List of medical abbreviations: P
Abbreviation | Meaning |
---|---|
p | after (from Latin post) [letter p with a bar over it] |
P | parturition (total number of live births) phosphorus pulse post |
POSM | plasma osmolality |
PA | posterior–anterior, posteroanterior pulmonary artery physician assistant psoriatic arthritis primary aldosteronism |
P&A | percussion and auscultation phenol and alcohol matrixectomy |
PAC | premature atrial contraction pulmonary artery catheter, pulmonary artery catheterisation |
PACU | Post-Anesthesia Care Unit |
PAD | peripheral artery disease (aka peripheral artery occlusive disease) postadmission day (e.g. PAD 6 equals the sixth day of being in hospital) peripheral airspace disease Passively Acquired anti-D |
PAF | platelet activating factor paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (meaning intermittent AF) |
PAH | pulmonary arterial hypertension phenylalanine hydroxylase |
PAI-1 | plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 |
PAL | posterior axillary line |
PALS | Pediatric Advanced Life Support (training program) |
PAN | polyarteritis nodosa |
PAO | peak acid output |
PAOD | peripheral artery occlusive disease |
PAP | Papanicolaou stain positive airway pressure pulmonary artery pressure (see pulmonary hypertension) pulmonary alveolar proteinosis |
Pap | Papanicolaou test (pap smear) |
PAPP-A | pregnancy-associated plasma protein A |
PARA I | indicating a woman with one child (partus = birth) |
PARA II | indicating a woman with two children (partus = birth) |
PASP | Pulmonary artery systolic pressure |
PAT | paroxysmal atrial tachycardia |
PBC | primary biliary cirrhosis |
PBX | probiotics |
PBF | peripheral blood film |
p.c. | after food (from Latin post cibum) after meals |
PCA | patient-controlled analgesia |
PCa | prostate cancer |
PCD | postconcussional disorder primary ciliary dyskinesia |
PCI | percutaneous coronary intervention |
PCIOL | posterior chamber intraocular lens |
PCL | posterior cruciate ligament |
PCN | penicillin |
PCNSL | primary CNS (central nervous system) lymphoma |
PCO | polycystic ovary (see polycystic ovarian syndrome) |
PCOS | polycystic ovarian syndrome |
PCP | Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (now called Pneumocystis pneumonia) primary care physician (also called primary care provider) |
PCR | patient care report polymerase chain reaction |
PCS | post-concussion syndrome |
PCT | progesterone challenge test Patient care technician |
PCV | packed cell volume (see hematocrit) polycythemia vera |
PCWP | pulmonary capillary wedge pressure |
PD | Parkinson's disease peritoneal dialysis physical diagnosis personality disorder program director |
PDA | patent ductus arteriosus posterior descending artery |
PDD | premenstrual dysphoric disorder |
PDE | phosphodiesterase |
PDGF | platelet-derived growth factor |
PDR | Physicians' Desk Reference |
PDT | photodynamic therapy |
PDVT | postoperative deep-vein thrombosis |
PE | pulmonary embolism pre-eclampsia physical examination |
PEA | pulseless electrical activity |
PEARL | pupils equal and reactive to light |
PEB | cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (chemotherapy regimen) |
PEEP | positive end expiratory pressure |
PEF | peak expiratory flow |
PEFR | peak expiratory flow rate |
PEG | percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy |
PEM | protein/energy malnutrition (aka Kwashiorkor) |
pen | penicillin (Best practice is to avoid drug name abbreviations) |
PEP | Post-exposure prophylaxis |
PERM | Progressive Encephalomyelitis with Rigidity and Myoclonus |
PERRL | pupils equal, round, reactive to light |
PERLA | pupils equal and reactive to light and accommodation |
PERRLA | pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation |
Per Vag | per vagina |
PET | positron-emission tomography (cerebral metabolic scan) |
PFO | patent foramen ovale |
PFT | pulmonary function test (see spirometry) |
PGCS | Paediatric Glasgow Coma Scale |
PH | Pulmonary hypertension Past history (see also medical history) |
PHx | past history (see also medical history) |
PHG | Portal hypertensive gastropathy |
PHN | postherpetic neuralgia |
PHP | Partial Hospitalization Program |
PHQ | Patient Health Questionnaire |
PHTLS | prehospital trauma life support |
PI | present illness |
PICC | peripherally inserted central catheter |
PID | pelvic inflammatory disease prolapsed intervertibral disc |
PIG-A | phosphatidyl inositol glycan A |
PIH | pregnancy induced hypertension |
PIP | proximal interphalangeal joint |
PJS | Peutz-Jeghers syndrome |
PK | protein kinase |
PKA | protein kinase A |
PKD | polycystic kidney disease |
PKP | Penetrating Keratoplasty |
PKU | phenylketonuria (PKU card—see Guthrie test) |
PLAT | tissue plasminogen activator |
PLIF | posterior lumbar interbody fusion (a type of spinal fusion) |
PLT | platelets |
PM | post meridiem (in the afternoon) |
PMB | post-menopausal bleeding (bleeding after menopause) |
PMD | primary medical doctor |
PMDD | premenstrual dysphoric disorder |
PMH | past medical history (see also medical history) perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage |
PMI | point of maximal impulse or apical beat point of maximal intensity |
PML | polyoma virus progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy |
PMP | Pseudomyxoma peritonei |
PMN | polymorphonuclear leukocytes, that is, neutrophils |
PMR | percutaneous myocardial revascularization polymyalgia rheumatica proportionate mortality rate |
PM&R | physical medicine and rehabilitation |
PMS | premenstrual syndrome |
PNA | pneumonia |
PNA | postnatal age |
PND | paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea postnasal drip |
PNET | primitive neuroectodermal tumor |
PNH | paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria |
PNM | perinatal mortality |
PNV | Prenatal vitamin |
PO | by mouth, that is, orally (from Latin per os) |
POA | (Health Care) Power of Attorney |
POC | postoperative care products of conception Plan of Care |
POD | postoperative days |
POLST | Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment |
poly | polymorphonuclear cells, that is, neutrophils |
PONV | postoperative nausea and vomiting |
POP | pain on palpation, Plaster of Paris |
Post | posterior (see anatomical terms of location) |
POT | plan of treatment |
POX | peroxidase |
PP | pulse pressure postpartum, that is, postnatal postprandial |
PPCS | prolonged post-concussion syndrome |
PPD | packs per day (cigarettes) postpartum depression, that is, postnatal depression purified protein derivative or Mantoux test, for tuberculosis testing |
PPF | posterior pharyngeal flap |
PPH | postpartum haemorrhage primary pulmonary hypertension procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids |
PPI | proton pump inhibitor |
PPROM | preterm premature rupture of membranes |
PPS | post-polio syndrome |
Ppt | precipitate precipitating |
PPTCT | prevention of parent-to-child transmission [of HIV] (government of India initiative) |
PPTL | postpartum tubal ligation |
PPTP | Pediatric preclinical testing program |
PPV | positive predictive value
positive pressure ventilation |
PPx | prophylaxis |
PR | prothrombin ratio |
p.r. | per rectum (as noun: rectal examination) |
PRA | plasma renin activity |
PRBC PRBCs |
packed red blood cells |
PREA | Pediatric Research Equity Act |
Preme | premature infant (see premature birth) |
Prep
PrEP |
preparation |
PRES | Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome |
PRIND | prolonged reversible ischemic neurologic deficit |
PRL | prolactin |
prn PRN |
as necessary (from Latin pro re nata) (if used in chronic pain control, sometimes disparagingly termed "pain relief nil") as needed |
Prog | prognosis |
PROM | premature rupture of membranes |
PRP | panretinal photocoagulation progressive rubella panencephalitis |
PRV | polycythemia rubra vera (see polycythemia vera) |
PSA | prostate-specific antigen |
PBSO | Partial small bowel obstruction |
PSC | Primary sclerosing cholangitis |
PSCH | preoperative systemic chemotherapy |
PSGN | poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis |
PSH | Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity Past surgical history psychosocial history Past medical history (see also medical history) |
PSI | Pneumonia severity index |
PSP | phenylsulphtalein |
PSS | progressive systemic sclerosis (see scleroderma) |
PSVT | paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia |
PT | prothrombin time physical therapy (physiotherapy) |
Pt. | patient (from Latin patiens, meaning “one who endures” or “one who suffers”) |
PTA | percutaneous transluminal angioplasty post-traumatic amnesia prior to admission Peritonsillar abscess |
PTB | pulmonary tuberculosis |
PTC | percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography |
PTCA | percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty |
PTD | prior to discharge preterm delivery |
PTH | parathyroid hormone |
PTHC | percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography |
PTL | preterm labor |
PTSD | posttraumatic stress disorder |
PTSS | posttraumatic stress syndrome (see posttraumatic stress disorder) |
PTT | partial thromboplastin time |
PTU | propylthiouracil |
PTx | pneumothorax |
PUS | palindromic units |
PUBS | percutaneous umbilical blood sample |
PUD | peptic ulcer disease |
PUO | pyrexia of unknown origin |
PUVA | psoralen UV A (photochemical ultraviolet light A waves) |
p.v. | per vagina (as noun: vaginal examination with manual examination and speculum inspection) |
PV | polycythemia vera |
PVC (VPC) | premature ventricular contraction |
PVD | peripheral vascular disease |
PVFS | post-viral fatigue syndrome |
PVI | Peripheral Vascular Insufficiency Pulmonary Vein Isolation |
PVOD | Pulmonary venoocclusive disease |
PVR | pulmonary vascular resistance Postvoid residual urine volume |
PVS | persistent vegetative state pulmonary valve stenosis Plummer-Vinson syndrome |
PVT | Paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia |
PWD | Pink, warm, and dry (skin assessment) |
PWP | pulmonary wedge pressure |
Px px |
physical examination prognosis patient |
P-Y | pack-years (years of smoking multiplied by average number of packs, or fraction thereof, per day) |
PZA | pyrazinamide |
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD