Abbreviations

• A&E accident and emergency
  
• AAA abdominal aortic aneurysm
  
• AADR anaesthetic adverse drug reactions
  
• AAGBI Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland
  
• AAS atlantoaxial sublimation
  
• ABC airway, breathing, circulation
  
• ABG arterial blood gas
  
• ACE angiotensin-converting enzyme
  
• ACT activated clotting time
  
• ACTH adrenocorticotrophic hormone
  
• ADH antidiuretic hormone
  
• AF atrial fibrillation
  
• AFOI awake fibreoptic intubation
  
• AICD automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator
  
• AIDS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
  
• ALS advanced life support
  
• ALT alanine aminotransferase
  
• ANH acute normovolaemic haemodilution
  
• AP anteroposterior
  
• APL adjustable pressure limiting (valve)
  
• APTR activated partial thromboplastin ratio
  
• APTT activated partial thromboplastin time
  
• AR aortic regurgitation
  
• ARDS acute respiratory distress syndrome
  
• ARF acute renal failure
  
• AS aortic stenosis
  
• ASA American Society of Anesthesiologists
  
• ASD atrial septal defect
  
• ASRA American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
  
• AST aspartate transaminase
  
• ATLS advanced trauma life support
  
• ATP adenosine triphosphate
  
• AV atrioventricular
  
• AVM arteriovenous malformation
  
• AVSD atrioventricular septal defect
  
• BBV blood born virus
  
• bd twice daily (bis diem)
  
• BiPAP biphasic positive airways pressure
  
• BLS basic life support
  
• BMI body mass index
  
• BNF British National Formulary
  
• BP blood pressure
  
• bpm beats per minute
  
• BSS balanced salt solution
  
• BURP backward upward and rightwards pressure
  
• C&S culture and sensitivity
  
• CABG coronary arterial bypass graft
  
• CBF cerebral blood flow
  
• CC creatinine clearance
  
• CCF congestive cardiac failure
  
• CCU coronary care unit
  
• Ch Charrére (French) gauge (also FG or Fr)
  
• CHD congenital heart disease
  
• CJD Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
  
• CK creatine kinase
  
• CMV cytomegalovirus
  
• CNS central nervous system
  
• COAD chronic obstructive airways disease
  
• COETT cuffed oral endotracheal tube
  
• COHb carboxyhaemoglobin
  
• COPA cuffed oropharyngeal airway
  
• COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  
• COX cyclo-oxygenase
  
• CPAP continuous positive airway pressure
  
• CPB cardiopulmonary bypass
  
• CPDA citrate phosphate dextrose adenine
  
• CPK creatine (phospho) kinase
  
• CPP cerebral perfusion pressure
  
• CPR cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  
• CPX cardiopulmonary exercise testing
  
• CRF chronic renal failure
  
• CRP C-reactive protein
  
• CSE combined spinal/epidural
  
• CSF cerebrospinal fluid
  
• CT computed tomogaphy
  
• CVA cerebrovascular accident
  
• CVE cerebrovascular episode/event
  
• CVP central venous pressure
  
• CVS cardiovascular system
  
• CXR chest X-ray
  
• DCR dacrocystorhinostomy
  
• DDAVP desmopressin
  
• DIC disseminated intravascular coagulation
  
• DLT double lumen [endobronchial] tube
  
• DMARD disease modifying antirheumatoid drug
  
• DVT deep vein thrombosis
  
• ECF extracellular fluid
  
• ECG electrocardiogram
  
• ECM external cardiac massage
  
• ECT electroconvulsive therapy
  
• EDD estimated date of delivery
  
• EEG electroencephalogram
  
• EF ejection fraction
  
• EMD electromechanical dissociation
  
• EMG electromyograph
  
• EMLA eutectic mixture of local anaesthetic
  
• ENT ear, nose, and throat
  
• EPO erythropoietin
  
• ERCP endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography
  
• ERPC evacuation of retained products of conception
  
• ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate
  
• ETCO₂ end tidal carbon dioxide
  
• ETT/ET endotracheal tube
  
• EUA examination under anaesthetic
  
• FB foreign body
  
• FBC full blood count
  
• FES fat embolism syndrome
  
• FEV₁ forced expiration in 1 s
  
• FFP fresh frozen plasma
  
• FG French gauge (also Fr or Ch)
  
• FGF fresh gas flow
  
• FiO2 fractional inspired oxygen content
  
• FM face mask
  
• Fr French gauge (also FG or Ch)
  
• FRC functional residual capacity
  
• FTSG full thickness skin graft
  
• FVC forced vital capacity
  
• G Gauge (standard wire gauge)
  
• G&S group and save
  
• G-6-PD glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
  
• GA general anaesthetic
  
• GCS Glasgow coma score
  
• GEB gum elastic bougie
  
• GFR glomerular filtration rate
  
• GI(T) gastrointestinal (tract)
  
• GTN glyceryl trinitrate
  
• HAS human albumin solution
  
• HbC/HbD/HbF/HbS haemoglobin C/D/F/S
  
• HBV/HCV hepatitis B/C virus
  
• Hct haematocrit
  
• HDU high-dependency unit
  
• HELLP haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets
  
• HES hydroxyethyl starches
  
• HFO high frequency oscillation
  
• HIB Haemophilus influenzae B
  
• HIT heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
  
• HME heat and moisture exchanger
  
• HOCM hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
  
• HR heart rate
  
• HRS(UK) Heart Rhythm Society (UK)
  
• HRT hormone replacement therapy
  
• I:E RATIO inspired:expired ratio
  
• IABP intra-aortic balloon pump
  
• ICP intracranial pressure
  
• ICU intensive care unit
  
• ID internal diameter
  
• IDDM insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
  
• IDT intradermal testing
  
• IHD ischaemic heart disease
  
• ILMA intubating laryngeal mask airway
  
• IM intra-muscular
  
• INR international normalised ratio
  
• IO intra-osseous
  
• IOP intra-ocular pressure
  
• IPPV intermittent positive pressure ventilation
  
• ITU intensive therapy unit
  
• ITP idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
  
• IV intravenous(ly)
  
• IVC inferior vena cava
  
• IVCT in vitro muscle contracture test
  
• IVH intraventricular haemorrhage
  
• IVI intravenous infusion
  
• IVRA intravenous regional anaesthesia
  
• JVP jugular venous pressure
  
• LA local anaesthetic
  
• LCNT lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh
  
• LFT liver function test
  
• LMA laryngeal mask airway
  
• LMWH low-molecular-weight heparin
  
• LP lumbar puncture
  
• LSCS lower segment Caesarean section
  
• LSD lysergic acid diethylamide
  
• LV left ventricle/ventricular
  
• LVEDP left ventricular end diastolic pressure
  
• LVF left ventricular failure
  
• LVH left ventricular hypertrophy
  
• MAC minimum alveolar concentration
  
• MAO monoamine oxidase
  
• MAOB monoamine oxidase B
  
• MAOI monoamine oxidase inhibitor
  
• MAP mean arterial pressure
  
• MCV mean corpuscular volume
  
• MEAC minimum effective analgesic concentration
  
• MEN multiple endocrine neoplasia
  
• MH malignant hyperthermia
  
• MI myocardial infarction
  
• MIBG meta-iodobenzylguanidine
  
• MR mitral regurgitation
  
• MRI magnetic resonance imaging
  
• MRSA methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
  
• MST morphine sulphate
  
• MUA manipulation under anaesthesia
  
• MUGA multigated acquisition scan
  
• MW molecular weight
  
• NCA nurse-controlled analgesia
  
• NCEPOD National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death
  
• NG nasogastric
  
• NIBP non-invasive blood pressure
  
• NICE National Institute for Clinical Excellence
  
• NIDDM non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
  
• NIPPV non-invasive positive pressure ventilation
  
• NMB neuromuscular blockade
  
• NMBD neuromuscular blocking drugs
  
• NMDA N-methyl-D-aspartate
  
• nocte at night
  
• NR not recommended
  
• NSAID non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
  
• OCP oral contraceptive pill
  
• od once daily
  
• OLEM optimal external laryngeal manipulation
  
• OLV one-lung ventilation
  
• ORIF open reduction internal fixation
  
• OSA obstructive sleep apnoea
  
•  mixed venous partial pressure of oxygen
  
• PA pulmonary artery/arterial
  
• PaCO₂ arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide
  
• PAFC pulmonary artery flotation catheter
  
• PaO₂ arterial partial pressure of oxygen
  
• PAO₂ alveolar partial pressure of oxygen
  
• PAOP pulmonary artery occlusion pressure
  
• PAP pulmonary artery pressure
  
• PAW airway pressure
  
• PAWP pulmonary artery wedge pressure
  
• PCA patient-controlled analgesia
  
• PCEA patient-controlled epidural analgesia
  
• PCI percutaneous coronary intervention
  
• PCWP pulmonary capillary wedge pressure
  
• PDA patent ductus arteriosus
  
• PE pulmonary embolism
  
• PEA pulseless electrical activity
  
• PEEP positive end expiratory pressure
  
• PEFR peak expiratory flow rate
  
• PEP post-exposure prophylaxis
  
• PICU paediatric intensive care unit
  
• PND paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
  
• PO per os (oral)
  
• PONV postoperative nausea and vomiting
  
• POP plaster of paris
  
• PR per rectum
  
• prn/PRN as required (pro re nata)
  
• PS pulmonary stenosis
  
• PT prothrombin time
  
• PTH parathyroid hormone
  
• PVC polyvinyl chloride
  
• PVR pulmonary vascular resistance
  
• qds four times daily (quater die sumendus)
  
• RA rheumatoid arthritis
  
• RAE Ring, Adair, and Elwyn [tube]
  
• RAST radioallergosorbent test
  
• rEPO recombinant erythropoietin
  
• RIMA reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A
  
• ROSC restoration of a spontaneous circulation
  
• RS respiratory system
  
• RSI rapid sequence induction
  
• RTA road traffic accident
  
• RV right ventricle/ventricular
  
• rVIIa recombinant factor VIIa
  
•  mixed venous oxygen saturation
  
• SA sinoatrial
  
• SAH subarachnoid haemorrhage
  
• SaO₂ arterial oxygen saturation
  
• SBE subacute bacterial endocarditis
  
• SC subcutaneous
  
• SCBU special care baby unit
  
• ScvO2 central venous oxygen saturation
  
• SEA spinal epidural abscess
  
• SHOT Serious Hazards of Transfusion
  
• SIADH syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone
  
• SIRS systemic inflammatory response syndrome
  
• SjO₂ jugular venous oxygen saturation
  
• SL sublingual
  
• SLE systemic lupus erythematosus
  
• SLT single lumen tube
  
• SMR submucous resection
  
• SNP sodium nitroprusside
  
• SpO₂ peripheral oxygen saturation
  
• SPT skin-pricking test
  
• SSG split skin graft
  
• SSRI selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
  
• STEMI ST elevation myocardial infarction
  
• (S)TOP (suction) termination of pregnancy
  
• SV spontaneous ventilation
  
• SVC superior vena cava
  
• SVR systemic vascular resistance
  
• SVT supraventricular tachycardia
  
• TB tuberculosis
  
• TBSA total body surface area
  
• TBW total body water
  
• TCA tricyclic antidepressant
  
• TCI target-controlled infusion
  
• tds three times daily (ter die sumendus)
  
• TEDS thromboembolism stockings
  
• TEG thrombelastograph
  
• TENS transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation
  
• TFT thyroid function tests
  
• THR total hip replacement
  
• TIA transient ischaemic attack
  
• TIPS transjugular intrahepatic portal-systemic shunt procedure
  
• TIVA total intravenous anaesthesia
  
• TKR total knee replacement
  
• TMJ temporomandibular joint
  
• TNF tumour necrosis factor
  
• TNS transient neurologic symptom
  
• TOE transoesophageal echocardiography
  
• TOF train of four
  
• TPN total parenteral nutrition
  
• TRALI transfusion-related acute lung injury
  
• TRAM transverse rectus abdominis muscle
  
• TTI transfusion-transmitted infection
  
• TTP thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
  
• TURP transurethral resection of the prostate
  
• TUVP transurethral vaporisation of the prostate
  
• U&E urea and electrolytes
  
• UPPP uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
  
• URTI upper respiratory tract infection
  
• V/Q ventilation/perfusion
  
• VAE venous air embolism
  
• VATS video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery
  
• VF ventricular fibrillation
  
• VIP vasoactive intestinal peptide
  
• VP venous pressure
  
• VR ventricular rate
  
• VSD ventricular septal defect
  
• VT ventricular tachycardia
  
• Vt or VT tidal volume
  
• VWF Von Willebrand factor
  
• WBC white blood cell count
  
• WPW Wolff-Parkinson-White
  
• X-MATCH crossmatch