid Ventricular Response
AFLTRVR Atrial Flutter with Rapid Ventricular Response
AI Adrenal Insufficiency
AICD Automated Internal Cardioverter – Defibrillator
AIDS Acquired Immunodeficient Syndrome
AIVR Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm
AKA Above Knee Amputation
ALS Advanced Life Support
AOSTF Arrived on scene to find
AM Morning
AMA Against Medical Advice
AMB Ambulance
AMI Anterior Myocardial Infarction
AMS Altered Mental Status
AMT Amount
APGAR Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiratory
APPROX or ~ Approximately
Appendix: G
Revised
10/15/2023 Any local EMS System changes to this document must follow the NC OEMS Protocol Change Policy and be approved by OEMS 2
, Approved Medical Abbreviations
The following is a list of approved medical abbreviations. Providers should use only these
abbreviations in medical documentation or other agency specific approved abbreviations.
A:
ASA Aspirin
ASSOC Associated or Association
AVB AV Block / Atrioventricular Block
AVPU Alert, Responsive to Verbal, Responsive to Pain, Unresponsive
B:
BB Beta-blockers
BBS Bilateral Breath Sounds
BILAT or B/L Bilateral
BIAD Blind Insertion Airway Device
BI-VAD Bi-Ventricular Assist Device
BG or BGL Blood Glucose
BKA Below Knee Amputation
BL Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure
BLS Basic Life Support
BM Bowel Movement
BP Blood Pressure
BPM Breaths per Minute or Beats per Minute
BS Breath Sounds
BSI Body Substance Isolation
BVM Bag-Valve-Mask
C:
CA CANCER
CABG Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
CAD Coronary Artery Disease
CATH Catheter
Cap refill Capillary refill
CBG Capillary Blood Glucose
CC or C/C Chief Complaint
Appendix: G
Revised
10/15/2023 Any local EMS System changes to this document must follow the NC OEMS Protocol Change Policy and be approved by OEMS 3
