Browse Medical Abbreviations
| C | |
|---|---|
| C | Calorie (kilocalorie); contact; Celsius (centigrade); Carbon (element) |
| c | with; calorie (small calorie) |
| C&C | confirmed and compatible |
| C&DB | cough and deep breath |
| C&P | crowning and pushing |
| C&S | culture and sensitivity |
| C-B | chest-back |
| C-collar | cervical collar |
| C-spine | cervical spine |
| c.m.s. | to be taken tomorrow morning (cras mane sumendus) |
| c.n. | tomorrow night (cras nocte) |
| c.n.s. | to be taken tomorrow night (cras nocte sumendus) |
| C.T.P. | color, temperature, pulse |
| c/o | complains of |
| C/S | consult |
| C/TG | cholesterol/triglyceride ratio |
| C/w | continue with; consistent with |
| CA | cancer, carcinoma; cortical area; coronary artery |
| Ca | Calcium (element) |
| ca. | approximately; carcinoma or cancer; about |
| CAB | compressions-airway-breathing |
| CABG | coronary artery bypass graft |
| CAC | Certified Addictions Counselor |
| CaCO3 | calcium carbonate |
| CACT | Carnitine acylcarnitine translocase deficiency |
| CAD | coronary artery disease; computer-aided detection |
| CAE | complement activity enzyme |
| CAF | cytoxan, adriamycin, fluorouracil |
| CAGE | controlling, anger/annoyance, guilt, eye opener (questions) |
| CAH | congenital adrenal hyperplasia; chronic active hepatitis |
| CAI | computer assisted instruction |
| cal | calorie |
| Cal | kilocalorie |
| CAM | complementary and alternative medicine |
| cAMP | cyclic adenosine monophosphate |
| canc | cancelled |
| CAO | conscious, alert, and oriented |
| cap | capillary; capsule |
| CAP | community acquired pneumonia |
| CAPD | continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis |
| caps | capsules |
| CARP | confluent and reticulated papillomatosis |
| CAT | computerized axial tomography; crisis assessment and treatment |
| cath | catheter(ization) |
| CAU | child and adolescent unit; clinical assessment unit |
| cauc | Caucasian |
| CAUTI | catheter associated urinary tract infection |
| cav | cavity |
| CAVP | continuous arterial venous pressure |
| CB | carotid bruit |
| CBC | complete blood count |
| CBD | common bile duct |
| CBE | charting by exception; clinical breast exam |
| CBG | capillary blood gas; corticosteroidbinding globulin |
| CBI | continuous bladder irrigation |
| CBLL | capillary blood lead level |
| CBO | community based organization |
| CBP | chronic bacterial prostatitis |
| CBRNE | chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive agents |
| CBS | casual blood sugar |
| CBSC | cord blood stem cells |
| CBT | cognitive behavioral therapy; computer-based training |
| cc | cubic centimeter |
| CC | chief complaint; care coordinator |
| CCA | calcium channel antagonist |
| CCB | calcium channel blocker; change control board |
| CCC | chronic care clinic |
| CCCA | central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia |
| CCE | clubbing, cyanosis edema |
| CCH | care closer to home |
| CCK | cholecystokinin |
| CCMS | clean catch midstream (specimen) |
| CCNU | lomustine |
| CCP | clinical care pathway |
| CCPD | continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis |
| CCRA | cardiac cath recovery area |
| CCU | coronary/cardiac care unit; critical care unit |
| CCW | counterclockwise |
| CD | current diagnosis; controlled drug(s); communicable disease; chemical dependency; cesarean delivery; cardiovascular disease |
| Cd | Cadmium (element) |
| CD-ROM | compact disc read-only memory |
| CD4 | helper t lymphocytes |
| CD8 | cytotoxic cells |
| CD8 count | CD8 T-lymphocyte count, CD8 Tsuppressor cells |
| CDAD | clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea |
| CDC | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| CDH | congenital dislocation hip |
| CDHF | chronic diastolic heart failure |
| CDMI | Clinical Digital Maturity Index |
| cDNA | complementary DNA |
| CDU | chemical dependency unit, clinical decision unit |
| Ce | Cerium (element) |
| CE | continuing education |
| CEA | cultured epithelial autografts; carotid endarterectomy; carcinoembryonic disease; carcinoembryonic antigen |
| CEH | continuing education hour |
| cert | certified, certificate |
| cerv | cervix/cervical |
| CETR | care, education and treatment review |
| CEU | continuing education unit |
| CF | cystic fibrosis |
| CFC | chlorofluorohydrocarbons |
| CFR | child fatality review |
| CFS | chronic fatigue syndrome |
| CFTR | cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator |
| CFU | colony forming unit |
| cg | centigram |
| CG | chorionic gonadotropin |
| Cgm | centigram |
| cGy | centigray |
| ch | child; chest |
| CH | congenital hypothyroidism; clinical hold |
| ch px | chicken pox |
| CHADS | congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes mellitus, prior stroke or TIA |
| CHB | complete heart block |
| CHC | community health center; continuing health care |
| CHD | coronary heart disease; congenital heart disease |
| ChE | cholinesterase |
| chem | chemical, chemistry |
| chemo | chemotherapy |
| CHF | congestive heart failure |
| CHHA | certified home health aide |
| CHI | closed head injury |
| CHL | conductive hearing loss |
| CHO | carbohydrate |
| chol | cholesterol |
| Chr | chronic |
| CHT | closed head trauma |
| CI | confidence interval; cochlear implant; cardiac index |
| Ci | curie |
| CIA | collagen-induced arthritis |
| CIBH | change in bowel habits |
| CIC | circulating immune complex; crisis intervention center |
| CICU | coronary intensive care unit |
| cig | cigarette |
| CIN | cervical intraepithelial neoplasia |
| CIP | clean in place; cost/continuous improvement plan/process |
| circ | circumference; circumcision; circulate |
| CIS | carcinoma in situ |
| CJD | creutzfeldt-jakob disease |
| CK | creatine kinase |
| CK, CPK | creatine kinase, creatinine phosphokinase |
| CK-MB | serum creatine kinase, myocardial-bound |
| CKC | cold knife conization |
| CKD | chronic kidney disease |
| Cl | Chlorine (element) |
| Cl- | Chloride |
| CLcr | creatinine clearance |
| CLD | chronic liver disease |
| clin | clinic, clinical |
| CLL | chronic lymphocytic leukemia |
| CLN | clinical lead/liaison nurse |
| CLOD | clinical lead for organ donation |
| CLR | clear |
| CLTC | citizens for long-term care |
| cm | centimeter |
| CM | case/care management |
| cm2 | square centimeter |
| CMA | certified medical assistant |
| CMC | carpo metacarpal |
| CME | continuing medical education |
| CMF | cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil |
| CMG | cystometrogram |
| CMHC | community mental health center |
| CML | chronic myelogenous leukemia |
| CMO | chief medical officer; care management organization |
| cmp | cardiomyopathy |
| CMP | comprehensive metabolic panel |
| CMS | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid |
| CMT | cervical motion tenderness; certified medication technician |
| CMTC | cutis marmorata telangiectatica congentia |
| CMV | controlled mechanical ventilator; cytomegalovirus |
| CN | cranial nerve |
| CNA | Certified Nurse Aide |
| CNH | chondrodermatitis nodularis helices |
| CNM | Certified Nurse Midwife |
| CNO | Chief Nursing Officer |
| CNR | closed nasal reduction |
| CNS | central nervous system; Clinical Nurse Specialist |
| CNSC | certified nutrition support clinician |
| CO | carbon monoxide; cardiac output |
| Co | Cobalt (element) |
| CO2 | carbon dioxide |
| COA | Certified Ophthalmic Assistant; coarctation of the aorta |
| coag | coagulation |
| COB | close of business |
| COC | cauterization of the cervix |
| COCs | combined oral contraceptives (estrogen and progestin) |
| COG | center of gravity |
| COH | carbohydrate |
| COLD | chronic obstructive lung disease |
| COM | chronic otitis media |
| comp. | compound; compounded of; complication |
| COMT | catechol-o-methyltransferase |
| conc | concentrated, concentration |
| cond | condition |
| cong | congenital |
| const | constant |
| cont | continue(d) |
| contras | contraindications |
| contrx | contractions |
| COO | chief operating officer |
| COP | conditions of participation (Medicare) |
| COPD | chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
| CORE | coordinated outbreak response and evaluation |
| corr | correct, correction |
| COT | Nicotine/Cotinine (COT test) |
| COTA | certified occupational therapy assistant |
| COWS | clinical opiate withdrawal scale |
| COX-2 | cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors |
| CP | cleft palate; cicatricial pemphigoid; chest pain; cerebral palsy; cardiopulmonary |
| cP | centipoise unit |
| CPA | costophrenic angle; cerebellopontine angle |
| CPAP | continuous positive airway pressure |
| CPC | clinicopathologic conference |
| CPD | cephalopelvic disproportion; chronic pulmonary disease; congenital polycystic disease |
| CPHSS | Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale |
| CPK | creatine phosphokinase; creatinine phosphokinase |
| CPM | continuous passive mobilizer; counts per minute; continuous passive motion; care plan meeting |
| CPMI | chronic and persistent mental illness |
| CPP | cerebral perfusion pressure |
| CPPV | continuous positive pressure ventilation |
| CPR | cardiopulmonary resuscitation |
| CPT | current procedural terminology; chest physiotherapy |
| Cpy | copy |
| CQI | clinical quality indicator; continuous quality improvement |
| Cr | Chromium (element) |
| CR | crown-rump length; creatinine; controlled release (medication); conditioned reflex |
| CRA | clinical research associate |
| CRB | clinical reference board; change review board |
| CrCl | creatinine clearance |
| crea | creatinine |
| creat | creatinine |
| CREST | calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, telangiectasias |
| CRF | chronic renal failure; cardiac risk factors |
| CRH | corticotropin-releasing hormone |
| CRI | chronic renal insufficiency; catheter-related infection |
| CRIF | closed reduction-internal fixation |
| crit | Hematocrit |
| CRNA | certified registered nurse anesthetist |
| cRNA | chromosomal RNA |
| CRNH | certified registered nurse—hospice |
| CRNP | Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner |
| CRO | clinical research organization |
| CRP | C-reactive protein |
| CRR | consult review request |
| CRRT | continuous renal replacement therapy |
| CRS | congenital rubella syndrome; chronic rhinosinusitis |
| CRS-R | Conners Rating Scales-Revised |
| CRT | cardiac resynchronization therapy; creatinine |
| Crt | creatinine |
| CRTT | Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician |
| CRU | coronary rehabilitation unit |
| cryo | cryosurgery, cryotherapy; cryoprecipitate |
| CS | culture and sensitivity; completed stroke; close supervision; clinically significant; chondroitin sulfate; cardiac sphincter; cardiogenic shock; cesarean section |
| Cs | Cesium (element) |
| CSA | Controlled Substances Act; cyclosporin A |
| CSF | cerebrospinal fluid; colony-stimulating factor |
| CSH | combat support hospital |
| CSHF | chronic systolic heart failure |
| CSM | circulation, sensory, and motor |
| CSO | chief scientific officer |
| CSR, CSS | central supply room, central service supply |
| CST | contraction stress test |
| CT | computed/computerized tomography; clinical trial; chest tube |
| CT scan | computed tomography scan |
| CT/GC | Chlamydia Trachomatis/Neisseria Gonorrhea |
| CTA | computerized tomography angiography; clear to auscultation |
| CTAB | clear to auscultation bilaterally |
| CTB | cease to breathe; chronic tuberculosis |
| CTC | common toxicity criteria; chlortetracycline |
| CTCL | Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma |
| CTD | connective tissue disease |
| CTG | cathepsin G |
| CTLSO | cervical thoracic lumbar sacral orthosis |
| CTO | clinical trial outline |
| ctr | control |
| CTS | carpal tunnel syndrome |
| ctx | contraction |
| CTZ | chemoreceptor trigger zone |
| CU | case unknown |
| Cu | Copper (element) |
| CUC | chronic ulcerative colitis |
| CUD | carnitine uptake defect |
| CUm | cubic micron |
| cur | current |
| CV | cardiovascular |
| CVA | costovertebral angle; cerebrovascular accident; cardiovascular accident |
| CVAT | costovertebral angle tenderness |
| CVB | coxsackievirus B |
| CVC | central venous catheter |
| CVD | cardiovascular disease |
| CVL | central venous line |
| CVOU | cardiovascular outpatient unit |
| CVP | central venous pressure |
| CVRB | critical value read back |
| CvS | cardiovascular system |
| CVS | chronic villus sampling; clean-voided specimen |
| CVX | cervix |
| CWD | canal wall down |
| CWR | canal wall reconstruction |
| CWU | canal wall up |
| CX | circumflex |
| cx | cervix/cervical |
| Cx | cervix; cancel |
| Cx Bx | cervical biopsy |
| CXR | chest x-ray |
| CY | calendar year |
| CYS | children and youth services |
| cysto | cystoscopy |
Return to: Medical Abbreviations & Acronyms
This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Abbreviations vary by context and institution. Many abbreviations have alternate or newer meanings not reflected in this set. The abbreviations on this page should not be considered complete.