Symbols and abbreviations

this phrase is important

more (or less) vital topic; a rough guide for 1^st-time readers

an opportun ity for holistic/non-reductionist thinking

conflict (controversial topic)

references at oup.co.uk/ohcs9refs

drug dose not in BNF , see oup.co.uk/ohcs9refs

fracture

differential diagnosis

male to female ratio

decreased

normal (eg plasma level)

increased

about

approximately equal

negative

positive

on account of/because of

therefore

emergency department

angiotensin 2 receptor (blockers)

air, breathing, circulation

advanced (paediatric) life support manuals

audiological brainstem responses

ante cibum (before food)

angiotensin-converting enzyme (inhibitor)

advanced cardiac life support

adrenocorticotrophic hormone

attention deficit disorder

antidiuretic hormone

α-fetoprotein (α=alpha)

acquired immunodeficiency syn.

alkaline (phos=phosphatase)

acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

alanine aminotransferase

antinuclear antibody

antinuclear factor

autonomic nervous system

anteroposterior

antepartum haemorrhage

advanced paediatric life support

auto-premotor syndrome

acute renal failure

artificial rupture of membranes

atrioseptal defect

antistreptolysin O (titre)

approved social worker

Advanced Trauma Life Support manual; see www.trauma.org

acute tubular necrosis

atrioventricular

arteriovenous malformation

β-human chorionic gonadotrophin

British Journal of General Practice

British Medical Journal

borderline nuclear abnormality

British National Formulary

children’s BNF

blood pressure

courtesy of the copyright holder

complement

carcinoma

chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear

cognitive-behaviour therapy

consultant in communicable disease control

combined (right & left sided) cardiac failure

combined hormonal contraception

chorionic villus sampling

contraindications

cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia

cytomegalovirus; controlled mandatory ventilation

central nervous system

combined oral contraceptive

chronic otitis media

care programme approach

continuous +ve airways pressure

cardiopulmonary resuscitation

c-reactive protein

complex regional pain syndrome

cerebrospinal fluid

computer tomography

central venous pressure

cardiovascular system

chest x-ray

dimension (or dioptre)

dilatation (cervix) & curettage

diarrhoea and vomiting

decibel

dynamic hip screw

disseminated intravascular coagulation

distal interphalangeal

diabetic ketoacidosis

decilitre

diabetes mellitus

dimercaptosuccinic acid

deoxyribonucleic acid

Department of Health (NHS)

diagnostic peritoneal lavage

dorsal root ganglion

Diagnostic & Statistical Manual, 4^e

dysfunctional uterine bleeding

deep venous thrombosis

evidence-based medicine

Epstein-Barr virus

electrocardiogram

electroconvulsive therapy

electroencephalogram

enzyme immunoassay

ear, nose and throat

evacuation of retained products of conception

erythrocyte sedimentation rate

endotracheal

foreign body

full blood count

flexor carpi radialis

flexor digitorum profundus

flexor digitorum sublimis

family history

fine needle aspiration

fetal nuchal translucency

follicle-stimulating hormone

gauge

gram

gamma(γ)glutamyl trans-peptidase

glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

general anaesthesia

Glasgow coma scale

glomerular filtration rate

growth hormone

gastrointestinal

general practitioner

hour

haemoglobin

hepatitis B surface antigen

hepatitis B virus

human chorionic gonadotrophin

high-density lipoprotein

high-frequency oscillatory ventilation

human immunodeficiency virus

human leucocyte alleles

Health Protection Agency

hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian

human papilloma virus

hormone replacement therapy

high vaginal swab

ibidem (Latin, in the same place)

ideal body weight

intracranial pressure

infective endocarditis

immunoglobulin

ischaemic heart disease

intramuscular

international normalized ratio of prothrombin time

intraocular pressure

interphalangeal

intermittent positive pressure ventilation

interpersonal therapy

intelligence quotient

in status quo (Latin, no change)

injury severity score

idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

intensive therapy unit

international unit

intrauterine contraceptive device

intrauterine insemination

intravenous

in vitro fertilization

intravenous infusion

intravenous urography

jugular venous pressure

potassium

kilogram

kilopascal

litre

local anaesthesia

liquid-based cytology

ligase chain reaction

lactate dehydrogenase

liver function test

luteinizing hormone

luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone

day 1 of last menstrual period

low molecular weight heparin

lumbar puncture

left ventricular hypertrophy

micro(gram)

monoamine oxidase inhibitor

metacarpophalangeal

mean cell volume

microwave endometrial ablation

meta-analysis

milligrams (ug=microgram=mcg)

Mental Health Act

myocardial infarction

millilitre

millimetres of mercury

magnetic resonance imaging

midstream urine culture

metatarsophalangeal

milliunit(s)

motor vehicle accident

reference to a randomized trial of 20 patients (* or what ever number follows N)

reference to a non-randomized trial of 63 patients (* or what ever number follows n)

nitrous oxide

sodium chloride

non-accidental injury

nil by mouth (no solids or fluids)

New England Journal of Medicine

non-epileptic paroxysmal events

nasogastric tube

National Health Service

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

neonatal intensive care unit

neuromuscular junction

neck of femur

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(s)

otoacoustic emissions

Oxford English Dictionary, OUP

Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine 8^e, OUP

otitis media

otitis media with effusion

open mouth view

omni nocte (take at night)

blood group O, Rh negative

open reduction and internal fixation

occupational therapist

posteroanterior

partial pressure of CO₂ in arterial blood

polyarteritis nodosa

perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody

partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood

post cibum (after food)

patient-controlled anaesthesia

polycystic ovarian syndrome

polymerase chain reaction

packed cell volume

patent ductus arteriosus

pulmonary embolus

pre-eclamptic toxaemia

pemphigoid gestations

preimplantation genetic diagnosis

paediatric intensive care unit

pelvic inflammatory disease

proximal interphalangeal

phenylketonuria

postmenopausal bleeding

premenstrual syndrome

per os (Latin for by mouth)

progesterone-only pill

plaster of Paris

postpartum haemorrhage

per rectum

prothrombin ratio

pyrexia of unknown origin

psoralen-ultraviolet A

per vaginam (via the vagina)

quality & outcomes framework

treatment (prescribing drugs)

rheumatoid arthritis; regional anaesthesia

red blood cell

Royal College of General Practitioners

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

randomized controlled trial

rapid eye movement

registered medical of cer

reflex sympathetic dystrophy

repetitive strain injury; rapid sequence induction

road traffic accident(s)

revised trauma score

right upper quadrant

right ventricular hypertrophy

1^st and 2^nd heart sounds

seasonal affective disorder

speech and language therapist

arterial blood O₂ saturation, ≈ SpO₂ (allows for carboxyhaemoglobin)

subacute bacterial endocarditis

subcutaneous

special care baby unit

side-ef ects

second(s)

symphysis fundal height

selective oestrogen receptor modulator

small-for-gestational age

systemic lupus erythematosus

sensorineural hearing loss

pulse oximetry estimated S_aO₂; no allowance for carboxyhaemoglobin

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor(s)

statim (Latin for once); single dose

sexually transmitted disease

Sexually transmitted infection

slipped upper femoral epiphysis

superior vena cava

saturation vapour pressure

syndrome

temperature, degrees Centigrade

half life

triiodothyronine

thyroxine

tuberculosis

tension band wiring

transcervical resection of endometrium

transverse elastic graduated

transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

thyroid function tests

transient ischaemic attack

termination of pregnancy

transplacental haemorrhage

temperature, pulse, and respirations

triage revised trauma score

thyroid-stimulating hormone

transient synovitis of the hip

unit(s)

urea and electrolytes

United Kingdom

upper respiratory tract infection

ultrasound (scan)

urinary tract infection

ultraviolet

very low birthweight infant

ventriculoseptal defect

venous thromboembolism

vesico-ureteric reflux

white blood cell count

weight

Wasserman reaction

years

Ziehl-Neelsen (stain for TB)