The following abbreviations are used throughout the text; other abbreviations are expanded at first mention in the chapter or subchapter.
ABG arterial blood gas ACE angiotensin-converting enzyme ACTH adrenocorticotropic hormone ADH antidiuretic hormone AIDS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ALT alanine aminotransferase (formerly SGPT) AST aspartate aminotransferase (formerly SGOT) ATP adenosine triphosphate BCG bacille Calmette-Guérin bid 2 times a day BMR basal metabolic rate BP blood pressure BSA body surface area BUN blood urea nitrogen C Celsius; centigrade; complement Ca calcium cAMP cyclic adenosine monophosphate CBC complete blood count cGy centigray Ci curie CK creatine kinase Cl chloride; chlorine cm centimeter CNS central nervous system CO2 carbon dioxide COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease CK creatine kinase CK-MB creatine kinase muscle band isoenzyme CPR cardiopulmonary resuscitation CSF cerebrospinal fluid CT computed tomography cu cubic D & C dilation and curettage dL deciliter (= 100 mL) DNA deoxyribonucleic acid DTP diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (toxoids/vaccine) D/W or D dextrose in water ECF extracellular fluid ECG electrocardiogram EEG electroencephalogram ENT ear, nose, and throat ERCP endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate F Fahrenheit FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration ft foot; feet (measure) FUO fever of unknown origin g gram GFR glomerular filtration rate GI gastrointestinal G6PD glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase GU genitourinary Gy gray h hour Hb hemoglobin HCl hydrochloric acid; hydrochloride HCO3 bicarbonate Hct hematocrit Hg mercury HIV human immunodeficiency virus HLA human leukocyte antigen HMG-CoA hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A Hz hertz (cycles/second) ICF intracellular fluid ICU intensive care unit IgA, etc immunoglobin A, etc IL interleukin IM intramuscular(ly) INR international normalized ratio IPPB intermittent positive pressure breathing IU international unit IV intravenous(ly) IVU intravenous urography K potassium kcal kilocalorie (food calorie) kg kilogram L liter lb pound LDH lactic dehydrogenase M molar m meter MCH mean corpuscular hemoglobin MCHC mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration mCi millicurie MCV mean corpuscular volume mEq milliequivalent Mg magnesium mg milligram MI myocardial infarction MIC minimum inhibitory concentration mIU milli-international unit mL milliliter mm millimeter mmol millimole mo month mol wt molecular weight mOsm milliosmole MRI magnetic resonance imaging N nitrogen; normal (strength of solution) Na sodium NaCl sodium chloride ng nanogram (= millimicrogram) nm nanometer (= millimicron) nmol nanomole npo nothing by mouth NSAID nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug O2 oxygen OTC over-the-counter (pharmaceuticals) oz ounce P phosphorus; pressure PAco2 alveolar carbon dioxide partial pressure Paco2 arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure PAo2 alveolar oxygen partial pressure Pao2arterial oxygen partial pressure PAS periodic acid-Schiff Pco2 carbon dioxide partial pressure (or tension) PCR polymerase chain reaction PET positron emission tomography pg picogram (= micromicrogram) pH hydrogen ion concentration PMN polymorphonuclear leukocyte po orally Po2 oxygen partial pressure (or tension) PPD purified protein derivative (tuberculin) ppm parts per million prn as needed PT prothrombin time PTT partial thromboplastin time q every qid 4 times a day RA rheumatoid arthritis RBC red blood cell RNA ribonucleic acid Sao2 arterial oxygen saturation SBE subacute bacterial endocarditis sc subcutaneous(ly) SI International System of Units SIDS sudden infant death syndrome SLE systemic lupus erythematosus soln solution sp species (singular) spp species (plural) sp gr specific gravity sq square SSRI selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor STS serologic test(s) for syphilis TB tuberculosis tid 3 times a day TPN total parenteral nutrition URI upper respiratory infection UTI urinary tract infection WBC white blood cell WHO World Health Organization wt weight μ micro-; micron μ Ci microcurie μ g microgram μ L microliter μ m micrometer (= micron) μ mol micromole μ Osm micro-osmole m μ millimicron (= nanometer)