Medical slang

Medical slang is the use of acronyms and informal terminology to describe patients, other healthcare personnel and medical concepts. Some terms are pejorative. In English, medical slang has entered popular culture via television hospital and forensic science dramas such as ER, House M.D., NCIS, Scrubs, and Grey's Anatomy.

Examples of pejorative language include bagged and tagged for a corpse, a reference to the intake process at a mortuary, donorcycle for motorcycle or PFO for pissed [drunk] and fell over. Less offensive are the terms blue pipes for veins; cabbage for a heart bypass (coronary artery bypass graft or CABG), and champagne tap for a flawless lumbar puncture, that is, one where erythrocyte count is zero.

Limitations on use

In many countries, facetious or insulting acronyms are now considered unethical and unacceptable, and patients can access their medical records. Medical facilities risk being sued by patients offended by the descriptions. ^{(March 2013)}

 Another reason for the decline is that facetious acronyms could be confused with genuine medical terms and the wrong treatment administered.

In one of his annual reports (related by the BBC), medical slang collector Dr. Adam Fox cited an example where a practitioner had entered “TTFO”, meaning “told to fuck off”, on a patient’s chart. When questioned about the chart entry, the practitioner said that the initials stood for “to take fluids orally.”

As a result, medical slang tends to be restricted to oral use and to informal notes or E-mails which do not form part of a patient’s formal records. It may also be used among medical staff outside of the hospital. It is not found on patients’ charts and, due to growing awareness of medical slang, often not used in front of patients themselves.

Non-English

Although online medical slang dictionaries are primarily from English-speaking countries, non-English medical slang has been collected by Fox from elsewhere. Brazilian medical slang includes PIMBA ("Pé Inchado Mulambo Bêbado Atropelado" meaning "swollen-footed, drunk, run-over beggar"), Poliesculhambado (multi-messed-up patient) and Trambiclínica (a "fraudulent clinic" staffed cheaply by medical students).

Annual round-up

There is an annual round-up of the usage of medical slang by British physician Dr. Adam Fox of St Mary's Hospital, London. Fox has spent five years charting more than 200 examples, regional and national terms and the general decline of medical slang. He believes that doctors have become more respectful of patients, which has contributed to the decline. While its use may be declining in the medical profession, several dictionaries of the slang have been compiled on the internet.

Common acronyms and abbreviations in medicine

A

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

• ABG – Arterial blood gas
• ACE – Angiotensin-converting enzyme
• ACTH – Adrenocorticotropic hormone
• AFVSS – Afebrile, vital signs stable
• ADH – Antidiuretic hormone
• AED – Automated external defibrillator
• AIDS – Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
• ALP – Alkaline phosphatase
• ALT – Alanine aminotransferase (formerly SGPT)
• ASA – Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)
• AST – Aspartate aminotransferase (formerly SGOT)

B

• BCG – Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine
• bd, bid – Twice a day
• BIBA – Brought in by ambulance
• BIBP, BIBPD – Brought in by police
• BLS – Basic life support
• BMR – Basal metabolic rate
• BP – Blood pressure
• BPAD – Bipolar affective disorder
• BPD – Borderline personality disorder (not to be confused with BPAD)
• BSA – Body surface area
• BUN – Blood urea nitrogen

C

• CBC – Complete blood count
• CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• CNS – Central nervous system
• COPD – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• CPR – Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• CT – Computed tomography
• CSF – Cerebrospinal fluid

D

• D&C – Dilation and curettage
• DNA – Deoxyribonucleic acid
• DTP – Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine
• D/W – Dextrose in water

E

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

• ECF – Extracellular fluid
• ECG – Electrocardiogram
• EEG – Electroencephalogram
• ENT – Ear, nose, and throat
• ESR – Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

F

• FDA – U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• FUO – Fever of unknown origin

G

• GFR – Glomerular filtration rate
• GI – Gastrointestinal
• GVHD – Graft-versus-host disease

H

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

• Hb – Hemoglobin
• HIV – Human immunodeficiency virus
• HLA – Human leukocyte antigen
• HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

I

• ICU – Intensive care unit
• IgA – Immunoglobulin A
• IM – Intramuscular

L

• LDH – Lactic dehydrogenase
• LMP – Last menstrual period

M

• MRI – Magnetic resonance imaging
• Mg – Magnesium
• MI – Myocardial infarction

N

• NaCl – Sodium chloride
• NPO – Nothing by mouth

O

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

• O2 – Oxygen
• OTC – Over-the-counter

P

• PT – Prothrombin time
• PCR – Polymerase chain reaction

R

• RBC – Red blood cell
• RNA – Ribonucleic acid

S

• SIDS – Sudden infant death syndrome
• SLE – Systemic lupus erythematosus

T

• TB – Tuberculosis
• TPN – Total parenteral nutrition

U

• URI – Upper respiratory infection
• UTI – Urinary tract infection

W

• WBC – White blood cell
• WHO – World Health Organization

Symbols

• μg – Microgram
• μL – Microliter

See also

• Acronyms in healthcare
• List of medical abbreviations

Further reading

,

 Medical slang in British hospitals, 
 Ethics and Behaviour, 
 2003, 
 Vol. 13(Issue: 2), 
 pp. 173–189, 
 DOI: 10.1207/S15327019EB1302_04, 
 PMID: 15124632,
— Discussion of the "usage, derivation, and psychological, ethical, and legal aspects of slang terminology in medicine" as well as a glossary of common UK medical slang terms

,

 Medical slang, 
 British Medical Journal, 
 2002, 
 Vol. 324(Issue: 179), 
 pp. 179S, 
 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.324.7350.S179, 
  
  
  
 Full text,

Paul S. McDonald,

 Slang in clinical practice, 
 British Medical Journal, 
  
 Vol. 325(Issue: 7361), 
 pp. 444a–444, 
 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.325.7361.444/a, 
 PMID: 12193372, 
 PMC: 1123955,

,

 The Spoken Language of Medicine: Argot, Slang, Cant, 
 American Speech, 
  
 Vol. 36(Issue: 2), 
 pp. 145–151, 
 DOI: 10.2307/453853,

Renee R. Anspach,

 Notes on the Sociology of Medical Discourse: The Language of Case Presentation, 
 Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 
  
 Vol. 29(Issue: 4), 
 pp. 357–375, 
 DOI: 10.2307/2136869, 
  
  
  
 Full text,

,

 Between Two Worlds: Medical Student Perceptions of Humor and Slang in the Hospital Setting, 
 Journal of General Internal Medicine, 
  
 Vol. 16(Issue: 8), 
 pp. 544–549, 
 DOI: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016008544.x, 
 PMID: 11556931, 
 PMC: 1495252,

,

 Medical slang and its functions, 
 Soc Sci Med, 
  
 Vol. 36(Issue: 8), 
 pp. 987–998, 
 DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(93)90116-L,

,

 Doctor slang is a dying art Full text, 
 BBC News, 
  
 2003-08-18,

Slang words that hospitals use, some are funny Full text,

 National Lampoon, 
  
 , 
 totse.com,

DOCTORS' SLANG, MEDICAL SLANG AND MEDICAL ACRONYMS Full text,

 Dragonqueen, 
  
 ,
— Medical Slang around the world

• Online Housestaff Community features Top 5 Annoying Medical Terms

External links

• doctor's slang, including veterinary acronyms and slang
• Medical Abbreviations in 68 categories
• medical acronyms and slang